The Season’s Greenings Train Display at the US Botanic Garden is still happening – but hurry! Now until Sunday, January 5, 2020, take the kids to check out this FREE model train show with pint-sized locomotives traveling up, down, around and through amazing plant-based recreations of iconic botanical gardens!
Photo credit: US Botanic Gardens
With Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s vibrant red Japanese torii gate and Missouri Botanical Garden’s famous Climatron conservatory, this exhibit exploring botanic gardens from Hawaii to Maine is one to be seen!
Season’s Greenings: America’s Gardens
This year’s holiday show features models representing 24 public gardens from around the United States — all made from plants and natural materials!
Missouri Botanical Garden’s famous Climatron conservatory is freaky cool, man.
With 7 “G gauge” model trains making their way through the recreated botanical gardens, kiddos enjoy tracking the trains while also exploring these structures fit for only the finest of the fairies!
All in all, we spent about 20 minutes exploring the model train display and the incredibly detailed botanical gardens. We then made our way to the Garden Court, which we explored 12 DC landmarks from our nation’s capitol, including an inspired botanical version of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Incredible recreation of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
The kids wondered about how these amazing creations came to be. Lucky for us, a tre helpful US Botanic Gardens employee was nearby to show us precisely what went into making these incredible recreations, particularly the US Capitol building.
Look at all of the natural materials used to make this masterpiece!
Apparently, the most common used plant materials include pine cone scales, willow twigs, cinnamon sticks, grape tendrils and acorn caps.
Discovering what went into making these recreations!
After exploring the Garden Court, we then visited the different gardens at the conservatory (the tropics was a nice twist on a cold day, as were the steps up to its different levels).
US Botanic Garden Travel Tips
- The US Botanic Garden is located at 100 Maryland Ave, SW, Washington, DC 20001. Check website for holiday hours.
- Plan to spend about an hour+ exploring the exhibits
- There is NO stroller parking, which means that you’ll have to keep pushing yours if your young’n gets out and wants to explore. (They are vigilant about this; one step away from your stroller and you’ll be called out. :-/ )
- Federal Center West Metro Station is the closest station to the US Botanic Gardens.
More Indoor Fun Along Route 1!
For more ideas on Indoor Fun near the Route 1 Corridor, check out Route One Fun’s “Indoor Fun” page here! We’re frequently updating with new posts and new ideas on way to have even more fun along Route 1!
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