Cylburn Arboretum

About

Cylburn Arboretum is a 207-acre public arboretum and urban nature preserve owned and operated by Baltimore City, occupying former estate grounds in the Hampden neighborhood of northwest Baltimore. Its name comes from Cylburn Mansion, a handsome Victorian house built in 1888 that still stands on the grounds and serves as the arboretum's administrative and horticultural center. The arboretum's grounds encompass an unusually diverse ecological landscape for an urban setting: formal garden areas, a large collection of labeled trees and shrubs from around the world, a children's garden, wetland and stream habitats, and more than three miles of woodland trails that pass through mature forest. The Nature Education Center, operated by the city's Department of Recreation and Parks, hosts educational programming for school groups and the general public. Cylburn's collection includes trees of significant size and age — some of the largest examples of their species in Maryland — and a history of horticultural research and demonstration that dates to the early twentieth century. Its urban location makes it a valuable resource for Baltimore families seeking accessible nature education without leaving the city. Admission is always free, and the arboretum is open six days a week throughout the year. The surrounding neighborhood and the mansion's history add historical layers to what is fundamentally a nature experience.

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