Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

I have been coming here and I’ve been using my arts access pass but was disappointed that I can only use it 1 time a month so I decided to get an individual membership! Not only can I come as much as I want I can access amazing perks and benefits for being a member. The gardens are beautiful and walking thru it takes you into a magical land of floral plantations. The air is so pure and fresh and the environment is clean . I come on a weekday and it’s not busy . The staff / volunteers are so friendly as well . There is a gift shop where you can purchase all sort of goodies for the whole family . 10/10 recommend coming here and if you are looking for a home away from home get a membership for you and your family ❤️

Had a great time at the botanical gardens. Lots of different plants to see! Very well taken care of. The building is beautiful, the way the plants are arranged is gorgeous. It was very warm and muggy, so keep that in mind if you go during the summer! Not a complaint, just a heads up for folks who are planning to visit :) It really is a beautiful place to see if you are in the area and want a family-friendly thing to do!! There is a cute little gift shop on the way out. They also have a small gallery with beautiful artwork for purchase.

Absolutely breathtaking!!! We attended a private event here and were blown away by how beautiful the gardens were. Walking up, the building itself is so elegant and unique. There’s plenty of parking and local parks nearby. Inside, the gardens are lush and green, with towering trees in the main room. We loved walking around and discovering all the different kinds of gardens. Our kids really loved watching the fish in the koi pond. The gift shop is very nice and I’m pleased we were able to stop by and grab a few things. Overall, very beautiful and we can’t wait to visit again soon!

We stopped by the botanical garden before heading to the Bills game, and it was the perfect way to kick off the day! Thanks to the Blue Star program, our tickets were free—such a great bonus. They’re currently under construction, which makes us even more excited to see what new additions are coming soon. Can’t wait to go back!

Lovely place to walk and explore beautiful and unique plants. Nice open areas and pathways inside. There are many types of plants including. Carnivore plant area! So many varieties of cactus and desert plants too. There’s a little gift shop. Stunning gardens!

I've been visiting the Botanical Gardens since I was a young boy. My parents did their wedding photos there. The place looks better than ever. The dome has been refurbished and all the rooms are bright and airy. The selection of plant life is amazing, and the new butterfly exhibit is very good, although the Butterfly house in Niagara Falls is much better.

Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is a must see when in western New York. Palm Dome is magical, and a wonderful area to begin one's visit. Every area is so warm and inviting and all the plants are well cared for. The conservatory is a lovely structure inside and out, and gardeners were busy planting flowers in front for summer visitors to enjoy at the time we were there. We loved every area from the tropical plants to the cacti.

While we appreciate the historical significance and ongoing expansion efforts at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, our recent visit left us feeling quite underwhelmed. With a shared passion for plants and a professional background in horticulture, we found the overall experience to be lackluster and, at times, neglected. ​The space seemed to lack the meticulous care and thoughtful curation we've come to expect from similar institutions. We were in and out in about 20 minutes, with only the Nepenthes collection and a handful of other unique specimens holding our attention. Unlike our experience at the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, where each room felt like a distinct, well-cared-for environment, the gardens here seemed to blend together into a uniform, uninspired display. ​We understand that an expansion project is underway, but it felt as though the current exhibits were not being maintained to their full potential. The gardens hold immense potential, and we hope to see more dedication to the current collections as the new projects take shape. For now, it was a disappointing visit

The people who work there and maintain the gardens clearly have a passion for what they do. Walking through the gardens and taking in the serene surroundings is very relaxing. I always enjoy visiting botanical gardens whenever I travel to a new city. Not only are they beautiful, but the general admission fees go towards a good cause or go towards their planting desires. I think you can purchase plants here too!

Don't go there for the many fine examples of architecture nearby including the gardens themselves. Go there for the gift shop! And best of all, plants I loved the cactus wing, the carnivore cove, and the beautiful koi pond. There are fountains, walkways & plenty of learning opportunities! I could have spent much, much more time than I did spend, I can't wait to go back!

Beautiful inside and out. There's lots of gorgeous grounds to walk outside as well. I'm a plant person, and was so excited to see they had unique ones for sale!!!

Spent a nice Sunday afternoon to enjoy the Orchid festival at the Botanical Gardens. This place is small, but has some interesting plants. For the Orchid id festival, they brought in many orchids, not too many exotic types, but when all were put together, they are so beautiful! I am most interested in the cacti collection there, many unusual types to enjoy. The gift shop is small but with interesting gifts and souvenirs. This is a good place even for winter, because it is in green houses. There is a parking for easy parking.

Some pretty areas. Nice staff. Outdoor gardens minimal and somewhat underwhelming. Was hoping to spend more time there - but most room were quite hot and I started repeating areas after ~30 min - so visit was short.

Had a great time visiting since it had been years since I had been there. It seems a bit run down in spots and some plants need some TLC. The entry price is a bit high.

This was a great place to walk around and see different kinds of plants. It was pretty big so you can spend a few hours here. Admission is $15.50 and parking is free. There are people complaining about the admission being too expensive. That is really cheap. I live in Illinois and the Chicago Botanic Garden is a little over double the price for one adult and parking is not free. Staff was pleasant. It was very clean. It's worth a visit if you're in the area. Highly recommended.

Any time we visit Buffalo, we must visit the Buffalo Botanical Garden. We love visiting all the rooms with all the different plants and love how they're all organized by plants with similar classifications. They have many rooms that remain static to be enjoyed over and over again. Then they have new exhibits like the carnivores that are on now. I love seeing al the different varietals. We couldn't believe how big the koi were and how many different kinds there were. Loved seeing all the outdoor spaces this time. We had previously come in the fall and had never seen them. The array of beautiful colors and varietals in the front when you walk in is always a winner. I also love the gift shop at the end. They always have cute things and they are reasonably priced. Go check them out. If you're a member of the American Horticultural Society, they offer reciprocity.

Wonderful trip through the gardens. It is a good idea to purchase tickets ahead of time. It was cool inside with some sun inside the buildings. The sounds and breezes added to the garden scape. Drinks from a cooler are available for $3 each.

We came here in June. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. We really enjoyed the walk through the gardens and appreciated the time and care put into the botanical gardens! Would highly recommend for anyone interested in this type of location.

Absolutely stunning! Visiting a friend in Buffalo and we went here on a Friday! Not too busy, and the staff were very friendly. They offer many different rooms with endless species of different cacti, flowers, plants, etc. They are all themed and so peaceful. Such an awesome place to visit, highly recommend.

This is a fun spot to visit! Its a nice way to get warm during the winter and spend a couple hours. They have a nice variety of plants in the different "house" climates. During the summer they have more to walk around and see if you are looking to spend more time there.

Very nice! I am so glad we took the time to visit. It is not a particularly large, but I feel it is very nicely arranged and planned. I particularly enjoyed the areas with raised flowers and bonsai trees. All too often it is difficult to truly enjoy flowers because they are down at your feet or quite a distance from you. It was such a treat to enjoy so many plants close up. In addition the staff is very friendly and the whole space have a very tranquil vibe. It was such an excellent way to start the day. Please note, you are only a couple blocks from Our Lady of Victory National Shrine & Basilica, a beautifully crafted Catholic basilica. You really get a treat combining your trip to include both, making it well-worth a detour if you are passing through.

Several greenhouse rooms of potted plants are arranged in a way to remind you that there are more to plants than flowers. Most plants are labeled and a few in the medicinal room have blurbs about them. The front staff was really nice and gave out a scavenger hunt sheet of blooming flowers and we had fun with that as adults. There's a few benches to sit on and enjoy the sounds of waterfalls and fans. I didn't think we'd spend that long here but 2 hours flew by.

How have I never reviewed this iconic Buffalo landmark? I've been going to the Botanical Gardens since my childhood. While the various plants and exhibits have changed, one thing has always remained the same: the sense of warmth and sunshine it brings on even the coldest of winter days. The Gardens aren't the largest; you'd probably be able to do a complete walkthrough in half an hour or less. But in a place that feels dark for months on end, it's a nice retreat to remind you to never take the warm months for granted. Pricing is fair and I think their membership could be well-worth it for a lot of people. They also host a lot of special engagements, especially around the holidays. They even host classes from time to time! Buffalo is lucky to have a gem like the Botanical Gardens. To see bright blooms when the world outside is frozen is a real treat. I'll be coming back again and again!

Always a pleasure to visit the botanical gardens. My children enjoy the scavenger hunt and the new rooms that are hands on and geared towards children. It's a great place for children and adults alike.

Attended "Gardens After Dark" Spring Flowers Exhibit last night. I love the gardens any time, but lit up at night is definitely a favorite. The display of orchids surrounded by tiny white lights was breathtakingly beautiful. The gardens were filled with colorful soft lighting which only enhanced their Spring flower collections. Unfortunately, masks had to be worn so the smells of Spring couldn't be enjoyed.

The Buffalo Botanical gardens is a nice place to escape the cold winters here in the city. We visited on brisk winter morning and loved looking at all of the flowers-so much we went through all of the exhibits twice! the kids play area is conveniently located halfway through for a nice pit stop. Our daughter enjoyed the toys and free play space.

Loved it! It was a beautiful day, although a bit rainy so it was a perfect day to peruse their facility. It's not as large as other botanical gardens I've visited, but the place was well-kept and the staff were so kind and friendly. (Literally once we walked in, the staff member of the desk was happy to gas about Morty Jr. with us - very cool!) As a succulent fan, I think the cactus room was my favorite but I did also love their koi fish. Very curious and intelligent creatures, and obviously well taken care of. Please keep up the good work! I hope to see more in the future, maybe even a few more items in the gift shop (seeds, plant props, jewelry, pins - I'm a fan of them all)!

A fellow Yelper hit the nail on the head when they said "how much do you like looking at plants" turns out, for me, the answer is "not so much". If you are someone who has a massive green thumb, or otherwise enjoy looking at plants, you will likely have a blast. They do weddings too (I think). The facility is larger than it appears on the front from the parking lot, and there are several halls/rooms with various greenery. There was also a hall with a waterfall, and a Koi pond, which was pretty cool, other things notwithstanding. There were some interesting exhibits, such as the tea plant, with the explanation of what differentiates black, green, white, and oolong tea. However, it found it difficult to locate the actual plant. This is one of the negatives, I would have liked some more labeling, and at least haven't be more clear. Either way, if you're not crazy about plants, other than a few notable ones like the cactuses (only seen in photos) and a handful or carnivorous plants, the rest was just a bunch of green.

Absolutely beautiful! Great warm respite in the cold cold winter! Some of the areas inside made me very homesick for New Orleans! Last time I was there for the night tour, I was thinking " Tjis would be a great place to come, sit, and just read a book at one of the tables for hours".

Really enjoyed the Botanical Gardens light show night! It was super peaceful to walk through the displays with calming music and a dazzling display of lights. Every room is amazing but my personal favorite where the desert room, the palm tree area and the Japanese garden. The waterfall and the koi ponds are true standouts. It was disappointing that the room of vines and the live fish where removed but it didn't really detract from the experience. However in the art gallery I did find a giant roach on the wall. Gross. Other disappointing things where the waste of the space, so many unopened areas and areas filled with hardly any plants. Place was also super overpriced 15 bucks for a small house pant? I can get one at Trader Joe's for only 5! Also parking is super far away and the pathway is icey so be sure to dress warm. Overall a very nice and peaceful time.

The botanical gardens are a great place to spend a couple of hours. We were here for Lumagination which runs every winter for about a month. My previous visits have all been in nicer weather! Though I loved the colors and lights of Lumagination I'd have to say I really liked the crystals and stalacites. And my favorite thing was the torchwork glass made by Vicky Schneider. Just beautiful! The gardens are worth checking out. I always find new and interesting things to keep me coming back.

I came for one of their evening classes. Have to say, lots of fun. But - not in the main building. In the building sort of towards the back to the parking lot. The class started a few min late, but was a lot of fun once it started. The instructors were very good. Totally knew their info. Able to answer all questions. I'll do more to these classes.

I've been to Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens 2-3 times within the last 3 years. One time was during December and it was beautifully decorated with ornaments and lights as you can see in my pictures. My most recent visit was to celebrate Galentine's Day at Lumagination. This years Lumagination theme is mysterious minerals and it's beautiful, show casing beautiful geode's and quartz! Lumagination takes place after hours when it's dark out, so most things are lit up. You can't appreciate every plant at Lumagination as you can during the day, so keep that in mind. Lumagination offers a happy hour from 5-8 in the building next door. Salvatore's has a list of menu items to purchase. There's a tiny bar for drinks and popcorn is available for purchase as well. There's also a nice live band.

I will be uncharacteristically brief with this review: some people like looking at plants and others do not. If you don't, well, BECBG won't change your mind, but if you do, wow, is this a cool space. The exterior is incredible-looking, the inside has cavernous and sunlit views of everything, the plant cultivation is loving, the membership discount is a generous incentive for repeat viewing, the parking is free, and they even give you a scavenger-hunt card featuring the various plants to be seen (of which there are very many). It's another one of those insider-traded gems that the veteran locals know about while I am out of the loop. No more, and I'll look forward to a warm-weather visit in which we can stroll the grounds as well. Misc: they do weddings here, and while I've done mine, this would be a very cool place to get married, I think. Anyway, top-notch experience, highly recommended.

My mate has been pestering me for the past two years to come here, and I don't blame him. Sure 14 dollars sounds like a lot at first, but when you realize it's put towards the preservation of all these beautiful plants, it's a worthwhile investment. We were too early for the seasonal outdoor exhibits and stuck indoors, circumventing around a bridal party. Dill dip aside, the rest of the building was free of distracting scents, the music like a background lullaby to pull you into a state of relaxation. There are signs about the area with factoids, if you're into learning and not just soaking up the colors and foliage, that can be read to you by a recording, or a patient girlfriend. Said girlfriend may also have to handcuff you, if you ignore the 'do not touch' signs in the cactus room. They look great. We've been told that looks are deceiving, as they will not feel this way. The brochure advertises an app for plant identification and details 12 rooms in case you, mistakenly, want to skip any. We did two laps, one for pics and one for reading and gawking. Highly suggested, because while pictures are fine to look back on, this is a place you'll want to immerse in the present. Especially next to the koi pond, where the fish are friendly enough to swim up to the edge. This may be due to the feeding event from the morning, an extra 6 dollars to your e-ticket. The rooms are on the warmer side, so dress appropriately and remember to look up. You never know what you'll find.

Visited for the Lumagination event. The gardens are open late and many of the plants are lit up with accompanying music. Completely different atmosphere than if you visit during normal operations. There was a visiting artist doing torch glass work, she had a whole exhibit of glass flowers and plants that you could view. There was also a photography exhibit with beautiful photos. Overall the whole exhibit was creative and engaging but I expected more with the lighting than just a colored light shining on every third plant. There's a lot of plants that are just in the dark and most of the lights are stagnant. I expected more light show effects or moving lights.

Visited during the pandemic and it was actually nice seeing the gardens without weaving through a crowd. The poinsettia exhibit really made the gardens feel different than any time I'd seen them before.

Visited again today, as I have a membership and conveniently live down the street! As always, this place provides so much peace and happiness simply by existing. All of the plants are so beautiful. Only con is that masks are still unfortunately required.

The gardens are amazing each room is more magical than the next, so many beautiful flowers and plants to see.I was so excited to see Morty the corpse flower, what a stinker he is.Always entertaining for the whole family, can't wait to come back .

So much to do and see, from the cactus to the amazing flowers and plants, I really enjoyed walking around and observing what the gardens has to offer.I came out to see the corpse flower , Morty that was definitely an interesting experience.

Visited during Lumagination 2018. A great opportunity to enjoy the museum after hours, look at the cool lights, and check out some of the plants (though it is a bit more difficult to really look at the plants since it is dark). Arrived around 6:45pm and had to park along the driving path around the park since the nearby lots were full. I spent about an hour here - it probably won't take you more than 2 hours even if you walk slowly. Great place for kids too - there is a family corner for more interactive activities. Tip: I recommend purchasing tickets online for the same price prior to entering for ease of admission and to avoid long lines at the front desk.

Very cool experience. I had reservations for 7pm and it was golden hour. The sun was setting and it put a glow on every room I looked at. So many different plants and I think I walked through the entire building three times. There's just so much to look at!

The Poinsettia/Christmas exhibit at the Botanical Gardens was amazing, beautiful,and fun. A must see! The staff is nice and they take pride in the work it takes to decorate for the holidays and maintaining the area. This was a great afternoon for my mom and I. We love plants and flowers and took so many pictures. There are twelve garden houses. I loved the large Christmas tree at the very beginning with pink ornaments and poinsettias. Gorgeous! I also liked the cacti and succulents(house 4), the koi pond(aquatic garden house 2), and the bonsai(asian rainforest house 3). Admission for adults is 12.50. There's different areas for children to enjoy as well. We passed through an area with a toy train. There are events all year long, classes and workshops, and you can also book private parties. I really enjoyed the time I spent there today that I'm thinking of getting a membership.

Beautiful building and arrangement. I just missed the Orchid Show and in the Dark. But went a couple years and it was great!

An old fixture in BUFFALO you have to visit every so often and for me it was more than a decade ! Was as beautiful as I remembered wasn't busy so took my time looking I'll try to get back sooner then before

This place is absolutely amazing, sometimes I feel like it's a hidden gem in Buffalo because some people know about it and others are stunned at it's beauty and that it even exists. My favorite time to go as I'm sure many people is during the Lumagination exhibit. But this is a year round place to be. Surrounded by the lovely park and the basilica across the street there is plenty to do in this neighborhood. The gardens house a number of plants from all over the world and are excellently showcased in a building from the turn of the century. For something over a 100 years old they sure manage to keep it up exceptionally well. If you're from buffalo or just stopping by to visit be sure to check this place out. Great for all ages.

Absolutely lovely place to visit. Thousands of different plant varieties. Beautiful flowers. Takes you away from the world into a glowing paradise. Love this place!

The Erie County Botanical Gardens is a great place to go during the winter when you're sick of the cold. You can spend an hour or the whole day relaxing as there are various areas that you can sit in the warm atmosphere and hang out. There's a checkerboard that you can play, a kids area, and sitting areas throughout! My favorite area is the cactus room because who knew there were that many varieties of cacti! I would highly recommend getting a membership for the year as is would pay for itself within 3 visits! You also get discounted admission to other botanical gardens nationwide (and Canada, like the Toronto Botanical Gardens in the summer months!). Not only that but you get 10% off at nurseries locally and a year subscription of Better Home & Gardens. The cost is $40 for an individual or $70 for a couple, which is a great value! Obviously, I'll be returning as I'm a member. But I HIGHLY recommend to go especially in the winter and special events like the evening events. This is definitely a hidden gem of Buffalo

Surprisingly this was our first visit to the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. We had discussed going here numerous times but never got around to it. I'm so glad that we finally went. The Gardens After Dark display was an excellent introduction to the gardens and convinced us that future visits are a must, especially during the cold winter months. The Botanical Gardens are a series of green house rooms with plants from all over the world. During the Gardens After Dark display various and changing colored light and lasers are arranged to create beautiful and dramatic effects on the plants. Entrance was by ticket for this event and staggered for Covid purposes. I highly recommend visiting here especially during Gardens After Dark. It was an excellent diversion from the Covid boredom.

I used to come here every Easter while growing up for free with my mom and sister. (I think that was before the county bought it.) I came here last year with friends to Starry Night in the Garden. The ticket included food from other vendors, a wineglass and a fun concert. It was great. I came here tonight with my best friend for the Magical Poinsettias exhibit. It was nice. The poinsettias were beautiful and there were lights around the other plants at the Gardens. When I entered, I had to give my ticket to the cashier. It was $13.50 but I was happy to support the Botanical Gardens. After leaving the vestibule and entering the main area, there were beautiful snowflake decorations hanging from the main entryway. There was a Christmas tree outside. There is a small gift shop where you can buy items to support the Botanic Gardens. Some of the items were cool. I'm really glad that I came here tonight and I'd like to come in the future for other events.

This place is community magic! There's so much going on here and during the winter months they host Lumagination, which is a chance to see the Botanical Gardens be lit up with all sorts of lights. In winter, it's a tropical haven where you can go and pretend to live in paradise and escape the cold. During the summer, they sometimes host a pop up restaurant on Tuesdays which is the town's best kept secret on the ability to eat some local food in a gorgeous setting. I hope they do it again this year. They often host yoga classes and a variety of events and keep a good pulse of community outings going. The building itself is quite gorgeous too and I believe they are planning an expansion. Can't wait!

Very relaxing and beautiful place to go, there are various type of plants collected and kept in this garden. Nice place for ppl into plants and different species. I am pretty sure children would like to visit. Some came for baby showers. Golf country club and trail are close to it

I don't come here very often, but I find it VERY relaxing. I came with my parents on Valentine's Day (which is also their wedding anniversary) for their Lumagination event, my first time going to it The picture I took of the entire building outside is my absolute favorite. For the first 300 guests on Valentine's Day, they gave us each a carnation and a little goodie bag of hershey kisses. Salvatore Italian Gardens had some eats to buy in a building over, along with some drinks, and a live band. The only downside I find about the botanical gardens is that it gets SO confusing as to which rooms you haven't already been in. We literally went through some of the same rooms 4-5 times lol, but way worth it, because we ended up seeing things we missed the first few times.

At Lumagination. A lovely walk through our beautiful Botanical Gardens with lighting and somewhat eerie music. It is a lovely way to spend an evening. The difficult part was that it was February school break and so there were a lot of families, esp. families with small children in strollers. It is quite distracting to not be able to look at all of the great plants and other decorations, all lit up with flood lights and sparkling lights and avoid tripping over strollers. I am happy that parents bring their kids out to our cultural institutions, but the paths are narrow and the strollers were in abundance. Tripods are forbidden, but not strollers. Of course Lumagination is a nighttime event. I hope the Botanical Gardens made a lot of money on this annual event.

Lumagination is a very popular event at the Botanical Gardens. The gardens are nice and worth a visit during daytime. Lumagination makes it a total different experience. All kind of different light set ups give the plants a very special look. A bit spooky music makes it almost a Halloween experience. Every room has a different light show and different music. If you come to see the plants and flowers, you better come during the day time, but Lumagination is for sure worth visiting. It was very crowded and there were a lot of children. They seemed to enjoy it, even the little ones. Tripods for photographers were not allowed (I understand), but strollers are. The walkways are narrow and it is hard to pass a stroller. I think the Gardens should look at this.

This place becomes my sanctuary in winter. When I just cant take one more day of colorless cold, I come here. Its warm, its green, they decorate for the holidays, and they always have some kind of special theme or event going on that makes it worth getting a membership and coming at least a couple times a year. Lumagination is cool, but expensive, and you cant really see any of the plants since its dark. Dont let that be the only time you experience the garden because it really is pretty in the day. My favorite garden is the aquatic garden and asian rainforest. It was just renovated within the last year and its really well done. Its very peaceful with the koi and huge waterfall. I highly suggest getting a membership - family membership (2-adults plus all dependents under 18) is $75 a year (or $135.00 for two years) which is worth it if you go a couple times a year. Also, the membership is also good at over 300 other gardens in the US and Canada, so if you travel a lot and like going to gardens its a great deal. Parking is free, both in the lot, or along the surrounding street (which actually is sometimes the closer place to park, since its a decent walk from the parking lot to the front entrance).

I LOVE this place so much. I'm a member because I truly enjoy this little escape. So many beautiful plants, fountains and the Koi pond is really cool too. I bring my camera here to take photos a lot. We get emails about events for the kids too so I bring them as well! I love when they decorate or change up some of the plants and design.

Went on my first date with my current boyfriend in March of this year for the Orchid show. It was absolutely stunning. I keep forgetting we have such a BEAUTIFUL place right in our backyard here in Buffalo. I also was not aware that the Botanical Gardens had so many events and shows until that visit. Can't wait to go back!!