Morris Arboretum

100 E. Northwestern Ave., 215/247-5777,
www.upenn.edu/arboretum [1]

HOURS: Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–4 p.m.,
Sat.–Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Apr.–Oct.,
Thurs. in summer until 8:30 p.m.,
Daily 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Nov.–Mar.

COST: $10 adult, $8 senior, $5 child 3–18 years, free child under 3 and member

In the late 1800s this was home to “Compton,” the summer estate of the Morrises. They built a lovely garden and plant and sculpture collection and made plans to add a school and laboratory of horticulture and botany.

This dream was ultimately realized in 1932 when the University of Pennsylvania [2] purchased it and transformed the Morris Arboretum into an interdisciplinary resource center. It is now the official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Stroll through the 92-acre Victorian landscape and take in the sights and scents of the beautifully landscaped gardens, streams, and sculptures. A summer concert series features mostly jazz and classical music and an on-site café serves food.