Social Guide

At Longwood Gardens, we welcome everyone to enjoy the beauty of our Gardens. Scroll through the social guide gallery below and read through our know-before-you-go tips!

Before You Go

• For entrance into the Gardens, please bring your Gardens Admission Ticket or your Member reservation and photo ID. Any fidgets, headphones, or other comfort tools are also allowed.
• You are allowed to bring water and snacks (not picnics) into the Gardens.
• Communicate about your visit with your family.
• Prepare for social engagement, create a social script for engaging with staff who sell tickets in the Visitor Center or people who work in the Gardens.
• Before you go, check the website to inform you about any potential sensory issues.
• If you have a service animal, create a social script to answer questions about your animal.
• Plan your travel to and from the Gardens, there is no public transportation that makes scheduled stops at Longwood Gardens.
• The exhibits are always changing, so check the website before you visit to find out what flowers are in bloom, what tours are available, and fountain show times.
• If you have visited the Gardens before, remember that the displays change often and you might not see all the same things that you saw last time.
• Restrooms are available in the Visitor Center and throughout the Gardens. Look for signs in the Gardens to find the restroom location nearest you.
• Once you are in the Gardens, stay as long as you like! Re-entry is not allowed at this time
• Longwood covers many acres (nearly 200 that are open to the public!). Walking or using a personal mobility device, wheelchair, or electric scooter are the only ways in which to experience it.
• Mobility device rentals are available on a first-come, first-served basis. A limited number of wheelchairs and strollers are available via self-service at the Visitor Center. Scooter rentals are also available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Visitor Center. You are welcome to bring your own mobility device.

Sensory Tips

• Visual: There will be many signs in flower beds indicating types of plants on display. The Organ and Pump House museums have large displays describing what you are seeing. Text information is not necessarily required to experience but adds to the exhibit.
• Touch: Please do not touch any of the plants you see, but feel free to splash in the water at either of the Children’s Gardens (when available).
• Auditory: The fountain shows will have loud music, colored lights, and the water jets can make loud popping sounds too. Many nights, you can also hear live music playing in the Gardens, including at the Beer Garden.
• Olfactory: Many of the plants on display in the Conservatory have smells that may be familiar or new—if the smell is too strong, feel free to step outside for some fresh air.

Please contact us with any additional questions regarding accessibility at Longwood. We welcome feedback regarding our access program services and how we may improve our access services to best accommodate your next visit to our Gardens.

• Call 610.388.1000
• Email questions@longwoodgardens.org

Visiting Our Gardens

Scroll through the social guide below (or download the pdf) for an introduction to the Gardens for first-time visitors, families, or visitors on the autism spectrum.