On January 25, 2005 the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum opened its new 45,000 square-foot Visitor Center, which will serve as the formal entry point to the Arboretum's 1,040 acres of gardens, plant collections and natural areas. Connected to the historic Snyder Building by an enclosed skyway, the Visitor Center will provide expanded meeting and conference spaces, and will help accommodate the Arboretum's 270,000 annual visitors and 18,000 plus members.
Together, the two buildings will provide up to 10 meeting spaces to accommodate an increasing number of conferences, retreats and classes-as well as weddings, bridal showers and reunions. On-site catering services and an expanded menu will also be available.
Please come to see the new Visitor Center through February 27, when we present our first indoor exhibit in the Great Hall - a 'live' magical miniature landscape - or early May when 36,000 bulbs come into bloom around the new Visitor Center and our next big exhibition, "Wild About Birds" is unveiled. The Visitor Center also includes a new auditorium, which may be divided into four separate spaces for up to 375 people, two high-tech classrooms, a teaching garden and display gallery. A new cafeteria-style restaurant features views of Lake Minnewashta and one of six new terrace gardens surrounding the center. An expanded gift store will offer visitors more choices of northern-hardy gardening books, arboretum apparel, and gifts-along with a new 'Kids' Corner' that will give parents a chance to browse.