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Brooklyn Botanic Garden Cuts Free Admission Hours
Brooklyn Botanic Garden no longer offers free admission on Tuesday and Saturday mornings.
CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Want to stop and smell the roses? First you have to pay.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has stopped offering free admission on Saturday mornings and Tuesdays, a spokeswoman told Patch.
The abrupt end to the long-standing policy was implemented in November, but wasn't as noticeable because the garden gives free weekday access during those months.
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Instead of providing the usual 12 free admission hours it previously offered per week — from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday — Brooklyn Botanical Garden now offers just four free hours on Friday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon.
Garden administrators decided to slash free hours to better accommodate weekend visitors and, in part, because of financial reasons, the spokeswoman said.
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Which means adults without memberships (which cost $65 a year and provides unlimited garden access) must cough up $15, and seniors and student must pay $8 for a garden ticket.
The free admission schedule change was first spotted by a Reddit user who posted the news in the Brooklyn subreddit and spurred comments that were surprisingly understanding.
“I’m happy to keep paying admissions for the beautiful garden,” wrote Redditer cmc. “It’s not like the Botanic Garden is a big corporation taking in money hand over fist!”
“I'd wish they kept the Saturday morning slot free,” added magnus91, “but that's probably the most profitable time period in the week.”
Free admission also remains available to specific groups — including students, nonprofits and urban composters — who register in advance, according to the BBG website.
But one Reddit user said a visit to the garden wasn't worth the risk, no matter the cost.
“All the allergy drugs in the world won’t let me walk through there unscathed,” wrote ShatteringFast.
A fellow commenter replied, “Just get yourself a hazmat suit.”
For more information about programs, hours and admissions, visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden website.
Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
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