General Visitor Information
Heritage is excited to be opening the new Barbey Family Welcome Center! We will be open May 10 – October 19, 2025 from 10 am – 5 pm daily for the Main Season. Please see our programs & events listing for more information.
No. Heritage is comprised of three indoor gallery spaces along with 100 acres of outdoor gardens. Indoor spaces are air-conditioned when necessary. Heritage is open rain or shine – please dress for the weather!
Heritage Museums & Gardens allowes registered service animals on the property. Please click here for information on service animals. Do not leave animals unattended in your car in the parking lots.
Yes! There is something here for everyone. To learn more about what your children will enjoy at Heritage, please click here.
As the majority of the activities are located outdoors and the museum is open in all weather, please dress for outdoor weather conditions ─ including raingear if the weather looks wet ─ and wear comfortable, seasonal-appropriate footwear.
Yes, strollers are allowed inside all three galleries and around the grounds. Our main pathways are accessible by stroller but optional paths with crushed shell or woodchipped surfaces may not be navigable; these trails are marked on the map. Please note that there are designated stroller parking areas conveniently located outside of the three gallery buildings for when space inside becomes congested.
Heritage Museums & Gardens is open in all weather conditions, including rain, heat, or snow. Tickets are non-refundable. Heritage will only close if a major weather event presents a risk to safety (for example, during severe storms with high winds). In the event of a closure, information will be posted to the Heritage Museums & Gardens website, www.heritagemuseums.org and posted to Heritage’s Facebook page, and a message will be recorded on our voicemail, which can be heard by calling 508-888-3300.
If Heritage must close in the event of severe weather or other emergency, ticket holders will be notified of the cancellation via email and will be automatically refunded. Refunds will only be issued if Heritage closes due to severe weather or other emergencies. Please note that refunds will not include any fees customers opted to cover upon original purchase. We will do our best to assist ticket holders with rescheduling but cannot guarantee availability during specific programming and events.
Please note that policies and specific event elements are subject to change without notice as weather or public safety demands. Refunds will not be issued due to any changes made to specific museum or event offerings.
While everyone’s experience varies, we recommend a visit of at least two hours to enjoy all of the galleries and gardens that Heritage has to offer.
Yes! Visit The Shop at Heritage from 10am-5pm daily!
No. Guests who wish to purchase items or plants at The Shop at Heritage are welcome to park and shop!
Our Horticulture Team can answer it for you! We can answer your questions about our gardens’ history and plantings, help you identify plants that you see in our gardens, and even let you know if a plant you see here can be grown in your home garden.
Contact us with your Heritage horticulture question(s). Please be as specific as possible when referencing where you saw a plant/flower/tree, etc. Please note: We are only able to accept questions directly related to the plants and gardens at Heritage Museums & Gardens. We are unable to answer your general home gardening, landscaping, and garden design questions.
Heritage cannot accept plant, insect, or disease samples. We are unable to provide value estimates for trees or other plants. We do not provide consulting services.
Our curatorial team can answer it for you! We can answer questions about our history and museum objects. We can even help you see a collection item not on display when you contact us via email. Please note: We are only able to accept questions directly related to the collections and exhibits at Heritage Museums & Gardens. We are unable to provide value estimates for personal objects that relate to our collections. We do not provide consulting service.
Unfortunately, the bulb river is no longer a garden feature at Heritage Museums & Gardens. However, we have many other wonderful things blooming in May. Please check out our ‘What’s in Bloom’ page for up to date information.
To read our health and safety practices, please click here.
The Adventure Park is an outdoor tree top adventure including 5 courses of ziplines and climbing challenges. For more information, please click here.
Yes. Guests who wish to lunch at Lilly’s Café must pay the admission fee or enter with a membership.
Parking at Heritage Museums & Gardens is free. We have four parking lots available for visitor use, all within walking distance of the main entrance.
Tickets, Discounts & Refunds
Admission tickets can be purchased online prior to your visit here or at the ticket window upon arrival.
General Admission: Adults $25; Youth (3-17) $15; Children 2 and under free
Members: Free with an active membership
For information on admission discounts please click here.
Program tickets are available online here.
Purchasing tickets for General Admission in advance is recommended, but not required. You can print your ticket at home or use a mobile e-ticket on your phone for entry. All admission tickets are date-specific and non-refundable.
Please note: Certain event days or programs may require a seperate admission ticekt and can sell out so advanced regustration is strongly recommended.
Yes, all visitors, including Members, are required to check-in at the Ticketing Pavilion and have their ticket or Membership card scanned before entry onto the grounds.
Receipts and confirmation emails with your QR code e-ticket are sent out by our ticketing system immediately following your purchase. If you cannot find or did not receive these email within six hours of your purchase, please check your “clutter,” “junk,” “social,” “transcations,” and/or “promotional” folders or tabs in your email account. If you still do not see an email from Heritage, please email tickets@heritagemuseums.org or call 508.888.3300, ext. 0 for assistance.
Tickets are non-refundable. If you need to reschedule your admission ticket’s date, please contact tickets@heritagemuseums.org or call 508-888-3300 ext 0 for help.
Yes! You can present your QR code e-ticket on your mobile device to the staff member at the Ticketing Pavilion for entry.
Complimentary tickets may be redeemed for any day between May 10 – October 19, 2025. Please join us on the date you wish to enter and present your filled out complimentary tickets to the staff in the Ticketing Pavilion for entry.
Yes, your admission ticket is good for the whole day of your visit. Please hold on to your admission ticket if you exit the grounds as you will be asked to present it upon re-entry.
No. The Adventure Park at Heritage is NOT included with the purchase of a Heritage Museums & Gardens admission; however, those with a receipt dated within seven days of their Heritage Museums & Gardens visit can receive $7 off on a climb.
To purchase tickets to The Adventure Park at Heritage please click here.
All tickets are date specific and are valid for entry any time between 10 am-4:30 pm unless otherwise designated. Tickets are non-refundable, and are only valid for the date (and entry time when applicable) for which they are purchased.
To read our full Ticketing, Cancellation, and Refund Policy, please click here.
Heritage Museums & Gardens greatly appreciates the opportunity to give back to our community through donations of complimentary access. We collaborate in this way with non-profit organizations whose missions and work enrich the community in which we live.
Our donations are based on the following criteria:
- Organization must be a registered tax exempt 501(c) (3); please include this number in the request
- Organization should be located in Eastern Massachusettes
- Request must be in writing with organization’s legal name and a primary contact name, address, and phone number
- Event description, date and expected number of attendees should be included in the request
- Requests are limited to one per organization per twelve-month period
Donation requests will be reviewed monthly. Due to the high volume of requests we receive, we are not able to honor every request.
The request must be submitted, in writing or via email to donationrequest@heritagemuseums.org, at least eight (8) weeks prior to the date in which the donation is needed (i.e. event date).
Membership Information
Yes, all visitors, including Members, are required to check-in at the Ticketing Pavilion and have their ticket or Membership card scanned before entry onto the grounds.
We send out membership information every week. Should you want to delay the arrival of the gift membership to a more appropriate date, please contact us.
Each of these refers to the total number of people (children or adults) allowed into Heritage each day you visit. A card-holder needs to be present on every visit, but the guests can change each time. Have kids with you on one visit and friends with you on another! Children 2 and under are always free and are not included in this number.
Yes! Save your receipt to be able to apply today’s purchase toward a year-long Heritage Museums & Gardens membership! This can be done within seven days of your visit, either by visiting the ticket booth on your visit or by calling our Membership Department at 508-888-3300, ext. 159 or 119.
Accessibility, Transportation & Walking Information
The main garden paths are paved and accessible via walking, wheelchair, or electric scooter. All indoor exhibit spaces are fully accessible.
Heritage has a limited number of wheelchairs that can be loaned to visitors on a first-come, first-served basis. Transportation for visitors with mobility challenges may be accessed at fixed stops throughout the grounds at benches marked with the International Symbol of Access. The transport cart is intended to help visitors with mobility challenges get to points of interest around the grounds. Please be aware that transport does not offer guided tours.
Our nature trails are not paved so please use caution as they may have branches, roots, or other natural obstacles along them. When visiting Heritage, we recommend wearing comfortable shoes and giving yourself plenty of time to experience all that the gardens and grounds have to offer.
Yes, there are ample spaces reserved for handicapped parking in the Elm Lot (the lot on the left of entry).
A limited quantity of wheelchairs can be borrowed at the Ticketing Pavilion and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Advance reservations are not available.
The distance from the entrance to the back end of the property is about half of a mile, 10- 15 minutes when walking quickly, but we hope you will stop to smell the flowers and enjoy our museum collections as well.
Depending on your plan for the day, visitors usually spend between 1 – 3 hours on the grounds. A casual stroll of the entire grounds on the paved paths may take 45 minutes. Plan more time if you wish to enjoy:
- Visiting all of our museum collections and exhibits
- Playtime with the kids at Hidden Hollow
- Lunch at the café (or your own picnic!)
- Venturing off the main paths to our nature trails
There are spaces reserved for handicapped parking, which are clearly marked. Restrooms, Lilly’s Café, and museum buildings are wheelchair accessible.
The main path through the gardens is wide, paved and clearly marked on the Heritage guide map. A few areas are more steeply graded or on wood-chipped pathways. Most of these areas are manageable with an assistant or are nearby to an ADA transport stop. Heritage provides complimentary transport around the grounds for visitors in need of assistance.
Transportation can be accessed at fixed stops throughout the grounds at benches marked with the International Symbol of Access. The transport is intended to help visitors get to points of interest around the grounds. Please be aware that transport does not offer guided tours.
Yes! However, priority is given to visitors with mobility challenges on our complimentary transport. There are fixed stops throughout the grounds. The transport cart must navigate busy walkways so wait times may reach up to 30 minutes. Please note that transport does not provide tours.
Services & Facilities
We do not have lockers available for visitors.
There is no ATM on site. However, the Shop and the Cafe both accept payment with credit or debit cards and there are ATMs available nearby at TD Bank or Bank of America on 6A.
Yes. Guests can connect to our “Heritage Museums” Wi-Fi network free of charge during their visit. Please note that some areas of the Grounds do not have Wi-Fi coverage. If you’re posting to social media, please tag us at #heritagemuseums!
Restrooms, and family restrooms with changing stations, are located at the Barbey Family Welcome Center, inside the J.K. Lilly III Automobile Gallery, at Lilly’s Café, and inside the American Art & Carousel Gallery.
Portable restrooms, including an ADA portable restroom, are located near the entrance to Hidden Hollow.
Water is avaiable for purchase at Lilly’s Café.
Water fountains are located on the lower level of the J.K. Lilly III Automobile Gallery, at the entrance to the McGraw Family Garden of the Senses, across from the entrance to The Special Exhibitions Gallery, and inside The American Art & Carousel Gallery.
Food & Drink at Heritage Information
Lilly’s Café is located minutes from the Barbey Family Welcome Center. The café is currently offering beverages, including water, snacks, and lunch options. There is limited tented and outdoor seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. In order to access the café you must have paid admission to the grounds.
Please see their menu here.
Visitors are also welcome to enjoy their food and beverages on the lawns or use provided picnic tables. We encourage you to bring your own blanket for picnics.
Visitors may not bring alcohol, but beer and wine are available for purchase at the café.
Barbeques or fires are not permitted.
Group Sales for Adults, School & Youth Groups
Heritage is offering self-guided & guided tour options for both adults and school/youth groups.
A 10 person minimum is required to receive group discounts; admission includes gardens and museum exhibits. For more information on adult groups visit the Group Tours page or for school and youth groups visit the School & Youth Group Visits page.
For information on field trip options and rates please visit our School and Youth Group page.
To make a field trip reservation please contact studentgroups@heritagemuseums.org or call 508.888.3300, ext. x178.
All field trips include one free chaperone per every 10 students and all 1:1 aids are complimentary.
We currently only offer group tours. Please visit our group tours page to learn more.
If you choose not to book a tour, please know our friendly and knowledgeable staff are always on hand to answer any questions you may have.
Yes! The Adventure Park at Heritage and Heritage Museums & Gardnes is currently offering a climb and self-guided visit combo group booking. Click here for more details.
Wedding, Parties and Event Rentals
Weddings and receptions, corporate events, and other private parties are welcome at Heritage Museums & Gardens! Please visit our Wedding & Events page to learn more.
No. Third-party commercial activity is prohibited on Heritage Museums & Gardens’ (HMG) property. This includes outside companies, groups, or individuals conducting sales or holding programs for which participants have paid a fee that utilize HMG’s grounds, facilities, or collections. Click here for more information.
Photography Information
Yes! Heritage offers different photo packages to suit your needs. Please visit our Photography Packages & Policies page to learn more.
Heritage Museums & Gardens welcomes visitors to take videos or photography of our grounds. We do ask that all visitors taking photography and/or videos help us protect and maintain the grounds and gardens for all of our many visitors by referring to our photography/video policies. Please note that use of drones for photography is not allowed.
For the enjoyment of all our visitors, please stay on the pathways and mowed lawn areas. Refrain from walking in mulched or planted garden beds. Do not remove plants, plant labels or containers. Do not pick flowers or plants. Avoid damage to collections and disruption of visitors. Photographers and their equipment may not block or interfere with normal pedestrian or vehicular traffic. All commercial photography or photography sessions must be coordinated in advance. Please visit our Photography Packages & Policies page to learn more.
