Gardens Aglow FAQ

Please note that specific event elements are subject to change without notice as weather or public safety demands. Currently, the event is planned to include:

• The Barbey Family Welcome Center

• The Shop at Heritage featuring unique holiday gifts, festive attire, and more
  • Light up Necklace sales
  • Fun photo opportunities and visitor information at the Clarissa S. Nye Visitor Center
  • Reindeer Scavenger Hunt

• The J.K. Lilly III Automobile Gallery, featuring:
  • An exhibit of Heritage’s antique and classic car collection
  • Visits with Santa in a 1913 Ford Model T

• The American Art & Carousel Gallery, featuring:
  • A display of winter-themed Currier & Ives lithographs and other objects from Heritage’s collection
  • Rides on the 1908 Looff carousel

• Lighted gardens and outdoor features, including:
  • Hydrangea Pathway
  • The McGraw Family Garden of the Senses
  • The Old East Mill
  • The Flume Field
  • The Hydrangea Gardens (Cape Cod Hydrangea Society Display Garden & North American Hydrangea Test Garden)
  • The Wing House lawn
  • The Labyrinth
  • The Parade Field

• Outdoor activities, including:
  • Marshmallow roasting at the fire pits
  • Outdoor G-scale model train display
  • Fun photo opportunities at the Outdoor Stage, Rhodie Grove, and more
  • The Polar PlaySpace at the Parade Field, featuring:
    • Cape Cod Donuts food truck with seating
    • Playground giant building blocks

• Piped holiday music throughout the grounds

• Lilly’s Café offering holiday treats, light meals, snacks, and hot and cold drinks (including adult beverages)

Yes, a significant portion of the event takes place outdoors, including extensive outdoor lighted pathways and lighted displays throughout the gardens. Indoor experiences include two museum galleries, the J.K. Lilly III Automobile Gallery and the American Art & Carousel Gallery. As the majority of the activities are located outdoors, please dress for outdoor weather conditions and wear comfortable, winter-appropriate footwear. Please note that specific event elements are subject to change without notice with weather conditions and as the public health situation demands.

Gardens Aglow takes place in all weather conditions. The lights have extra sparkle in the rain or snow! Tickets are non-refundable. Heritage will only cancel a night of Gardens Aglow if a major weather event presents a risk to safety (for example, during severe storms with high winds). Visitors should check www.heritagemuseums.org for updated information about any closures. Updates will also be 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 cancel a night of Gardens Aglow, all ticket holders will be notified of the cancellation via email and will be automatically refunded. Refunds will only be issued if Heritage cancels the event due to severe weather. We regret that dates canceled due to severe weather are not able to be rescheduled.

Every night at Gardens Aglow provides the same excellent experience, so every night is the best night! We anticipate selling out very quickly for the entire event so get your tickets as soon as you can. Fridays, Saturdays, and nights around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays usually sell out first so we recommend having a backup date in mind when preparing to purchase tickets.

Please note: Santa will not be at Gardens Aglow on December 26 and 27.

As the majority of the activities are located outdoors and the event takes place in all weather, please dress for outdoor weather conditions ─ including rain gear if the weather looks wet ─ and wear comfortable, winter-appropriate footwear.

While everyone’s experience varies, most visitors plan to spend an hour and a half enjoying Gardens Aglow.

Yes, Heritage Museums & Gardens is accessible to visitors with disabilities. There are spaces reserved for accessible parking in the Elm Lot. Buildings are wheelchair accessible and accessible restrooms are available. While most of the route is level or gently sloping, a few areas are more steeply graded and are marked on the map available here or upon entry. The main pathway is paved. Optional paths with crushed shell or woodchipped surfaces are also marked on the map but may not be navigable by all wheelchairs. Complimentary transportation between fixed stops is available for visitors with mobility challenges.

A limited quantity of wheelchairs can be borrowed at the Ticketing Pavilion and are available on a first come, first served basis. No reservations are accepted.

Yes! However, priority is given to visitors with mobility challenges on our complimentary transport cart. 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 of the lights.

Yes, main pathways through the event and buildings are accessible by stroller. Optional paths with crushed shell or woodchipped surfaces are also marked on the map available here or upon entry but may not be navigable by all strollers. Strollers are allowed inside gallery spaces but note that there are designated stroller parking areas conveniently located outside of the two gallery buildings for your convenience and to reduce congestion in busy areas.

Please no strollers in The Shop at Heritage.

A limited quantity of strollers can be borrowed at the Ticketing Pavilion and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No reservations are accepted.

Yes! Holiday treats, light meals, snacks, and hot and cold drinks (including adult beverages) are available for purchase at Lilly’s Café. The Cape Cod Donuts food truck located at the Parade Field offers fresh, hand-cut donuts and cider.

Yes! Visit The Shop at Heritage from 4:30-8:30 pm on all scheduled nights of Gardens Aglow for unique holiday gifts, festive attire, and more.

Yes, photography is permitted for personal, non-commercial use. Photos may be taken with cell phones or handheld cameras. The use of tripods or monopods is permitted only outdoors and must be out of the way of transport and maintenance vehicles and is not allowed on pathways or in garden beds. Drone photography or videography is not permitted. For more information about photography options at Heritage, click here.

No, unfortunately we do not have the space to host private events during Gardens Aglow.