Hortus By Night - winter evenings at Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam
Due to the measures in place as a result of coronavirus please check the official page of this event for any possible further details on cancellation / postponement.
Stroll at night through one of the oldest botanical gardens in the whole world this festive season! It's time for Hortus By Night, which means that Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam (Amsterdam Botanic Gardens) has special extended opening hours on 12 selected days over the Christmas period!
Special winter experience at Hortus
Hortus usually closes at 5pm, so Hortus By Night is an extra special event for a limited time only, allowing you to immerse yourself in the twinkling lights, illuminated plants and mysterious shadows. On these special evenings in Amsterdam, the enchanting lights are switched on at sundown and last until 10pm.
Take your family, a friend, or perhaps even a date to enjoy this fairytale magic! Don't forget to stop by for some takeaway hot chocolate or mulled wine to warm you up in the winter air!
You can even attend public lectures, which cost 10 euros per person. Two of the lectures are in English: "Talking Plants" on December 20, and "Plant Perception" on December 27.
Special nighttime highlights
Download the Hortus app to learn how nature reacts to cold, dark winter evenings as you walk along the Night & Winter route at the Hortus. As the days get shorter, some plants go into hibernation, while others thrive. There are certain flowers that only bloom at night, so there's actually plenty we miss out on by visiting gardens like this one during the day. Visiting at night paints a very different picture.
Photo: Jan Jaap Hubeek, courtesy of Hortus
Hortus by Night opening hours and dates
On the following 12 days, the lights come on at 5pm and Hortus stays open until 10pm.
- December 19
- December 20
- December 21
- December 22
- December 23
- December 26
- December 27
- December 28
- December 29
- December 30
- January 2
- January 3
Get your tickets
Get your tickets to Hortus by Night on the Hortus website. It costs 9,75 euros for a standard adult ticket. To help keep visitors safe and help prevent further spread of coronavirus, time slots are allocated and limited numbers of visitors are allowed to enter the Hortus at any given time.
Photo: Barbara van Amelsfort, courtesy of Hortus
Thumb photo: Jan Jaap Hubeek, courtesy of Hortus