Planning

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Filming & Photography Policy

Informal "vacation style" picture taking and home videos are permitted throughout the gardens. Tripods, lights, reflectors, props, costumes, and models are prohibited.  No commercial filming or photography is permitted. Please call (843) 235-6019 with questions regarding Brookgreen's film and photography policy.

Noncommercial painting and sketching in the gardens is permitted.

 

Daily Schedule from June 5 - September 3, 2010.

Brookgreen offers a variety of daily programs, exhibitions, excursions and special events that change seasonally.

Please check back if you are planning your visit later in the year. Schedule is subject to change.

 

New Butterfly House Open at Brookgreen

April 1 - October 31

The most recent addition to the Lowcountry Zoo and features hundreds of butterflies native to the Southeast. The new butterfly house supports our mission to exhibit and educate our visitors about the animals, ecology, and plants in our area. Open daily from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. During Cool Summer Evenings, June 16 - August 13, the butterfly house is open until 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $3 - adults and $2 - children for a 30 minute timed visit in addition to garden admission.

 

Gray Oaks of Mystery - This captivating 10-minute film presents an overview of the gardens from its historical beginning until the present. Free with garden admission.

New Labyrinth Open Daily
Located along the north end of the Trail Beyond the Garden Wall, the new labyrinth blends with its natural surroundings. Interpretive panels describe its history and purpose and benches are placed nearby. Free with garden admission.


The Huntington Sculpture Garden: Sculpture, Horticulture and History Tour

11 a.m.; 12 noon; and 2 p.m. Daily
This docent-led tour of the sculpture gardens combines information on the sculpture, horticulture and history. Tour is limited to 20 and lasts approximately one hour. Free with garden admission.

Mother Nature's Cafe – 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Daily
Observe the animals in the Native Animal Habitats with an interpreter as the animals are fed a snack, and witness the mystery of their natural behaviors in this informative tour. 50 minutes. Meet at the Plantation Barn along the Lowcountry Trail. Free with garden admission.

Creek Cruises- 11 a.m., 1 and 2 p.m. Daily

During Cool Summer Evenings, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, June 16 - August 13, additional creek excursions are at 5, 6 and 7 p.m.
Cruise on a 48-foot pontoon boat along historic ricefields now home to alligators, waterfowl, and osprey as an interpreter helps you see the distinctive landscape of the rice plantations and understand the role of enslaved Africans in the cultivation of the rice crop. Tickets are $7- adults and $4 - children in addition to the garden admission and must be purchased at the Lowcountry Center at least 10 minutes before tour time. The Springfield departs from the boat dock at the Lowcountry Center.

Southern Trek: The Oaks and the Alstons - 2 p.m. Daily
Tour back roads to the Oaks Plantation, former home site of the prominent Alston family, and walk through the cemetery where generations are buried. Hear the story of Joseph Alston, an early SC governor and his lovely wife Theodosia, daughter of Vice-President Aaron Burr and learn about the rice culture that dominated this region for hundreds of years. Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for children in addition to the garden admission and must be purchased at the Lowcountry Center at least 10 minutes before tour time. Excursions last approximately 50 minutes. Not recommended for children under six years of age.

Northern Trek: Laurel Hill Families and Fortunes- 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Daily
Ride with an interpreter along an avenue of historic Live Oaks to a plantation cemetery, a Civil War earthen fort site, and a historic rice mill chimney. From the top of one of the area’s highest bluffs, see a panoramic view of the Waccamaw River. Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for children in addition to the garden admission and must be purchased at the Lowcountry Center at least 10 minutes before tour time. Excursions last approximately 50 minutes. Not recommended for children under six years of age.

The Oaks History and Nature Trail - 1 - 3 p.m. Daily
The Oaks Plantation History and Nature Trail brings to life an important element of history “off the beaten path”. Through interpretive panels along the natural walking trail visitors learn about the story of The Oaks Plantation and see archaeological sites that include the plantation owner and slave areas. Transportation to The Oaks Plantation History and Nature Trail is only by mini-bus which departs on the hour from 12 noon until 3 p.m. outside the Lowcountry Center. Tickets are $3 per person and must be purchased at the Lowcountry Center least 10 minutes prior to departure time.

What's Blooming - All Day

Look for this unique table display by the entrance of the Welcome Center. You will be introduced to the name, look and fragrance of the flowers and plants that bring splendor to the gardens. Free with garden admission.

Meet the Animals 2:30 p.m. Daily
Explore the world of animals native to the southeast as an interpreter introduces you to live animals in an interactive setting in this 45-minute program at the Lowcountry Center Program Shed. Free with garden admission.

Sculpture Exhibitions in the Rainey Sculpture Pavilion

May 8 - July 25 - Recent Acquisitions of Brookgreen Gardens (Noble Gallery) In recent years, several hundred sculptures have been acquired for the Brookgreen collection. Received as gifts or purchased with donated funds from generous individuals, these works have broadened and strengthened the collection. Red, White, and Blue: American Sculpture for and by Veterans (Jennewein Gallery) This exhibit features sculpture at Brookgreen that have patriotic themes or were created as war memorials. Several of the artists represented in the collection served in the military or in a military support job in wartime, especially during World Wars I and II. Both exhibits are free with garden admission.

August 7 - October 31 - National Sculpture Society 77th Annual Awards Exhibition - For the first time in its history, the National Sculpture Society 77th Annual Awards Exhibition will be held exclusively at Brookgreen Gardens. The venue length has been expanded to nearly three months to provide greater exposure for this important juried exhibition of sculpture. The awards of the National Sculpture Society will be presented along with Brookgreen Gardens’ People’s Choice Award at the closing celebration on October 30.

Lowcountry: Change and Continuity Exhibit
As an introduction to Brookgreen Gardens' Lowcountry History and Wildlife Preserve, this long-term exhibit chronicles the history from the time of the early Native American occupants of this land to the culture of today. Located in the Wall Lowcountry Center. Free with garden admission.

Children's Discovery Room
Open from noon to 4:30 p.m., the Children's Discovery Room features seven interactive stations for children

(ages 4 – 12) that afford opportunities to learn about the rich history, nature, and art at Brookgreen Gardens. Free with garden admission.

The Lowcountry Trail

Self-guided tour of four archaeological sites with interpretive panels that describe the life on a rice plantation in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Lowcountry Trail Audio Tour is a new public education program that emphasizes historic preservation. The tour winds along the Ricefield Overlook and adjacent rice field and is free with garden admission. A 30-minute fictional story about life on Brookgreen Plantation unwinds progressively as listeners move from Listening Stations 1 through 11. Free with garden admission.