The Arboretum is a 100-acre public garden located on the campus of the University of Kentucky in the heart of Lexington, Kentucky. The mission of the Arboretum is to showcase Kentucky landscapes and serve as a resource center for environmental and horticultural education, research and conservation. The Arboretum began in 1991 as a joint effort between the University of Kentucky and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. In March 2000, The Arboretum was named the Official State Botanical Garden for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The Arboretum welcomes over 200,000 visitors annually. Our unique features include the Walk Across Kentucky, a diverse native plant collection and living museum; the Kentucky Children’s Garden, designed to share the joy and wonder of nature; and our Horticultural Gardens, which boast year-round color. The Arboretum offers year-round classes, workshops and educational events for visitors of all ages in numerous areas of natural resources, horticulture and conservation science.