Peter Schmidt, President & CEO

Join Our Elite Philanthropists
on the quest to Save the Most Threatened Plants Around
the World

Thank you for your interest in Norfolk Botanical Garden and The Garden of Tomorrow expansion project. We are truly passionate about this initiative and its critical role in conserving some of the worlds most endangered plants for future generations. Personally committed to the cause, my wife and I extend an invitation to you to join us in making a lasting impact.  

The Garden of Tomorrow is the largest expansion in the Garden’s 85-year history. The project opens up a world of opportunity in not just plant preservation but enriching educational experiences and provides for an even more immersive garden environment to explore. With a projected 700K visitors annually, the Norfolk Botanical Garden reemerges as a destination location for visitors from around the globe.  Your financial support is instrumental in realize this vision.

This expansion in not just a project; it’s a legacy, a gift for generations to appreciate. I would be honored to connect with you directly to share the full vision of this extraordinary project.

 
Now is the time to take the next steps towards a greener, more sustainable future. Join us in shaping the Garden of Tomorrow today.

BE A PART OF THE GARDEN OF TOMORROW, Today.

Contact myself and our Legacy Team at legacy@nbgs.org or reach Cathy Fitzgerald, COO and VP of Philanthropy at 757-441-5830 ext 319 

Norfolk Botanical Garden is a private non-profit organization 501(c)(3).

ENTRANCE PAVILION & PARKING GARDEN

THIS VISION IS BOLDLY MADE UP OF THE FOLLOWING PRIORITIES:

BROCK ENTRY PAVILION & PARKING GARDEN

Guests will experience a more enjoyable admission process. Instead of getting bottlenecked at a tollbooth, visitors will leisurely drive into the new expanded Parking Garden, which replaces our current asphalt-and-concrete lot beside Baker Hall. This will set the standard for sustainability through innovative new features including pervious pavement, which will filter rainwater and nourish the garden. The Parking Garden will surround a water collection pond and greet guests with beautiful flowers, shade trees, and the sense that the journey has just begun the minute you step out of your vehicle. 
 

Guests will proceed to the admissions area inside the pavilion. The pavilion will have a new contemporary architectural design with transparent walls to bring the outdoors inside. It will feature a new ticket counter where staff will have the opportunity to interact with multiple people simultaneously – offering a warm welcome, answering questions and promoting NBG membership.

Perry CONSERVATORY

Explore the stunning biodiversity of four separate biomes housed in the new state-of-the-art Conservatory, where a tropical rainforest meets the deserts of the Southwest. This 26,000 sq. foot structure will focus on conservation, which will include some of the most threatened species in the world. This unique building will also be available as a rental space for events. The second-story indoor and outdoor elevated viewing platform.

KAY & AL ABIOUNESS SKYWALK

 The Skywalk provides aerial views of the tropical rainforest biome, leading outdoors to a viewing platform overlooking one of the largest rose garden on the East Coast.

 

The Kenneth A. and Patricia A. Hall Charitable Foundation Shoreline Restoration & Boardwalk  

This area is located on the shoreline near the entrance to the Garden. The project will have a meaningful impact on the environment practicing and promoting conservation.  
 

 

BE A PART OF THE GARDEN OF TOMORROW, Today.

Contact Cathy Fitzgerald, COO and VP of Philanthropy at 757-441-5830 ext 319

Get to know us

Norfolk Botanical Garden is a non-profit organization that relies on generous donors and philanthropists like you to continue our mission. Through fundraising events, daily admission and membership combined with donations, we have made a remarkable impact, not just locally, but regionally.

As a distinguished outdoor museum, Norfolk Botanical Garden was awarded reaccreditation from the Accreditation Commission for the American Alliance of Museums in 2022. This award signifies that NBG meets the rigorous standards and best practices of the museum field and is an educational entity serving as an appropriate steward of the collections and resources that we hold in the public trust. Out of the 33,000 museums across the U.S., only 3% achieve this distinction.

The Garden’s story began in the late 1930s. Through a Works Progress Administration grant, 220 African-American WPA workers cleared swampland and planted the first azaleas – the Garden’s signature flower. Today, the Garden has many plant collections and is a wonderful place for families, nature enthusiasts and environmental stewards. With 175 acres, there is a lot to explore! In the 1960s, NATO Tower, the Administration Building and the Café were constructed. The next phase of major construction wouldn’t happen until the 1990s with the addition of  Baker Hall Visitor Center, and in 2006, the creation of the World of Wonders (WOW) Children’s Garden. This 3-acre garden with multiple splash pads, passport garden and indoor classrooms, dramatically increased visitation. In 2016, after the debut of LanternAsia – International Cultural Festival, our visitation took another leap, and has continued to expand dramatically since the early 2000s! The growth in visitation has nearly tripled since the early 2000s! Membership is also at an all time high at 16,000 and growing!

Our mission to connect people to nature through the world of plants has never been more prescient as we address the environmental crisis we all face. That passion for plants and nature is shared by many of you and we hope, the hundreds of thousands of visitors who come here each year.

The Garden of Tomorrow will take us to the next level – connecting even more people to nature, providing an intimate and immersive Garden experience, as well as expand our conservation efforts. It’s the next level that we need to take now!

 

 Tomorrow begins today.

 

Guests will enjoy a more enjoyable admission experience. Instead of getting bottlenecked at a tollbooth, Visitors will leisurely drive into the new expanded Parking Garden, replacing our current asphalt-and-concrete lot beside Baker Hall, setting the standard for sustainability through innovative new features including pervious pavement, which will filter rainwater and nourish the garden. The Parking Garden will greet guests with flowers and shade trees, surrounding a water collection pond. The minute you step out of your vehicle, you instantly step into the garden experience.

Guests will proceed to the admissions area inside the pavilion. The pavilion will have a new contemporary architectural design with glass walls to bring the outdoors inside. It will feature a new ticket counter where staff will have the opportunity to interact with multiple people simultaneously, offering a warm welcome, answering questions and promoting NBG membership.

CONSERVATORY

Explore the stunning biodiversity of four separate biomes housed in the new state-of-the-art Conservatory, where a tropical rainforest meets the deserts of Arizona. The 30,000+ sq. feet will focus on conservation, which will include some of the most threatened species in the world. This unique space will also be available as a rental space for events.

The second-story indoor and outdoor elevated skywalk provides aerial views of the tropical rainforest biome, leading outdoors to a viewing platform overlooking the largest rose garden on the East Coast.

WATER EDUCATION & ROWING CENTER:

This architecturally stunning structure will sit along the waterfront near the entrance to the Garden, serving as both a state-of-the-art educational venue and a regional hub for regattas. The Center will make a meaningful impact on the environment through practicing and promoting conservation. We will reach more schoolchildren, increase support for local rowing programs and introduce the next generation to Norfolk Botanical Garden.

BE A PART OF THE GARDEN OF TOMORROW

Contact Cathy Fitzgerald, VP of Operations & Development at 757-441-5830 ext 319