The Fort Worth Botanic Garden and the nearby Botanical Research Institute of Texas have announced they will reopen June 1 under health and safety guidelines.
The will reopen from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays only, with the first and last hour of the day reserved for GROW members only (8–9 a.m. and 5–6 p.m.). Starting June 13, the Garden will reopen also on weekends, BRIT said in a news release.
Both organizations will adhere to recommended health and safety guidelines.
Tickets must be purchased in advance and online at www.fwbg.org to allow for contactless payment and specific entry times. To protect the health of all, guests, staff and volunteers will be screened before entry to ensure they do not have a high temperature or other COVID-19 symptoms.
The Garden Center will be closed except for ticketing and restrooms, and the Trellis Gift Shop will open on a limited capacity, allowing only four guests at a time. The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) will also open with limited capacity.
“We know that people are excited to get back outdoors and enjoy some fresh air surrounded by the beauty of the Garden,” said Fort Worth Botanic Garden director Bob Byers. “We’re delighted to reopen our gates.”
BRIT and the Garden made a voluntary commitment to follow best practices in preventing the spread of COVID-19. The commitment, developed by Visit Fort Worth in partnership with the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the City of Fort Worth, encourages restaurants, hotels, cultural institutions and businesses of any kind to take preventive steps to help stop the spread of the disease to the best of their ability. These steps reflect guidelines set forth by Gov. Greg Abbott and the City of Fort Worth Committee on Re-Opening.
“We are doing everything in our power to keep everyone safe,” Byers said. “We’ve spent the last few weeks learning everything we can about ensuring the health of our guests.”
One critical step will be to limit crowds.
Admission to the Garden will be limited to 25% of normal occupancy, with just 300 individuals admitted to the Garden each hour (150 front entrance, 150 back lot entrance near I-30). Admission to BRIT will also be at 25% of normal occupancy (164 maximum per day).
Paths in the Garden will be one-way only, and social distancing will be encouraged. The use of face masks is encouraged, and they may be purchased at the Trellis Gift Shop.
On May 19, the City of Fort Worth approved an agreement for BRIT to begin managing the Garden effective October 1, 2020.
The Fort Worth Botanic Garden is the oldest botanic garden in Texas and comprises 110 acres in Fort Worth’s cultural district two miles west of downtown Fort Worth and includes the beautiful Fuller Garden, the historic Rose Garden, the Japanese Garden, and the Victor and Cleyone Tinsley Garden, which features plants native to north central Texas.
The Botanical Research Institute of Texas is a nonprofit, international research and education organization that collects and safeguards plant specimens, studies and protects living plants, and teaches about the importance of conservation and biodiversity to the world. When BRIT reopens at 25% occupancy, public hours will be Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.brit.org
– FWBP Staff