What Art Exhibitions and Special Displays Does NYBG Host?

The New York Botanical Garden (nybg.org) hosts art exhibitions and special displays that range from seasonal flower shows to large-scale contemporary art installations, with works placed both in indoor galleries and across the Garden's outdoor grounds. Based on NYBG's own listings, current and upcoming programming includes a fall celebration with artfully arranged calaveras and a larger-than-life Catrina, a 1960s-themed flower show with paintings, fashion, photographs, screenprints, and collages, and future exhibitions featuring artist Cj Hendry, KAWS, and the return of The Orchid Show. If you are deciding whether a visit matches your interests, the key distinction is between art shown in galleries and art integrated into the landscape — NYBG does both.

Current and Recent Exhibitions

Día de los Muertos

A fall celebration running October 3 through November 2, described by NYBG as new this year. The display includes:

• Vibrant marigold blooms and a colorful community ofrenda
• Artfully arranged calaveras
• A larger-than-life Catrina adorned with colorful flowers
• Friendly spirit guides leading visitors through the encounters
• Music and crafts on weekends
• A parade on Sunday, November 1 at 2 p.m.

This is a cultural and artistic installation rather than a traditional gallery show, and it is tied to the fall foliage and pumpkin displays on the grounds.

Flower Power

A Garden-wide celebration running May 23 through October 18, 2026, framed around flowers as symbols of peace and love and the relationship between hippie culture and the natural world. Its art components include:

• A groovy, colorful flower show with vibrant botanical displays
• Photography and visual art from the 1960s in NYBG's galleries
• Grounds installations inviting visitors to "come together"

'60s Art and Photography

Running through October 18, 2026 as part of Flower Power, this is the most conventional art exhibition in the current lineup. It displays paintings, fashion, photographs, screenprints, and collages by artists from the 1960s and '70s depicting flowers as symbols of peace and love. Named highlights include:

• Andy Warhol's Flowers (1964)
• Works by Joe Brainard, Milton Glaser, Carlos Irizarry, Corita Kent, and others

Upcoming Exhibitions

NYBG has announced 2027 and 2028 art exhibitions:

How the Exhibitions Are Distributed

NYBG's art programming is not confined to one building. The listings show two distinct formats:

• Gallery exhibitions — indoor spaces showing photography, paintings, screenprints, and collages, as with the '60s Art and Photography display.
• Grounds and Garden-wide installations — works placed among plantings and across the landscape, as with the Flower Power installations and the KAWS exhibition spanning 250 acres.

This matters if you are choosing when to visit: a gallery show can be seen in a focused indoor stop, while a Garden-wide exhibition requires walking the grounds and is affected by season and weather.

Choosing Based on Your Interest

• If you want recognizable modern and contemporary art names, the '60s Art and Photography display (Warhol and others) and the announced KAWS exhibition are the clearest matches.
• If you want flowers as the main subject, Flower Power and The Orchid Show fit best.
• If you want cultural and seasonal displays rather than a formal art show, Día de los Muertos is the relevant option.
• If you are planning around a specific date, note that the current listings give exact windows only for Día de los Muertos (October 3–November 2), Flower Power (May 23–October 18, 2026), and the '60s art display (through October 18, 2026); the 2027–2028 shows are announced without full date ranges in the source material.

For current dates, hours, and any ticketing requirements, check nybg.org directly, since exhibition schedules and access details can change.