The Bronx’s New York Botanical Garden will be transformed into ‘Wonderland’ next year

For over 150 years, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has captured the imagination across the globe and has been reinterpreted countless times in popular culture.

But now, for the first time ever, The Bronx will be home to a massive horticultural exhibition inspired by Alice’s magical journey “through the looking glass” set on the 250 acres of The New York Botanical Garden.

Beginning May 18, 2024 through October 27, 2024, visitors to the world famous New York Botanical Garden will be able to enter Wonderland: Curious Nature, an exhibit based on the on the magical tale along with its sequels, Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There and will be guest curated by Jennifer R. Gross, PhD who is an art historian as well as an independent curator.

According to a press release from NYBG, visitors will be able to experience a variety of journeys, “encompassing mind-bending horticultural displays and mesmerizing and immersive art installations in and around NYBG’s iconic glasshouse, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library Building, and across the historic 250-acre grounds.”

If you ever wanted to wander through the rabbit hole and walk among larger than life installations that challenge visual perspectives, NYBG promises you’ll be able to do just that in Wonderland: Curious Nature!

The exhibition also promises to be not just a visual feast but also one for the tastebuds as you can partake in an, “imaginative meal or elegant afternoon tea at the Hudson Garden Grill, grab a quick bite at the Pine Tree Café, and discover whimsical pop-ups sprinkled throughout the visually stunning Botanical Garden landscape. Whether looking for a hearty meal, a sweet “unbirthday” treat, a savory nibble, or an inventive handcrafted cocktail, all will find something delightfully mad to spark their curiosity and whet their appetites.”

Over the past recent years, The New York Botanical Garden has produced some of the most fantastic exhibitions in New York City that blend the art world with nature including the works of Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keefe, Monet, Kusama, and Chihuly just to name a few.

And Wonderland: Curious Nature, is promising to perhaps be one of the garden’s biggest exhibitions ever given how universal the tale of Alice in Wonderland is to the world.

We’ll be sure to keep you posted as more details emerge about the exhibition.

Tickets go on sale February 1, 2024 and you can get them right here.

Ed García Conde

Ed García Conde is a life-long Bronxite who spends his time documenting the people, places, and things that make the borough a special place in the hopes of dispelling the negative stereotypes associated with The Bronx. His writings are often cited by mainstream media and is often consulted for his expertise on the borough's rich history.