Kew Gardens

Overview

The Hive
At a towering 17 metres tall, The Hive is a striking installation in the heart of a wildflower meadow that recreates life inside a beehive.
A stunning piece of contemporary art, it’s one of the most photographed spots in the Gardens.
Walk into this larger-than-life enclosure and you’ll immediately enter the whirring world of a real beehive at Kew.
One thousand LED lights glow according to the vibrations of bees that live in the Gardens.
In the background, a musical symphony responds to this activity. You might (or might not) notice that every sound is performed in the key of C – the very key that bees buzz in!
Exploring the secret life of bees on a human scale, the Hive is a space to celebrate their powerful role in sustaining life as we know it.

NEW: Henry Moore: Monumental Nature (9 May 2026 to 31 January 2027)
From late spring, discover towering sculptures and smaller-scale artworks by Henry Moore, one of Britain’s most renowned artists, in what is the largest ever presentation of outdoor artworks by Moore.
Set across Kew's iconic landscapes and world-renowned botanical collections, the Henry Moore: Monumental Nature exhibition brings art and nature together on an extraordinary scale, blurring the boundaries between sculpture and living form.
Interact with 30 monumental sculptures installed throughout the Gardens, which span Moore’s nearly 70-year career and demonstrate the varying shape and scale of his artworks.
The sculptures are purposefully placed to be in dialogue with Kew's trees and historic landscapes, revealing how sculpture can both respond to, and reshape, the space it inhabits.

Arboretum
A journey inside this unique collection is a chance to experience the beauty and diversity of forests around the globe.
Stretching across two-thirds of the Gardens, the Arboretum surrounds our glasshouses in a leafy enclave for you to walk, wander and discover. The 14,000 trees rooted here represent more than 2,000 species, including rare and ancient varieties. This great collection contains trees as old as the Gardens themselves, many that cannot be found anywhere else in Britain.

Princess of Wales Conservatory
With ten computer-controlled climate zones, the Princess of Wales Conservatory is a glassy labyrinth leading you through a series of fascinating ecosystems.
There’s a new surprise at every corner of this winding glasshouse. Take in spiky cacti and succulents as you travel through the dry tropics and emerge into the dense, steamy zones where tropical orchids and bright bromeliads come alive.

Treetop Walkway
The most compelling tree-top experience in the UK - Kew's Rhizotron and Xstrata Treetop Walkway takes you under the ground and then 18 metres (59ft) up in the air, bringing you close to trees in a way that will take your breath away.

Queen's Garden
The 17th-century gardens behind Kew Palace are guaranteed to restore flagging spirits, as the plants you'll find here were mainly cultivated for their medicinal properties. Take a stroll around and discover many herbal varieties that we still use to this day. In the summer you'll also find a host of aromatic plants from the Mediterranean region, including lavender, sage, oregano, thyme and rosemary.

Bamboo Garden
This is home to the UK's largest collection of bamboos, which range from the well-known lofty pole varieties to wispy, variegated species. Dominating the garden is the Minka House, an authentic Japanese farm dwelling dating from the early 1900s and reconstructed at Kew Gardens.

The Children's Garden
Based in a natural setting the size of 40 tennis courts, children can explore all the things plants need to grow in our Children's Garden, designed for children from 2 to 12 years old.
Over 100 mature trees are spread over this beautiful landscape, with hidden treasures and adventures around every corner, leading to a 4m high canopy walk wrapped around a 200-year-old oak in the heart of the Children's Garden.

Kew Palace
Explore the beautiful Kew Palace and uncover its intriguing stories, from its origins as rich merchant's house to royal home of George III and members of his family. Highlights include George III's daughters' doll's house and an extraordinary Jigsaw cabinet containing some of the earliest jigsaw maps in existence - used to teach geography to the royal children.
When open, Kew Gardens visitors can visit Kew Palace at no extra charge.


Kew Gardens opening times

1 to 30 September 2026
Daily, 10am to 7pm (last entry 6pm)

1 to 24 October 2026
Daily, 10am to 6pm (last entry 5pm)

25 October to 11 November 2026
Daily, 10am to 4pm (last entry 3pm)

12 November 2026 to 3 January 2027
Daily, 10am to 3.15pm (last entry 2.30pm)


Kew Gardens Ongoing Closures
- The Waterlily House is closed for renovation until spring 2027.
- The Board Walk in the Natural Area is closed.
- The Ice House is currently closed for essential maintenance.


Images: © RBG Kew