West Michigan Horticultural Society Inc

TO PROMOTE THE ENJOYMENT, UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF GARDENS, SCULPTURE, THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND THE ARTS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITY IS TO ALLOW GUESTS TO EXPERIENCE HORTICULTURE AND ART.

COLLECTIONS AND EXHIBITIONS: THE FREDERIK MEIJER GARDENS & SCULPTURE PARK (MEIJER GARDENS) PROMOTES THE ENJOYMENT, UNDERSTANDING, AND APPRECIATION OF GARDENS, SCULPTURE, THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND THE ARTS. FOR 362 DAYS A YEAR, GUESTS EXPERIENCE EXHIBITIONS ON THEIR OWN, THROUGH A GUIDED TOUR, A TRAM RIDE OR WITH A DOWNLOADABLE TOUR. DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC, MEIJER GARDENS GUEST COUNTS WERE RESTRICTED FOR CAPACITY REASONS TO ADHERE TO REGULATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PANDEMIC. PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS INCLUDE INDOOR DISPLAY GARDENS (TROPICAL CONSERVATORY, ARID GARDEN, VICTORIAN GARDEN, AND CARNIVOROUS PLANTS), ACRES OF OUTDOOR GARDENS AND A WORLD RENOWNED SCULPTURE COLLECTION. TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS GENERALLY INCLUDE THREE SCULPTURE EXHIBITIONS PER YEAR, (CURRENTLY CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION). THE FRED AND DOROTHY FICHTER BUTTERFLIES ARE BLOOMING (MARCH AND APRIL), THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH-WEST CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAY TRADITIONS (THANKSGIVING THROUGH THE NEW YEAR), CHRYSANTHEMUMS & MORE (SEPT/OCT), AND AN EVER-CHANGING SEASONAL DISPLAY HOUSE. DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, ARTISTS PERFORM CONCERTS IN OUR OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER. THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR, DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND GOVERNMENT MANDATED RESTRICTIONS, OUR GUEST COUNT CONTINUED TO BE LOWER THAN PREPANDEMIC YEARS AT APPROXIMATELY 498,500.

CULINARY ARTS & EVENTS: THE CULINARY ARTS AND EVENTS OF MEIJER GARDENS INCLUDES TASTE OF THE GARDENS CAFE, AS WELL AS THE ABILITY TO ENJOY SOCIAL OR CORPORATE FUNCTIONS IN ONE OF OUR EVENT SPACES. EVENT GATHERINGS MAY BE ENHANCED WITH OUR ON SITE AUDIOVISUAL SERVICES AND OUR CATERING AND BEVERAGE SERVICE. CONCESSIONS FOOD AND BEVERAGE, DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH CONCERTS IS ALSO A PART OF THE CULINARY ARTS & EVENTS OFFERINGS. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND GOVERNMENT MANDATED RESTRICTIONS, CULINARY ARTS AND EVENTS WAS LIMITED TO SMALL GATHERINGS. CONCERTS WERE ABLE TO OCCUR AND THE TASTE OF THE GARDENS CAFE WAS OPERATIONAL WITH GUEST CAPACITY LIMITS.

EDUCATION: MEIJER GARDENS OFFERS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS AND PERMANENT DISPLAYS THROUGH INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE, GUIDED TOURS, LOOKING GUIDES, FILMS, DOWNLOADABLE TOURS AND INTERACTION WITH KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. ADDITIONAL OFFERINGS INCLUDE CLASSES, CAMPS, WORKSHOPS, LECTURES, SCHOOL TOURS AND PROGRAMS. BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT LEARNING SHOULD BE FUN AND THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE EDUCATION SPARKS CURIOSITY, VIRTUALLY ALL OF OUREDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS ARE INNOVATIVE AND INTERACTIVE. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND GOVERNMENT MANDATED RESTRICTIONS, CLASSES, CAMPS, WORKSHOPS, LECTURES, SCHOOL TOURS AND PROGRAMS WERE SERVERLY LIMITED DUE TO RESTRICTIONS FOR PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND LARGE GATHERINGS. APPROXIMATELY 7,000 CHILDREN INTERACTED WITH OUR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITES.