Free to visit and close to the Capitol. This garden has both inside and outside features. Very beautiful and easy to access. There are several attendants who offer information on some of the plants and everyone was very friendly and helpful. There is a small gift shop.

The presentation is wonderful & the plants are amazing. Definitely educational & totally enjoyable. The staff are very helpful & friendly also. Would love to see the full presentation of the orchids. A few were still blooming. But many more things to see & lots of information obout all the areas presented. The special exhibits are worthwhile also.

Spending so much time pounding the streets of the capital, it was a refreshing change to get away from the hustle and bustle for a short period. There are glasshouses with lots of exotic species, and outdoor areas to explore. Well worth visiting.

Lots of creative ideas for horticultural gardeners. The indoor garden closes at 5 pm but the rest of it is open till 7 pm. Great place to relax after a long day walking on the National Mall and visiting museums. Great place for pictures.

A small garden - but nice for a quick visit. Tropical Garden is basically the showpiece of the site. Desert Garden is also nice. A few orchids; the Hawaiian and Mediterranean gardens could use more. Outdoor gardens are lovely for taking a rest in pretty surroundings. Shop needs to expand and offer more of what it says it does (I found no DC artisan work and not a lot of inventory in general). Garden does offer free pamphlets and booklets which are very nicely illustrated. If I lived in the area I would visit more. If you are a tourist and have lots to see, this wouldn't be on my list unless you're a real plant buff (and in that case you will probably be comparing it unfavorably to Longwood Gardens, the NYBG or another huge attraction). I went because I wanted something new to see in DC and am a gardener, so it was fine for me.

Most of the U.S. Botanic Garden is inside a big greenhouse with separate sections. There are a few small gardens outside, but this is by no means an expansive garden such as the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Huntington Gardens in Pasadena, or Longwood Gardens (in Pennsylvania.) But, in spite of its size being limited, it makes up for it by what is there. In the main part of the conservatory, there are two levels, one reached by stairs, but all of the plants in that section can be seen from either level. I thought that the orchid display, in particular, was well put together, especially since it was in such a small space. They packed a lot of orchids of all types into that small space, and the way they were displayed had a "naturalness" about it. The small desert section was nicely done too. Outside, there is a small garden featuring a mix of plants, and there is also a First Ladies' water garden. Across the street is another small garden surrounding a large fountain, the Bartholdi Fountain and Gardens, which is part of the whole thing overall. In the greenhouse, one can find public restrooms. Overall, the place appears to be wheelchair friendly too.

For a national asset, the US Botanical Garden is disappointingly small. But this is Washington DC and space is at a premium. I generally like botanic gardens with more natural setting space, but the exhibits they do have here are nicely arranged given the limitations. This is a good stop if you want to add something to the itinerary that won't take too much time, but I would say one of the less essential DC attractions, unless you're a real horticulture buff.

We took our nieces here who are under 5 and we had so much fun exploring the plants! It is crazy how humid the tropic area gets but we loved going to the second story to walk through the trees. It is free which is also a huge plus. The train outside was a huge hit. Definitely fun for the whole family!

We visited over Christmas so the outer garden wasn't in bloom but it was still well maintained. The inside is beautiful and very well setup. Entry is free so it fills up quickly. And it can get really warm and steamy in certain areas so be aware of that fact. My wife and daughters really enjoyed this part of our trip and we would highly recommend a visit.

The DC holiday season can’t be complete without a visit to the Botanic Gardens right by the US Capitol. Though the outdoor gardens are a wash in December, the indoor conservatory with its eye popping range of flowers, fruits and plants more than suffices. Throw in the holiday decorations and this is a splendid way to ramp up the holiday spirit. The train display has been sensibly moved to the outdoor display which eliminates a lot of the lines that used to snake around inside the building. On the night we went, there was even a trio of classical musicians playing holiday music. The conservatory can be explored in less than an hour but highly recommend the tropical rainforest and desert habitat. Year after year, we never tire of the famous DC sights crafted in fruits and plant materials. No admission charges to top it off.