Mathias Botanical Garden

Bruin Birding Club Fall Migration Garden Walks
2019-10-31 08:00 - 09:00, 2019-10-24 08:00 - 09:00, 2019-10-17 08:00 - 09:00, 2019-10-10 08:00 - 09:00, 2019-10-03 08:00 - 09:00, 2019-09-26 08:00 - 09:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
Weekly Birding Walks in the Botanical Garden
Thursdays 9/26 – 11/13 • 8 – 9am

Fall is here, and birds across California and the Northern Hemisphere are migrating south. Many rely on greenspaces in urban areas to rest and refuel for the next leg of the journey south. Join the Bruin Birding Club this fall to watch for migrating warblers, flycatchers, tanagers, vireos, thrushes and more each Thursday in the UCLA Botanical Garden. The first walk will be Thursday, 9/26. Everyone from UCLA and the broader community is welcome to join–bring binoculars if you have them. Meet at the La Kretz Garden Pavilion, no RSVP or ticket is required.

The Bruin Birding Club is a group of birders comprised of undergrads and graduate students, postdocs and staff. These walks will be led by Samuel Bressler, a third year master’s student studying the microbiome and nesting patterns of Dark-eyed Juncos, and Andy Kleinhesselink, a postdoc studying community ecology. To learn more about the Bruin Birding Club, contact Samuel at: pacificgoldenplover@gmail.com

The Healing Forest: Plant Medicine, Isolated Tribes, & Climate Change
2019-10-22 16:30 - 18:30 | Neuroscience Research Building, 635 Charles E Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
Join Mark Plotkin and Brian Hettler of the Amazon Conservation Team for the first lecture of the Plants Worlds Ethnobotany Seminar Series

A Botanist Comes Full Circle
2019-10-17 16:30 - 18:00 | UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
A Botanist Comes Full Circle: From Studying to Defending California’s Native Plants

October Drop-in Garden Tour
2019-10-05 13:00 - 14:00 | UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
Explore our living museum featuring collections of plants from around the globe! Join a docent for a free guided tour of the garden on the first Saturday of the month at 1pm. We’ll hear the stories of a selection of plants in the garden, and their relevance to human society. All ages are welcome. See you there!
We will meet at the La Kretz Garden Pavilion at the northern end of the garden. Restrooms are available there. If you have a group of 10+ people interested in a private tour, please fill out this online form and we can arrange that for you rather than attending a drop-in tour.

There is no parking available at the Garden. Visitors can park in UCLA Parking Structure 2 (payment required) near the Westholme Avenue entrance to campus, or at metered parking spots in Westwood. Metered street parking can also be found on Manning Ave, which can be accessed from Charles E. Young Drive or Hilgard Avenue. The address of the UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion is 707 Tiverton Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90095.

UCLA Botanical Garden Volunteer Docent Training Program
2019-10-04 13:00 - 15:30 | UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
Do you love plants? Deepen your knowledge and give back to the community: become a volunteer docent!

UCLA Botanical Garden Plant & Book Giveaway
2019-09-29 10:00 - 14:00 | UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
Support the Botanical Garden and find some amazing botanical treasures we no longer have room for in our collection!

The Allure of the Urban Wild
2019-09-19 19:00 - 20:30 | La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Cities like Los Angeles are often mistaken for ecological wastelands, places that have been wiped clean of the true majestic magic of Mother Nature, and therefore fall on the far side of the spectrum from what is considered to be “natural”. Land use datasets blanket over these built environments with gradients of grey, depicting urban areas as nothing more than “developed”. As a result, cities continue to be pegged as the problem causing environmental degradation, rather than seen as some of the most promising places to “save the planet”.
Join Kat Superfisky, urban ecologist, educator, and executive director of Grown in LA on an adventure into the urban wild of Los Angeles, as she investigates the nature that currently exists within cities, and shares her perspective on, and strategies for, how we can create more “symbiotic cities”.
UCLA Extension Landscape Architecture thanks our two sponsors, AWA+D and The Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Gardens for helping make this lecture possible!

September Drop-in Garden Tour
2019-09-07 13:00 - 14:00 | UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US

August Drop-in Garden Tour
2019-08-03 13:00 - 14:00 | UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US

Botanical Beer Garden
2019-07-13 17:30 - 19:30 | UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
Botanical Beer Garden
Saturday July 13th 5:30 – 7:30pm
Hooray for Humulus lupulus, the mighty hop plant that is brewed into beer!

Blooms, Brews, & Live Music!
Celebrate summer with extended garden hours and locally brewed Broxton beers + food options curated by California native Chef Kyle Brown. Grab a brew and a bite to explore the Botanical Garden or enjoy live music picnic style in the Nest Amphitheater.
All ages welcome • Garden admission is free all day • Pets welcome on leash • Cash or card accepted • ID required for alcohol purchases • Consider bringing your own cup to reduce waste • Evenings can get chilly–bring a blanket • This event is free, but please RSVP!

Presented by Westwood Village neighbors Broxton Brewery & the UCLA Botanical Garden

July Drop-in Garden Tour
2019-07-06 13:00 - 14:00 | UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US

Summer Solstice in the Garden!
2019-06-22 09:00 - 19:30 | UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90024, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, US
Celebrate the peak of summer outdoors in the Botanical Garden with extended hours! Sunlight plays on the plants all day, drawing our attention in unique ways as the hours pass. Bring a picnic and enjoy family-friendly activities throughout the day.

9:00am Garden Gates Open
2 – 2:30pm Storytime for Kids [Nest Amphitheater]
3 – 4:30pm Arts & Crafts [La Kretz Garden Pavilion, All Ages, Join anytime]
5 – 6pm 1-Hour Guided Garden Tour [Starts at the La Kretz Garden Pavilion]
7:30pm Garden Gates Close

Admission to the Botanical Garden and activities are free for this event! Please consider making a donation to support educational programming on our website.

June Drop-in Garden Tour
2019-06-01 13:00 - 14:00 | UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US

Game Music in the Garden: Outdoor concert with UCLA’s Game Music Ensemble
2019-05-30 19:00 - 20:30 | UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
Join the UCLA Game Music Ensemble for their final chamber music concert of the year outdoors at the UCLA Botanical Garden! This concert, we will feature works from games like Persona, Megaman, Pokemon, and more! We’ve got a little something for everyone, from jazzy tunes to piano works to head-banging rock’n’roll. Come and listen to our very own renditions of some of your favorite video game themes! Wear layers as this event is outdoors. This event is free, but space is limited, so please RSVP.

The UCLA Game Music Ensemble is an on-campus organization founded in 2014 dedicated to the performance of video game music. GME is comprised of a large symphony orchestra, a choir, and a collection of small chamber groups, which feature anywhere between one to six performers at a time. GME traditionally holds two major orchestral concerts in the winter and spring quarters, while the chamber program hosts various concerts throughout the entire school year. Recent orchestral performances include a Super Smash Bros themed concert and an all-Zelda themed ‘History of Hyrule’ concert.

Galatea: A modern sequel to the Greek myth of Pygmalion
2019-05-26 14:30 - 17:00, 2019-05-25 14:30 - 17:00 | The Nest Outdoor Amphitheater, UCLA Botanical Garden 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
Shakespeare Company at UCLA presents:
GALATEAA modern sequel to the Greek myth of PygmalionWritten by Jacob MenkeDirected by Erin GraySaturday, May 25 at 2:30PSunday, May 26 at 2:30PFree — Please RSVPUCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, Nest Amphitheater (follow the driveway on foot down through the gates and the theater will be on your right)What is “Galatea” about?According to Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Pygmalion sculpts an ivory statue representing the “ideal woman” and falls madly in love with his own creation, naming her Galatea. In a miraculous answer to his prayers, the goddess Venus brings this product of the male gaze to life, Pygmalion marries her, and they have two lovely children! An instant recipe for domestic bliss… or so we thought? 20 years later, Galatea is abducted and the family’s life turns to utter chaos. While desperately scrambling to rescue their mother, Galatea’s children stumble into a thunderous whirlwind of feuding gods and power-hungry generals, while Galatea struggles to secure her autonomy in a world seeking to control her.***Chloe Winnett as GalateaGustav Fiere as PygmalionEmmanuel Okoye as AntinousLola Rice as MetharmeJames Kasten as PaphosConrad Salonites as AgelausConor McCaulley as EurymachusSophie Maras-Gillet as Juno/PythiaElana Hershman as VenusMars Holscher as MyrrahRiva Brody as DaphneRosie Forster as YperitisMarii Yoshida, Set DesignJared Davis, Costume DesignKayla Erickson, Stage ManagementRhea Singh, Stage ManagementIsabelle Smith, Dramaturg

Bird LA Day at UCLA: a sensory exploration of birds of the world
2019-05-04 09:00 - 16:00 | UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
Visit the UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden for a unique tour of bird sounds from all over the world! As you wander through sections of the Garden representing Hawaii, Australia, South Africa, SoCal, and more, you can listen to the songs and calls of each area’s characteristic birds using our phone-based audio tour. The Garden will also host a presentation about some of UCLA’s groundbreaking bird research, including the Bird Genoscape Project and the Center for Tropical Research. This program is additionally co-presented by the UCLA Institute of Environment and Sustainability and the Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies. When you arrive at the Garden, you can start your tour at the La Kretz Garden Pavilion, at the Garden’s northwest corner near Charles E. Young Drive. Note: You can access the audio tour on your phone. Headphones recommended! This event is free, but space is limited, so please RSVP. [Photo by Nurit Katz]

Held every May, Bird LA Day celebrates the birds of Southern California and LA’s amazing biodiversity. Bird and nature-themed events are held throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Bird LA Day shines the spotlight on nature, and reminds the world that Los Angeles is a lot more than just film, fashion and celebrities. Learn more at: birdladay.org

Biomimicry in the Garden: Drawing Inspiration from Plants for Technology & Design
2019-04-11 16:30 - 18:00 | UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
Inspiration from the diversity of the natural world can lead to new ideas for addressing design and technological challenges. Join us for a pair of extraordinary speakers whose work illustrates how understanding the biology of plants can lead to innovation.

Sprouting and Branching: Natural Models of Proliferation and Repair
Strokes occur when the brain does not receive a sufficient amount of blood. Of all the forms of stroke, one of the most challenging is due to the accumulation of cholesterol and other fats in the wall of the arteries. This condition is known as intracranial atherosclerosis. Current treatments of this disease remain to have high rates of recurrent stroke and death. The research that Dr. Gonzalez has conducted at UCLA and Cedars-Sinai focuses on finding methods to bring additional blood flow to the brain of patients at risk for stroke.
Dr. Gonzalez’ investigations concentrate on fostering the potential ability of the human arteries to produce new branches, which have numerous structural and functional parallels with the way branches and roots grow in plants. These similarities have been an inspiration for several of the components of this research, which have received two National Innovation Awards from the American Heart Association. Dr. Gonzalez will be discussing the remarkable similarities seen in the process of proliferation of arteries in the human brain with what appears as a common evolutionary ancestor process in sprouting and branching in plants.

Biological Design: The History and Future of Plant Architecture
In this talk, Dr. Siobhan Braybrook will describe the basic principals governing plant body architecture and explore with you how the plant body plan has been altered for agricultural purpose. We will then explore how the designs we find in plants have been used as template and inspiration for new materials, solar panels, and even buildings. Come and find out how the Strelitzia flower pictured here inspired the function and design of a self-moving building!
Dr. Siobhan Braybrook is an Assistant Professor of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology at UCLA and a plant biologist. Her research group works on understanding how shapes and patterns are grown in plants, from the arrangements of leaves around a stem to the elongation of a young seedling reaching out of the soil. She is the daughter of a horticulturist and has always loved plants.

This is event is free, but space is limited–Please RSVP. Come early to explore the Botanical Garden. Help support free educational programming by making a donation online.

April Drop-in Garden Tour
2019-04-06 13:00 - 14:00 | UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US

The Fynbos Vegetation of South Africa: Ecology, Conservation, & Restoration
2019-03-18 16:30 - 18:00 | UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
The Fynbos Vegetation of South Africa: Understanding unique ecological processes to determine best practices for propagation and restoration

The Fynbos vegetation of the Cape Floristic Region in South Africa contains among the highest plant species richness of anywhere in the world for the size of the region. The variety of ways in which plant species are adapted to survive periodic wildfires, specialized pollination interactions, and unique seed dispersal techniques have influenced the extreme diversity of plant species and high rates of narrow-range endemism in the region. However, the combined impacts of habitat loss, invasive species intrusion, and climate change have resulted in many Fynbos plant species and entire vegetation types becoming threatened with extinction today.

Join botanist Dr. Stuart Hall during his visit to Los Angeles from South Africa to learn more about conservation methods in this important region. He will discuss Fynbos ecology, threats to the region, and conservation initiatives-including how institutions such as botanical gardens can be centers of collaboration: combining research, conservation and horticulture.

This event is free, but space is limited–Please RSVP

Matriarch of the Rainforest: The Adventures & Work of Mildred E. Mathias
2019-03-07 16:30 - 18:00 | UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, La Kretz Garden Pavilion 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90024, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, US
Mildred held many titles over the years: the world authority on carrots, one of the first female faculty members at UCLA, mother of four, inspired teacher, and author. Mildred’s life (1906-1995) was an adventurous one, where her curiosity and persistence moved her to shake the societal norms for women and to break into the academic world of science.

Join us during Women’s History Month for a celebration of her life. Travel the world with a slide show presentation of Mildred’s original photographs from her adventures across the globe curated by Maya Edmond, UCLA Herbarium Archivist. View items from Mildred’s life and legacy at UCLA selected by MLIS Graduate Student Rachel Poutasse. Those who knew Mildred will have an opportunity to share their memories of her. This event is free, but space is limited; please RSVP.

This project is supported by the generosity of Dr. Robert and Anne Kamansky.

March Drop-in Garden Tour
2019-03-02 13:00 - 14:00 | UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
Explore our living museum featuring collections of plants from around the globe! Join a docent for a free guided tour of the garden on the first Saturday of the month at 1pm. We’ll hear the stories of a selection of plants in the garden, and their relevance to human society. All ages are welcome. See you there!We will meet at the Nest Outdoor Classroom at the northern end of the garden. Follow the driveway down from the La Kretz Garden Pavilion. Restrooms are available at the La Kretz Garden Pavilion. Follow the driveway down from the pavilion to find the Nest.

There is no parking available at the Garden. Visitors can park in UCLA Parking Structure 2 (payment required) near the Westholme Avenue entrance to campus, or at metered parking spots in Westwood. Metered street parking can also be found on Manning Ave, which can be accessed from Charles E. Young Drive or Hilgard Avenue. The address of the UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion is 707 Tiverton Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90095.

Darwin’s Birthday Party: Plant Evolution + Biodiversity Garden Tour
2019-02-12 16:00 - 17:30 | UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
Come celebrate plant evolution & party like it’s 1809! Join us for a Garden tour celebrating plant evolution, Charles Darwin, and his famous voyage aboard the HMS Beagle. We will travel the world of plants to discover global connections and ideas about evolution. Our path will follow Darwin’s voyage and we’ll hear entries from his journals during his trip. Tours will be led by Ioana Anghel and Sarah Jacobs of the UCLA Zapata Lab of Plant Evolution Diversity. A reception will follow the tour.
The tour will follow uneven paths with steep grades. Please wear layers and dress for the weather. Tours will begin promptly, so please arrive on time.
This event is free, but space is limited–Please RSVP

February Drop-in Garden Tour
2019-02-02 13:00 - 14:00 | UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, 707 Tiverton Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, US
Explore our living museum featuring collections of plants from around the globe! Join a docent for a free guided tour of the garden on the first Saturday of the month at 1pm. We’ll hear the stories of a selection of plants in the garden, and their relevance to human society. All ages are welcome. See you there!We will meet at the Nest Outdoor Classroom at the northern end of the garden. Restrooms are available at the La Kretz Garden Pavilion. Follow the driveway down from the pavilion to find the Nest.

There is no parking available at the Garden. Visitors can park in UCLA Parking Structure 2 (payment required) near the Westholme Avenue entrance to campus, or at metered parking spots in Westwood. Metered street parking can also be found on Manning Ave, which can be accessed from Charles E. Young Drive or Hilgard Avenue. The address of the UCLA La Kretz Garden Pavilion is 707 Tiverton Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90095.

Hammer Kids Pop-up Studio: Every Plant Has a Story
2019-01-27 11:00 - 13:00 | Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, US
Celebrate the plants that are all around us with artist Sarita Dougherty. Observe and draw the native and non-native plants of Los Angeles, then stretch your imagination to create a plant from your memories or your dreams—many artists in the Armand Hammer Collection did both! This lively, drop-in workshop is designed for families to explore and create together. Meet in the Nimoy Studio near the Courtyard.
Recommended for ages 5+. Copresented by the UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden.
Attending This Program? Ticketing: This free program is not ticketed. No RSVP is required. Parking: Parking is available under the museum. Rates are $6 for the first three hours with museum validation, and $3 for each additional 20 minutes, with a $20 daily maximum. There is a $6 flat rate after 6 p.m. on weekdays, and all day on weekends. Cash only.
Hammer Kids is made possible through the generosity of the Anthony & Jeanne Pritzker Family Foundation. Hammer Kids also receives support from friends of the Hammer Museum’s Kids’ Art Museum Project (K.A.M.P.), an annual family fundraiser. Additional funding is provided by The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation and The Winnick Family Foundation.
More details can be found on the Hammer Museum website.
