Benefits of Membership

Thank you for helping the Garden grow and thrive! Your gift of membership preserves and maintains the Garden’s priceless collection.

Benefits common to all membership levels:

  • Free daily admission, no reservation required
  • Members’ Only Hour, Wednesday–Monday, 9:00-10:00 am (Closed on Tuesdays)
  • Exclusive members-only events and tours, including behind-the-scenes tours of the Garden’s vast collections with UCBG horticulturists and experts
  • Reciprocal privileges at over 300 gardens, arboreta, and conservatories throughout North America and the Cayman Islands
  • 10% discounts at the The Garden Shop, Plant Deck, and select local nurseries
  • Discounts on classes, workshops, and concerts
  • Exclusive mailing of the Garden Annual Report/Newsletter
  • Receive a special discount to a Bay Nature membership, which includes a one-year subscription to the quarterly Bay Nature magazine along with many other great benefits like free access to exclusive Bay Nature Hikes and Bay Nature Talks. Find a complete list of Bay Nature benefits here. ($15 off a 1-year $40 membership for UCB Botanical Garden members. Discount code provided upon membership purchase, included in receipt).

Visit the Join/Renew section to see the additional unique benefits associated with each membership level.

Reciprocal Admissions Program: Garden members have access to more than 345 botanical gardens, arboreta, and conservatories throughout North America offering special admission privileges and many other benefits through the American Horticultural Society program. Present your membership card for free admission at gardens such as the Desert Botanical Garden in Arizona or the New York Botanical Garden. Closer to home, the San Francisco Botanical Garden, The Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco, and the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek offer UCBG members free admission. Click here for details and more.

Membership Homepage


Upcoming Members’ Only Events:

Special Members’ Reception for Insect Photography Exhibition:
Sunday, April 14, 10:00–11:00 am
See insects like you’ve never seen them before! Don’t miss this exhibition of photographs by Edward S. Ross (1915-2016), a pioneer in close-up photography. Learn more about Dr. Ross here.
Free, registration required

Member Appreciation Evening: Tuesday, April 23, 5:00–7:30 pm
Evenings in the Garden are magical! Bring a picnic and find a special spot to relax and soak up the natural surroundings.
Free, registration required

Horticulturist walk through the Asian Area: Thursday, April 25, 10:00–11:30 am
Learn about the Garden’s significant rhododendron collection on this walk with Horticulturist Eric Hupperts
$10, registration required