General FAQs

To pay by check, please make your check out to:

UC Botanical Garden

Mail it to:
UC Botanical Garden, attention: Membership
200 Centennial Drive
Berkeley, CA 94720-5045

Please indicate whether you prefer a paper or digital membership card. If you are joining at a family level, please feel free to specify your second member. If you do not wish to list a second member we will indicate on your card “guest”

If you would like to visit the Garden prior to receiving your membership card, the staff at the Visitor Kiosk can verify your membership in our system or you may use your receipt as proof of membership until your digital membership card(s) arrive by email, usually within 3 days. During busier seasons, processing may take longer. We are happy to assist you with time sensitive memberships as well. Contact Member Services at 510-643-1924 or gardenmembership@berkeley.edu with questions.

• Note: If you chose to receive a paper membership card, these will arrive by mail in 2-3 weeks. 

Your Membership is valid for one year from the end of the month of purchase. If you have purchased a two-year Membership, then it is valid for two years from month of purchase. One month prior to the expiration of your Membership, you will receive a notice from the Garden telling you it’s time to renew. When you renew, we will update your membership for 12 months beyond your current expiration date.

Contact Member Services at 510-643-1924 gardenmembership@berkeley.edu.  While waiting for your new card, you may visit the Garden by showing your photo ID at the Visitor Entrance.

Yes! Just bring your photo ID.

UCBG Members do not need to make a reservation to visit the Garden during regular business hours, including all guests that are covered by your membership level. Simply check-in at the Visitor Entrance with your membership card and ID.

For guests accompanying you outside of your membership level (e.g. a second person with an Individual level membership), a reservation is recommended. (For “sold out” time slots, tickets may be available at the Visitor Entrance window if arriving in the same vehicle.)

We do not offer teacher discounts on Garden Memberships. However, we do offer senior and UC Berkeley Affiliates discounts on the following terms.

Seniors ages 65 and over qualify for a discount on the Individual level only. 

Currently enrolled UC Berkeley students are eligible for our Student rate.

Current California Alumni Association members; UC Retirement Center members, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute members, as well as UCB or LBL staff or faculty, and UCBG volunteers qualify for UC Berkeley Affiliates rates (available at the individual and family levels only). To qualify for UC Berkeley Affiliates rates, please provide proof of your eligibility.

All memberships at the $500 level or below are 100% tax deductible. At the Director’s Club level $900 is tax deductible. Please contact Member Services for information about the tax-deductible portion of your membership gift at other levels.

To verify your membership, you must do one of two things:

1. If you have used the online registration site before, please select the “sign in” button at the top of the page. After signing in you will be able to register for the event.
   OR,
2. If you have not used the site before, select the “register” button at the top of the page to create an online account to verify your membership and proceed with event registration.

Troubleshooting Tips:
If you are trying to receive a link to reset your password but are not receiving that email, double check that you are using the same email you used the first time you set up our online account. Many people use multiple emails and have forgotten which one they originally used. If you need to change the email on your membership account, please contact the membership department to update your contact information: gardenmembership@berkeley.edu

The online site does not require you to enter any numbers or information found on your membership card. It allows a user to create an online username and password to log-in so that their membership can be verified and then they can proceed with signing up for a class, event or program.

Once you have created an online account, you can select “sign-in” in the future and your information will auto-populate and your membership will be verified.

You may change the name(s) on your Membership cards at any time, simply let us know the current name(s) you wish to be on the membership. You will then be issued cards with the new name(s).

No. If only one name is on a Family level Membership, or higher, that one person may bring a guest with them each visit. One named member must always be present to use this benefit. Family level and above allows free admission for up to four children ages 5-17 (children under 4 are always free).

Children ages 4 and under may visit the Garden for free under our current admission pricing. Memberships at the Family level and above allow free admission for up to four children ages 5-17.

No. Guests may come on their own using member guest passes and do not need to make a reservation.

Yes! The UC Botanical Garden is a member of the American Horticultural Society’s Reciprocal Admission Program. Your Garden membership offers benefits at over 360 gardens, arboreta and conservatories nationwide!

For a list of participating venues and the benefits they offer, please visit ahsgardening.org. Please be aware that the list is subject to change. Before visiting any garden, be sure to visit its website or call to verify hours of operation. Please remember to bring your UC Botanical Garden membership card and ID with you when you travel to reciprocating gardens. (Please note: reciprocal privileges are typically for the member(s) named on the card only.

Members-only events are designed specifically to benefit our named cardholders. To preserve the integrity of our membership program, we generally do not allow members to bring guests to our members-only events. In the case where guests may be permitted to attend, it will be noted in the event description. 

No. Memberships are non-transferable.

We have a reciprocal program affiliated with NARM and ROAM, granting complimentary entry to our named card members at the family plus level and higher. If you are interested in whether your guests can also enjoy free entry to ROAM or NARM organizations, we recommend contacting them directly to inquire about their policies regarding guests accompanying our members.

Unfortunately, our membership program only allows for one type of membership (digital or paper) per account once it’s been issued. We are unable to provide individual members with the option for one to have one format and the other to have the other option. Changes to the card format can be made during the next membership renewal. Please be sure to let us know if you’d like to make changes at that time.

To upgrade your membership please call the membership department at (510) 643-1924, Mon through Fri, 9:00 am–4:00 pm.