A New York Seasonal Tradition Designed for All Ages
The New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show is back, bringing its signature blend of trains, architecture, and nature to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and its surrounding landscape. This is one of NYC’s most affordable holiday season outings, with daytime tickets starting at $25—a strong value compared with other December events. November 15 through January 11. Details and ticketing: nybg.org
Botanical Architecture: A Living Snapshot of New York
Visitors move through a world of G-scale trains weaving around botanical replicas of iconic New York buildings—each constructed from natural materials such as leaves, bark, seeds, and twigs. Many landmarks represented no longer exist in real life, including the original Penn Station and the first Yankee Stadium, offering a rare look at the city’s past through the lens of plant-based craftsmanship.
Other familiar structures include Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Macy’s flagship store, the Statue of Liberty and many more. The models come from Applied Imagination, the Kentucky-based studio that has defined the show’s visual identity for decades.
More about NYBG: nybg.org
New This Year: Delacorte Theater & Whitney Museum Replicas
The 2025 edition introduces two new models created entirely from natural materials:
The Delacorte Theater (Central Park)
A fresh addition to the Central Park installation, built from sustainably collected ash, locust, and hickory bark. It joins the Gothic Arch, Belvedere Castle, Bethesda Fountain, the Dairy, and Cop Cot.
The Whitney Museum of American Art (Leonard A. Lauder Building)
A detailed recreation of the museum’s asymmetrical, tiered façade made from polished horse chestnut bark, reeds, and winged euonymus. This addition brings a contemporary note to the exhibition’s evolving view of New York’s cultural landscape.
Why Everybody Loves the Train Show
Families, date-night planners, and holiday explorers all get something from the experience. Daytime admission includes access to NYBG’s 250-acre grounds—ideal for winter walks, photography, and slow-looking. For visitors planning more than one annual trip, an NYBG Membership offers repeat access and functions as a budget-friendly holiday gift.
Holiday Train Nights: The After-Dark Option
Select evenings bring Holiday Train Nights, an elevated nighttime experience.
Ticketing through the presenting partner: Fever
The Conservatory glows with color; trains run through illuminated vignettes; seasonal drinks and small bites are available, and roaming vocalists perform holiday standards. A 21+ “Bar Car” returns at the Hudson Garden Grill patio for those looking to pair the exhibition with a night out.
A Seasonal Ritual for New Yorkers and Visitors
Whether reliving a childhood memory or adding a new stop to your holiday circuit, the Holiday Train Show offers an easy New York outing grounded in nature, craft, and design. With both daytime and nighttime options, it fits comfortably into schedules and budgets across the season.
Location: The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458
Information & tickets: nybg.org