Arboretum provides beautiful education

The Morris Arboretum gets only a two-line mention in the University's admissions information booklet. And few students can claim they have actually visited the 166-acre botanical museum, which serves as both a resource for the University and as the official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. But the directors of the arboretum would like to change that. The Morris Arboretum, which is located in Chestnut Hill on 100 Northwestern Ave. between Stenton and Germantown avenues, was founded in 1887 on the estate of Lydia and John Morris. By car, the arboretum is located about 30 minutes from campus. Housing more than 6,800 trees and shrubs, the arboretum serves as a center for research projects for plants and pest control. And despite its low profile, the arboretum is also an integral part of the University. Two of its staff members teach courses at the University, and the arboretum has sponsored numerous work-study projects for students. The facility also hosts many educational programs, although some are restricted to members. Membership costs $40. Past events -- including an Amazonian photography exhibit and Japanese koto concerts -- have been held in the Widener Education Center of the arboretum. Apart from its educational value, many find the arboretum a beautiful place to visit. The 92 acres of public gardens feature many of Philadelphia's newest and rarest plants, set amid a Victorian landscape replete with winding paths and streams. Featured among the gardens are a Victorian temple, a hidden grotto, an outdoor sculpture garden, a rose garden and an indoor fernery. Arboretum spokesperson Sally Baldwin said she hopes more students will take the time to visit this part of their University. She said the arboretum is both "a great dating place," and "beautiful in any season." Baldwin also mentioned another possible use for the Morris Arboretum. "I've always thought the arboretum was a great place to bring parents," she said. "You can whisk them out of your dorm room in West Philadelphia and show them this beautiful part of campus." Admission is free to University students with identification. The arboretum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Additional information may be obtained by calling the arboretum during open hours at 247-5777 or by visiting the arboretum's new World Wide Web site at "http://www.upenn.edu/morris".

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