Lightscape 2025 invites visitors back to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for an after-dark walk shaped by light, landscape, and winter tradition.

There is something undeniably magnetic about winter in New York City—the crisp air tinged with the aroma of roasted chestnuts, the quiet glow of festive lights spilling over brownstone stoops, and at the heart of it all, the spellbinding Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. This beloved tradition draws the city into its orbit each season, promising an experience that feels both familiar and newly imagined. Its evolving installations feel like stepping into a living dream, layered with favorites that tug at the memory like a familiar melody.

I remember my first visit to Lightscape—bundled in my coziest scarf, gripping a cup of hot chocolate that steamed in rhythm with my breath. It was not only the lights, though those were breathtaking. It was the feeling that I had wandered into a world where the ordinary rules of reality no longer applied. Trees shimmered with soft constellations, ponds mirrored borrowed starlight, and strangers paused to share a smile over the sheer wonder of it all.

Each season, the event continues to expand its sense of wonder. More than one million lights illuminate a winding mile-long trail, weaving art, music, and nature into a quietly immersive landscape.

As you step onto the path, you are guided through waves of light and sound that move gently through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The installations unfold at an unhurried pace, engaging the senses without overwhelming them—glow against winter’s dark, music threading softly through the trees. It remains one of the city’s most enduring winter rituals for both New Yorkers and visitors.

Adrian Benepe, President & CEO of Brooklyn Botanic Garden, sums up the experience:

"Lightscape is New York City’s most immersive and enchanting way to spend a winter evening, and enjoy the spirit of the season in community.

This year offers another magnificent multi-sensory experience for everyone who steps onto the trail. The visual dazzle created by the world’s best light artists is complemented by a gorgeous soundtrack, and delicious food and drink to warm up with—all of it honoring the beauty of BBG.

We can’t wait for New Yorkers and visitors to gather with friends or family, grab a hot cider, and experience the otherworldly magic of Lightscape.”

This reflection captures what has made Lightscape such a resonant winter tradition at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Whether it is a first visit or a return walk through the lights, the experience continues to offer a quiet sense of wonder in the heart of the city.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Lightscape

Lightscape returns to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for 2025 with a refreshed trail, new installations, and expanded moments of warmth along the way. This year introduces “Fluxit,” a fire-lit LED forest that flickers between amber and icy blue as you walk. A constellation of 175 illuminated birds now perches through the tree line, creating a quiet, airborne chorus that feels both whimsical and softly surreal.

Returning favorites anchor the experience: the “Winter Cathedral,” the “Sea of Light,” and the glowing tunnels that have become synonymous with the season. But the 2025 route feels more layered: more pockets of stillness, more spacious viewing points, and additional snack huts that make lingering a little easier on cold nights.

Timed entries remain staggered, and the trail is fully accessible. Expect about 90 minutes of wandering, and dress in layers; the gardens hold the chill long after the sun sets.

Lightscape: The Experience

Walk the illuminated trail and the garden unfolds in layers of light, kaleidoscopic tunnels, towering sculptures, and the familiar glow of the Winter Cathedral washing the path in gold. Along the way, seasonal food and drink offerings add warmth to the night, with mulled wine, spiked hot chocolate, and winter treats available to enjoy as you wander.

Lightscape is not simply something you see. It is something you move through at your own pace. What follows is a closer look at how the experience comes together—and how to savor it fully.

Event: Lightscape |📍 Location: 990 Washington Avenue — Crown Heights, Brooklyn | Date: November 21, 2025, through January 4, 2026
Highlight: Lightscape at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a signature after-dark winter experience featuring a mile-long illuminated trail, commissioned light installations, and seasonal food and drink along the route.

Lightscape: Highlighted Installations for 2025

Each year, Lightscape shifts its visual language, blending new commissions with a few returning landmarks that longtime visitors quietly anticipate.

Fluxit debuts for 2025 as one of the trail’s most striking new works, a fire-lit LED forest that flickers between warm amber and icy blue as you move through it. The installation bends light into something elemental and kinetic, echoing the feeling of flame without the heat.

High above the pathway, Flock introduces a constellation of 175 illuminated birds perched through the tree line. Their quiet glow creates an airborne presence that feels both whimsical and strangely still, as if the garden itself has lifted into the canopy.

Among the returning anchors, Winter Cathedral remains one of the experience’s most recognizable moments. Thousands of warm lights arch overhead in a radiant corridor, transforming the path into a glowing sanctuary that encourages slow walking and quiet pause.

Rather than a single spectacle, the 2025 trail unfolds in layers—new works mingling with familiar lightscapes as the garden shifts from one illuminated chapter to the next.

Throughout the trail, music subtly threads through the installations, shaping the pace of the walk and deepening the atmosphere. Light and sound move together here, not as spectacle, but as a quiet, continuous accompaniment to the garden after dark.

Lightscape: Expanded Culinary Offerings

Lightscape 2025 offers more than a visual experience; it adds warmth and flavor along the way. Throughout the trail and inside the garden’s indoor spaces, seasonal food and drink are woven naturally into the evening.

At the Lightscape Lodge at Yellow Magnolia Café, guests can reserve a full sit-down dinner featuring winter-inspired dishes, offering a calm, cozy pause from the walk through the lights.

For a more casual stroll-and-sip experience, the Lightscape Bar inside the Palm House and pop-up kiosks along the trail serve warm drinks like hot chocolate, cider, and mulled wine, along with craft cocktails, wine, beer, and handheld snacks designed for wandering.

On select 21+ Nights in December, the atmosphere shifts toward a more festive, adults-only experience, where guests can enjoy seasonal cocktails and spiked beverages while moving through the illuminated garden.

Whether you arrive for dinner, a warm drink, or a quiet cocktail under the lights, the culinary offerings add an inviting layer of comfort to the evening.

Budget note: Drinks and snacks start around $6–$7, while cocktails and more substantial items often run in the mid-to-high teens. Prices vary by item and time of visit.

Lightscape 2025 Ticket Pricing — At-a-Glance

Ticket prices include all ticketing fees. Availability and tier (Value, Off-Peak, Peak) vary by date, so always confirm details on the official Lightscape ticketing page before booking.

Purchase tickets directly through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lightscape calendar.

21+ Nights at Lightscape [Adults-Only Evenings]

Dates: Thursday, December 4, 11 & 18, 2025

These special ticketed evenings offer the chance to experience Lightscape without children on the trail. Designed for an adults-only crowd, 21+ Nights are ideal for date nights, group outings, or a festive evening with friends.

Guests can stroll the illuminated path with a mulled wine or hot chocolate in hand, stop into the Lightscape Bar for seasonal craft cocktails, and linger a little longer along the trail. It is a slower, more social way to experience the installation — and one of the most popular ticket options of the season.

21+ Nights tickets must be reserved in advance through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lightscape calendar.

Sensory-Friendly Early Entry Evenings

Dates: December 5 & 30, 2025 | Entry Time: 4:00 PM

These early entry times are designed for adults and children with disabilities or sensory sensitivities who would like to experience Lightscape without the usual crowds.

Capacity is intentionally limited to maintain a calmer, more relaxed atmosphere along the trail. The route is fully accessible, and wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the entrance. Personal care attendants receive free entry.

Verbal Description Tour [For Guests Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision]

At 4:15 PM, guests may join a guided tour that offers live verbal descriptions of the light installations along the trail.

To participate, guests should purchase a Lightscape ticket and RSVP by emailing access@bbg.org

Five Insider Tips for an Unforgettable Visit

1. Arrive Early for Parking and Photos

Parking near the garden fills quickly on peak nights. Arriving ahead of your entry window makes the evening feel unhurried and gives you quieter moments for photos before the trail grows busy.

2. Dress for the Weather

Lightscape is entirely outdoors, and the temperature drops noticeably after sunset. Layer warmly and opt for waterproof shoes—paths can be damp, and you will be on your feet for most of the walk.

3. Plan Your Dining Experience

If you prefer a seated meal before or after the trail, reserve ahead at the Lightscape Lodge for a more structured dinner. If you’d rather keep moving, warm drinks and handheld bites along the route are an easy way to stay comfortable without interrupting the flow of the evening.

Reservations are recommended for sit-down dining.

4. Choose a Value or Off-Peak Night When Possible

Value and off-peak nights tend to feel calmer and come with lower ticket prices. The installations remain the same, but the atmosphere is less compressed, a better fit if you enjoy taking your time along the trail.

5. Use Night Mode for Photos

Low light and glowing installations can challenge standard camera settings. Switching your phone to Night Mode—or using a slower shutter setting on a camera—helps preserve detail without washing out the light.

For additional visitor tips and accessibility details, view the full Lightscape visitor guide here:

Lightscape: A Multi-Sensory Celebration

Each winter, Lightscape reshapes the familiar paths of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden into a slow, illuminated promenade. Light moves across water, through trees, and along winding garden paths in a way that feels theatrical without excess. The experience takes shape gradually, inviting visitors to move at their own pace and absorb each environment as it comes into view.

Sound, light, and landscape work together throughout the route. Subtle music accompanies many of the installations, while shifting color and shadow change the texture of the garden as you walk. Some spaces feel expansive and cinematic; others quiet and introspective. The result is not just something to look at, but something to move through. An after-dark transformation that feels immersive without spectacle.

With each edition, Lightscape subtly reshapes how the garden is experienced, returning with familiar rhythms while introducing new moments along the trail. The 2025 season continues that quiet evolution with refreshed installations and added layers to the walk, inviting both first-time visitors and returning guests to see the gardens through a slightly different lens this year.

Lightscape with Impact

Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2025 | Time: 4:30 to 7:30 PM

Lightscape is not just an evening of lights; it is also a chance to support the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s youth education and community programs. Each year, the Garden hosts its annual Lightscape Family Benefit, a festive fundraising evening that gives families special access to the illuminated trail while contributing to education efforts for local youth.

The benefit typically includes a stroll along the lights, seasonal food and drinks, children’s activities, and special programming.

Purchase Tickets: Lightscape Family Benefit

Why You Should nOt Miss It

Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

Each winter, Lightscape offers a different way to experience the Garden after dark, quietly luminous, steady in its essence, and rooted in the shifting beauty of the season. It is an evening shaped by light, landscape, and the simple act of walking together through an altered familiar space.

Whether you come for the installations, the seasonal atmosphere, or the tradition itself, Lightscape remains one of those New York experiences that feels less about spectacle and more about presence. A pause in the season. A reason to slow your step.

Tickets and entry details are available through the Garden’s official Lightscape calendar.

For a different winter lights experience set among wildlife, visit the Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo.

📍 Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
990 Washington Avenue — Crown Heights, Brooklyn
🎟️ Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanical Gardens Tickets
📅 November 21, 2025, through January 4, 2026
🌐 bbg.org/lightscape
📸 Instagram: @Brooklynbotanic