Tour Our Downtown Sarasota Campus
Guided tours provide an immersive experience of Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus, highlighting our history, research, and botanical collections.
Tour Information
- Tours may be scheduled between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The duration of a guided tour is 90 minutes.
- Tours must be booked a minimum of two weeks in advance.
- A 10-person minimum is required to schedule a guided tour.
- Guided tours are dependent on docent availability.
- A $100 nonrefundable deposit is required at the time the tour is confirmed. This deposit will be deducted from the program total during final payment. This deposit is refundable only when Selby Gardens initiates a cancellation.
- All members of the group must be included in a single payment. Payments may be made in advance or upon arrival.
- Tour tickets include general admission. No additional discounts, coupons, or guest passes may be used. No refunds will be issued for day-of-event adjustments in attendance.
- Personal Care Attendants (PCA) and bus drivers receive free admission with their groups (does not count toward 10-person minimum requirement).
- Tours are ADA accessible. Wheelchairs are available on loan, free of charge, but are limited in number and are available on a first-come-first-served basis.
- Comfortable shoes and attire are suggested, as tours are primarily outdoors. Guests should plan to walk approximately one mile.
- Bring sunscreen, a camera, a reusable water bottle, and a hat.
- To book a tour, fill out this online form or email tours@selby.org
Plant Research Center Tours
Join us on select Wednesday afternoons for an exclusive tour of the Steinwachs Family Plant Research Center (PRC). This new state-of-the-art facility combines the best of traditional and cutting-edge science. Discover Selby Gardens’ outstanding preserved and library collections, and the green technology and innovative sustainability features throughout the facility helping to make Selby Gardens a pioneering net positive botanical garden complex.
These 45-minute tours include access to:
- The Marieb Herbarium and the Carlyle A. Luer Spirit Laboratory to explore meticulously preserved plant specimens, each with its own story to tell
- The Nathalie McCulloch Research Library, a repository for thousands of holdings focused on plant sciences and ecology, horticulture, and ecology, including rare books and botanical prints dating back to the 1700s
- The Marieb Laboratory to get a glimpse into the magic of DNA and molecular biology
Regular day time admission is required to tour the Plant Research Center – free for Selby Gardens members! Space is limited to 12 guests per tour.
Selby Gardens By Boat
In tribute to the coastal heritage of our region and of our two bayfront campuses, we offer visitors an “old Florida” way to experience them—from the water!
$140 per person / $125 for Selby Gardens members
Includes roundtrip boat tour, admission to both campuses, box lunch
Walk-n-Talk Tours
Join a docent-led tour during a regular daytime visit to Selby Gardens! Walk-n-talk tours happen most weekdays and are subject to docent availability. Ask the Welcome Center if there’s a walk-n-talk tour you can join when you arrive!
Looking for information on Group Admission Rates? Go here.