The mission of the Arboretum at the University of Illinois is to discover, interpret and disseminate knowledge in the plant sciences and applied arts by providing an aesthetically enriched setting for education, research, conservation and enjoyment.
The original site of the Arboretum
The University of Illinois Arboretum was developed in the late 1980s to early 1990s. The original 1867 campus master plan placed the Arboretum north of Green Street where the College of Engineering currently exists. During the 1900s the site moved to south campus, located near the Observatory, and Smith Music Hall.
Now located at the intersection of South Lincoln and Florida Avenues, the Arboretum's gardens, collections, and habitats are transforming 160 acres of the University's south campus in Urbana-Champaign into an exceptional "living laboratory" for students in plant sciences and fine and applied arts, as well as an oasis of natural beauty open to the public.
