Kentucky Children's Garden Hours & Admission
Hours*
- April & May: Open Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Must purchase admission in the Visitor Center by 4 p.m.
- June, July, & August: Open Wednesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Must purchase admission in the Visitor Center by 3:30 p.m.
- September & October: Open Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Must purchase admission in the Visitor Center by 4 p.m.
Note that the Kentucky Children's Garden will be closed for the following UK Home Football Games:
- Saturday, August 31st
- Saturday, September 7th
- Saturday, September 14th
- Saturday, September 21st
- Saturday, October 12th
- Saturday, October 26th
*Weather permitting
Admission
Cost: $4 per person for everyone age 2 and above (children under 2 years old are free)
Accepted forms are payment are: CASH, CHECK, VISA or MASTERCARD.
We do not accept ApplePay, Venmo, Tap or credit cards stored on phones.
Any group with over 15 total visitors MUST preregister as a small group.
Train Hours
- 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- 1:30-2:30 p.m.
- 3-4 p.m.
Educational Programming
During our season of operation, we offer educational programming each day we are open from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
For more information, view our Program Calendar.
Inclement Weather
For everyone's safety, we close the garden during inclement weather. We will close the Kentucky Children's Garden for any of the following reasons:
- Thunder or lightning (we will close for at least 30 minutes after we hear thunder or see lightning)
- Hard rain
- Temperatures below 40 degrees
- Temperatures below 50 degrees combined with rain
- Heat index above 102 degrees
During our season of operation, you can check our Facebook page for updates.
Appreciation Days in the Kentucky Children's Garden
Visit the Dorotha Smith Oatts Visitor Center on the Appreciation Day that applies to you and receive free admission for one adult and one child.
- Military and Veterans Day - Saturday, April 20th
- Grandparents Day - Saturday, June 15th
- First Responder and Healthcare Worker Day - Saturday, July 20th
- Teacher and School Employee Day - Saturday, August 17th
For more details, see our Appreciation Days flyer.
Small Groups
We welcome small groups such as a preschools, single classes, birthday parties, summer camps or church groups of less than 30 or 50 people (see schedule below) to visit during our season of operation during normal operating hours. Small groups are SELF-GUIDED and must pre-register. Admission charges of $4 per person (everyone age 2 and above) apply to both students and adults. We do not offer discounts for small groups.
- Spring (when Fayette County Schools are in session) - Small groups are limited to 50 people
- Summer (when Fayette County schools are not in session) - Small groups are limited to 30 people
- Autumn (when Fayette County Schools are in session) - Small groups are limited to 50 people
For more information, see our Field Trips page.