Host an Event

Private Event Venues and Rates

Plan your next event at one of the many inspiring locations found at The Morton Arboretum.

Content Detail

The Morton Arboretum has event venues for every occasion, each with picturesque views that make every event memorable. From the intimate to the grand, the elegant to the celebratory, there are many unique indoor and outdoor venues at The Morton Arboretum to consider, each as special as the next.

To get started, browse available private event venues below and find current pricing in the Room Rental Rates sheet.

To discuss timing and availability, call the Arboretum’s private events team at 630-725-2190 or submit an event inquiry and an event coordinator will contact you shortly.

If you’re planning a wedding, please see Wedding Venues and Packages for additional considerations.

Firefly Pavilion

On the Arboretum’s East Side, just south of The Gerard T. Donnelly Grand Garden, the new Firefly Pavilion is a three-season event space available for weddings and private functions.

This space features patio space for cocktail or social receptions and offers a breathtaking view of the Arboretum’s gardens and tree collections.

Room capacity: 300

View the Room Rental Rates sheet for current pricing.

 

Firefly Pavilion is a sustainably built event venue, certified as net zero by its LEED Silver® designation.

 

Venues Available in the Visitor Center

The Ginkgo Room and Orientation Hall are located in the Visitor Center. Both areas feature walls made of glass so the vistas of Meadow Lake, Arbor Court, and sections of the Children’s Garden and Maze Garden are never out of view. In the West Pavilion of the Visitor Center, the Sycamore Room features a large room with glass walls and an adjoining patio.

Ginkgo Room and Orientation Hall

The Ginkgo Room is a large dining area ideal for sit-down dinners or formal events. Orientation Hall is a large space in the central atrium of the Visitor Center.

Just outside the Visitor Center, the seasonally planted gardens and containers in Arbor Court add texture and color to the scene with birds, butterflies, and chipmunks making frequent visits.

The reflections on the water of Meadow Lake create a constantly changing backdrop and provide beauty to any event. Waterfowl and small ground creatures might make appearances. Occasionally, a blue heron or white egret can be seen flying over the water as you dine.

Room capacity: 270

View the Room Rental Rates sheet for current pricing.

 

Sycamore Room

Create lasting memories by having your event in the Sycamore Room. With its adjoining patio, this warm and inviting space is perfect for cocktail receptions.

Located in the Visitor Center’s West Pavilion, the Sycamore Room has sheer glass walls overlooking the Ground Cover Garden, blanketed in color during all four seasons by stately trees, flowers, and ferns.

The Sycamore Room also has automated window shades and a screen for audio-visual events.

Room capacity: 80

View the Room Rental Rates sheet for current pricing.

Venues Available in the Thornhill Education Center

Found on the Arboretum’s West Side and situated on the site of the former Morton family mansion, Thornhill Education Center’s historic rooms, terrace, and landscape are ideal settings for any event.

The Thornhill Education Center includes the two available rooms: the Arbor Room and the Founder’s Room.

Arbor Room

The Arbor Room offers spectacular views with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking an expansive landscape. Arbor Room guests can enjoy dinner and dancing inside and mingle outside on the stone terrace.

Room capacity: 130

View the Room Rental Rates sheet for current pricing.

 

Founder’s Room

Add character to your event by hosting it in the former library of the Morton family mansion. This historic room features timeless ornate bookcases, a marble fireplace, and stained glass windows. The Founder’s Room is an elegant setting for showers, celebrations, weddings, and receptions.

Room capacity: 60

View the Room Rental Rates sheet for current pricing.

Wedding Venues

No matter what your vision is for your wedding day, The Morton Arboretum has the perfect outdoor or indoor wedding venue to fulfill your needs.

 

See Wedding Venues and Rates for additional considerations.