The University of Minnesota's 1,200-acre garden in Chaska, mostly outdoors. This winter, Northern Lights runs in the evenings: a walking light show with flashing and moving lighting, music along the trail and a haze effect near the end, but no strobe lighting. Quiet space rooms in the Snyder Building are described for prayer, meditation and mindfulness.
Know before you go. The Arboretum doesn't list sensory hours, a sensory room or headphones to borrow. Here's what it does say about light, sound, cold, walking and crowds.
Hours
Through Nov. 18, 2026, and again from Jan. 4, 2027: grounds 8 am to 5 pm; Oswald Visitor Center and Snyder Building 9 am to 4 pm. From Nov. 19, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027: grounds 8 am to 3 pm and buildings 9 am to 3 pm during the day, then Northern Lights from 4:30 to 9:30 pm each evening from Nov. 20 (closed Nov. 26, Dec. 24 and Dec. 25). The Arboretum is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day and closes at 3 pm on Christmas Eve. The gatehouse accepts visitors up to half an hour before closing.
“This includes flashing and moving lighting. It also includes a haze effect smoke in one area near the end of the display. The exhibit does not feature use of strobe lighting.”
“There will be music along the trail to coincide with the display, but there will not be live music during the show this year.”
“professional light projection, radiant uplighting and synchronized sound”
“Much of the display is outside as we embrace the joy of the winter during the shortest months of the year. Please anticipate a mile of outdoor walking.”
“Descend the hill and feel the welcoming heat of crackling, cozy bonfires.”
“Certain sections include brick pavers, stone, or uneven surfaces.”
“As a brand new event to the Twin Cities this year, we anticipate the most popular times will sell out.”
“No, re-entry to the Arboretum is not available. You are welcome to enjoy the exhibit as many times as you would like while you remain on the Arboretum property.”
“The Arboretum has wheelchair-accessible, quiet space rooms on the second floor of the Snyder Building. Rooms can be used for prayer, meditation, mindfulness, etc.”
“Visitors without tickets, especially on busy days and weekends, will be admitted based on parking availability with the pay-at-the-gate option.”
“Children must be accompanied by an adult.”
The Arboretum doesn't list a sensory-friendly Northern Lights night; it offers the same experience every night.
The quiet space rooms are on the second floor of the Snyder Building. The Arboretum describes them for prayer, meditation and mindfulness, not as a sensory room.
The Clotilde Irvine Sensory Garden is an outdoor garden designed to stimulate the senses, downhill past the entrance to Three-Mile Drive, built for the Arboretum's Nature-Based Therapeutics program.
Northern Lights tickets: members $25, non-members $35; children through age 15 are free but need a ticket and an accompanying adult. At the gate, if space is available, each ticket costs $10 more, credit card only.
No re-entry at Northern Lights: once you leave the property, you can't come back in.
Daytime admission: ages 16 and older $20 in advance or $25 at the gate (only if parking allows; card or Apple Pay/Google Pay, no cash); ages 15 and younger free with an adult; members free. Northern Lights needs its own ticket.
Visitors arriving by bike or on foot don't need advance tickets, but non-members pay $15 per person at the gate (no cash). Members enter free by bike or on foot by showing their membership card at the gatehouse.
Parking is free. The Oswald Visitor Center has a long row of accessible parking, and there's a drop-off at the Snyder or Oswald Visitor Center buildings by the circle turnaround. For Northern Lights, accessible spaces are nearest the event entrance (state-issued disability placard or plate required), with a passenger drop-off zone at the entrance building so guests with limited mobility can wait in the heated lobby.
On Northern Lights days the grounds close at 3 pm and are cleared before the event starts at 4:30 pm, so daytime visitors can't stay in between.
Northern Lights rescheduling is subject to availability and costs $10 per order each time (except for changes due to an official Arboretum closure); call 612-301-6775 by 5 pm the day before your visit, since same-day changes aren't permitted. All sales are final; refunds only if the Arboretum closes the display, for example for very severe weather.
At Northern Lights, Rootstock, the food and drink stations and the Snyder Building shops take cards and Apple Pay or Google Pay, not cash; the Gift & Garden Store also takes cash.
Free wheelchairs at the Oswald Visitor Center Information Desk, first come, first served. Elevators and accessible restrooms are in the Oswald Visitor Center and Snyder Building.
There's road construction on Highway 5 near the Arboretum; the main entrance off Highway 5 stays open.
Ticket questions: 612-301-6775 or arbinfo@umn.edu.
Call
612-624-2200Information Desk: trail conditions, closures, accessibility help at Northern Lights612-301-6775Tickets, rescheduling and questions
