TU Delft Hortus Botanicus

About the museum

The TU Delft Hortus Botanicus was laid out in 1917 to grow plants for botanical research and teaching. Its focus was on "technical" plants that can be used industrially, above all tropical fibre plants and rubber. Its history is closely linked to agriculture in the Dutch East Indies and to Gerrit van Iterson Jr. (1878–1972), who directed the garden from 1917 to 1948. As a professor he had already used a small garden on the Oude Delft for teaching and research purposes from 1908.

Today the collection, about 2.5 hectares in size, still consists predominantly of plants that are useful to humans in some way. On the tour, the path leads first through the arboretum with trees more than a hundred years old, past the rock garden with spring bloomers and alpine plants to the orangery, where exhibitions take place in summer, and to the greenhouse complex. In the largest house, the Van Iterson Greenhouse, tropical useful plants such as banana, coffee and kapok grow; in the subtropical section, tea, cinnamon and camphor thrive.

The garden looks after four plant families of the National Plant Collection (witch hazel family, arrowroot family, banana family and bird-of-paradise family) as well as the group of technical plants. It is part of the network of Dutch university gardens and shows changing exhibitions and art projects.

Highlights

• Technical garden with useful plants such as coffee, kapok, tea and cinnamon
• Van Iterson Greenhouse with tropical plants
• Arboretum with trees more than a hundred years old, and rock garden
• Four plant families of the National Plant Collection
• Orangery and education room with changing exhibitions

Permanent exhibitions

• Technischer Garten mit Nutzpflanzen und Gewächshäusern – A tour leads through the arboretum, rock garden, orangery and greenhouses; signs also state the technical uses of the plants.
• Nationale Pflanzensammlung: vier Pflanzenfamilien – The garden looks after witch hazel, arrowroot, banana and bird-of-paradise families as well as a group of technical useful plants.

Founded

1917

Operated by

Technische Universiteit Delft

Admission & discounts

Free with the Museumkaart; holders of the Delftpas and Rotterdampas have free admission once a year. VIP cards of the Vriendenloterij and Postcodeloterij are not valid. With an annual pass, free entry during regular opening hours.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The entrance has door openers, a ramp and 90 cm wide doors; there is also a step-free access. The garden is largely wheelchair accessible; only the education room is reached via a few steps without a lift, and two bridges are harder to cross (a bypass is possible). Benches with armrests are placed at several points, and on the terrace a chair can be moved aside for a wheelchair. There are no official low-stimulus times; the tropical houses are hot and humid. Disabled parking spaces by arrangement (hortus@tudelft.nl or +31 15 278 2356).

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Children aged 5 to 14 pay €4; the events programme includes children's workshops (for example building an insect hotel). Children up to age 14 are admitted only with adults.

Getting there & parking

Kiss-and-ride at Julianalaan 67. The Delft City Shuttle stops at the garden (spring and summer daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m., autumn and winter Thu and Fri noon–5 p.m., weekends 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; day ticket €5, single trip €3, children under 12 free).

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Wi-Fi

Coffee-star in the garden (coffee from its own roastery, tea, pastries, small lunch menu): daily 11 a.m.–4:30 p.m., closed on Mondays. The Wi-Fi is currently not stable.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Available for hire are the pavilion (weekdays 8:30 a.m.–10 p.m., weekends 4–10 p.m.), the Antonia Pavilion for performances, outdoor areas and a meeting room for events, dinners, receptions, meetings and team building; room hire €125 per hour (€100 for tenants affiliated with the university), catering by Coffee-star. Photo shoots and wedding photography by arrangement only (€75).

Plan your visit