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OPEN TODAY: 09:00 - 18:00 (glasshouses close at 17:00)
Two reasons to celebrate: Summer Festival & 55th birthday - On Sunday 21 June 2026, there will be a double celebration at the Botanical Garden: from 11am to 5pm, the garden invites you to its annual Summer Festival – and is also marking its 55th birthday. Further details of the programme will follow in the coming weeks. Save the date – we look forward to seeing you there!
Garden of Sanctuary Walk & Solidarity Picnic – Thursday, 11 June 2026, 3.30–5.30 pm, free to attend – From 9 to 11 June 2026, the Academic Freedom Forum will be held at the RUB. Weather permitting, on the final day of the conference there will be a guided walk through the Botanical Garden featuring performances and contributions by researchers and students at risk. Prof. Adam Braver from the Scholars at Risk Network will lead the approximately 60-minute walk. Afterwards, a Solidarity Picnic is planned on the picnic lawn of the Botanical Garden.
Medicines, Poisons, Drugs – It’s the Dose That Makes the Poison – Sunday, 14 June 2026 // 11:00 am – 12:30 pm – Admission: €5 (BOGA Friends & Children €3) - Discover the fascinating world of herbal medicine and the fine line between healing and danger! This themed tour focuses on our medicinal garden, which is home to a wide variety of well-known as well as long-forgotten medicinal plants. Some of these plants appear completely unremarkable at first glance, yet contain highly potent substances within. In keeping with Paracelsus’s famous maxim – “The dose makes the poison” – we will explore the fascinating dual nature of these plants. [Photo: Black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger, Solanaceae)]
Medicinal plants – the power of nature - Sunday, 14 June 2026 // 3.00 pm – 4.30 pm - Admission: €5 (BOGA Friends & children €3) - Medicinal plants are one of the oldest foundations of human medicine. Long before there were pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies, people observed nature, took their cue from animals or gained their own experience of the effects of plants. Today, we no longer need to painstakingly test this knowledge ourselves: over generations, a wealth of experience regarding medicinal plants has been gathered and passed down. In this 90-minute guided tour, you will learn about a selection of common as well as unusual medicinal plants and discover the healing effects attributed to them.
We are currently redesigning our South Africa House to showcase some new impressions of the country's fantastic flora. While we are busy giving the exhibition a new look, the South Africa House is closed to visitors. Check back here regularly for updates!
Become a plant sponsor now! Whether golden barrel cactus, Darth Vader pipevine or coffee, the Botanic Garden has the right plant for every taste and every occasion. Take a look at our sponsor shop and choose your favourite. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Ruhr University, the BOGA Friends have selected 60 special plants.
Botany in beer: more than hops and malt 20.09.25 - 31.07.2026 in the Foyer, viewing is free. Beer has been delighting humanity for over 10,000 years—and its history is as multifaceted as its ingredients. In addition to barley, water, hops, and yeast, there are many other ingredients that alter the taste, extend the shelf life, or enhance the intoxicating effect. The exhibition “Botany in Beer – More Than Hops and Malt” invites you to get to know beer from its botanical side. Learn how starch, herbs, and modern breeding techniques shape the craft of brewing, and discover exotic beer varieties you've probably never heard of before. Let yourself be surprised and immerse yourself in a fascinating world – and maybe you'll discover your new favorite beer! The exhibition “Botany in Beer: More than Hops and Malt” is on loan from the Botanical Garden of Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen.
Fauna meets flora - 15.03.25 - 31.10.2026, viewing is free. From lithe snakes to curious owls and cheeky ravens to playing wolf pups - with her lifelike bronze sculptures, Münster artist Waltraud Hustermeier brings the animal kingdom to life amidst the plant world of the Botanic Garden. The sculptures are spread across the entire outdoor area. So embark on a journey of discovery!
Green, Rocks, Earth - Our Changing World - viewing is free - An illustrated exhibition on the evolutionary history of plants - from the beginning of life in the oceans, the conquest of the land, the breathtaking new diversity of plants to us humans and the dramatic effects of climate change today. The exhibition was created as part of a priority programme funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG): MAdLand – Molecular Adaptation to Land. The exhibition is on display on the wall opposite the Chinese Garden.
What has the Botanic Garden achieved over the past year? Our first annual report invites you to rediscover the most important developments and projects. It provides insights into the further development of the botanic garden, into research and teaching, and into our educational and public relations work, with which we aim to inspire the public's enthusiasm for plants, biodiversity and nature. The report also shows how many people are involved in shaping the Botanic Garden – from full-time staff to dedicated volunteers. Together, they make the garden a vibrant place of learning, encounter and inspiration. Atmospheric photographs guide you through the seasons in the Botanic Garden. You can download the annual report as a PDF here [in German].
In his new article Exposed amphibians and reptiles in the Botanic Garden of the Ruhr University Bochum, ecologist Thomas Kordges describes his many years of observations of the amphibian and reptile fauna in the Botanical Garden of the Ruhr University Bochum.
Copyright © Botanischer Garten 2026
Last update: May 29, 2026
