The Jardín Botánico Joaquín Antonio Uribe is 14 hectares of lakes, palms, orchids and lawn in the north of the city, free to enter, right outside Universidad metro station — and it sits in a cluster with Parque Explora (the science museum and aquarium) and the Planetario, so the same stop fills a whole day. This page has the hours, what costs money (the butterfly house, Explora, the Planetario), the rules that surprise people, and how to combine it with the Metrocable to Parque Arví.
Hours and cost
| Address | Calle 73 #51D-14 — the entrance is beside Universidad metro station (Line A) |
|---|---|
| Hours | Tuesday–Sunday 9 am–4 pm. Closed Mondays; when Monday is a holiday it opens and closes the following Tuesday instead |
| Entry | Free; online registration encouraged on busy days |
| Mariposario (butterfly house) | 10,000 COP, children under 1 m free; 20-minute guided walk-throughs 10 am–12 pm and 12:30–3:40 pm, max 25 people; tickets at the garden shop |
| Time needed | 1.5–2 hours; half a day with Explora |
What’s inside
- The Orquideorama — the garden’s signature: a canopy of hexagonal, flower-shaped timber modules by Plan B and JPRCR Arquitectos (2006) sheltering the orchid and bromeliad collection. It fills with flower shows during the Feria de las Flores in early August and hosts concerts and weddings the rest of the year.
- The lake and palm collection, a desert garden, a bamboo grove, a small tropical forest patch and the Mariposario, where the butterflies land on you if you stand still.
- Lawns. On weekends the garden is where Medellín picnics — blankets, families, wedding photographers. Weekday mornings are near-silent.
- Food: the garden has a restaurant and café by the lake (the long-running In Situ is the name most guides use; confirm current operator on the garden’s site) and a shop. Bringing your own food is fine in reusable containers.
Parque Explora, the Aquarium and the Planetario — across the road
Facing the garden across Carrera 52 is Parque Explora, the city’s interactive science museum, which also houses South America’s largest freshwater aquarium (Amazon and Orinoco species — the Aquarium is inside Explora, not a separate venue) and a dinosaur hall. Open Tuesday–Friday 8:30 am–5:30 pm (tickets until 4 pm) and weekends and holidays 10 am–6:30 pm (tickets until 5 pm); closed Mondays. Published 2026 prices for foreign visitors: 67,950 COP for Explora, 108,200 COP for Explora plus the Planetario next door, 46,400 COP for the Planetario alone; Colombians and residents pay considerably less (about 27,000 COP for Explora at our last check — confirm at the box office), and Medellín residents with a utility bill enter free. Allow 2.5 hours for Explora. With children, this is the best half-day in the city; without, the aquarium alone justifies the ticket.
Rules and tips
- No pets except service animals; no balls, bikes or hammocks inside; picnics in reusable containers only, rubbish out with you.
- Family and wedding photography is free but needs a permission form submitted in advance; commercial shoots pay.
- Go Tuesday–Friday morning for quiet; Saturday afternoon for the picnic atmosphere; the Flower Festival (early August) for the orchids and the crowds.
- Combine: Universidad is three stops south of Acevedo, the interchange for Metrocable Line K and the Line L ride to Parque Arví. Arví in the morning, the garden mid-afternoon, is a classic day. Moravia, the reclaimed-dump neighborhood with its community cultural center, is a 10-minute walk from the same station — see our comunas guide.
FAQ
Is the Medellín botanical garden free? Yes. Only the butterfly house (10,000 COP) and the neighboring Explora and Planetario charge.
What day is the Jardín Botánico closed? Mondays (unless the Monday is a holiday, in which case it closes Tuesday).
How do I get there? Metro Line A to Universidad; the gate is at the station.
Is the aquarium in the botanical garden? No — it is inside Parque Explora across the road, included in the Explora ticket.
Sources: botanicomedellin.org (hours, rules, entry), Parque Explora (hours, 2026 tariffs), Arquitectura Viva (Orquideorama), Visitar Medellín and Natiesmamá (Mariposario); checked August 2026.
