Docent Tours
In partnership with the URI CELS Outreach Center, we offer guided tours of the Botancial Center.
Tours must be booked at least 4 weeks in advance and can be scheduled by calling Samantha Richards, Office Administrator of the Botanical Center at 401-785-9450 extension 250.
Information of Docent Guided Tours:
Tours are led by trained URI Master Gardener volunteers. They are focused according to age and group interest in regards to the various tropical plants housed in the Botanical Center's unique environment. Tours provide cultural and environmental information about the plants, their uses and importance in the lives of humans, their unusual and highly varied physical characteristics, and information on how they have adapted to the climates in which they naturally exist. Information will also be given about the construction, maintenance and workings of the physical structure of the greenhouse.
Docent Tours are available Tuesdays through Fridays (no holidays) between the hours of 11:00AM to 2:30PM. Weekends are very limited due to the number of events being held at the Center.
On average, tours for either adults or children last 1 - 1.5 hours.
Children's tours generally last 45 minutes to one hour, but may last as long as 1.5 hours if a scavenger hunt is included in the tour.
Adult guided tour groups are limited to a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 50 participants.
Children's tour groups or school groups are limited to a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 50 participants, exclusive of chaperones.
One docent tour guide will be assigned for every 15 adults or every 10 children. Children must be chaperoned at a ratio of 1 adult for every 10 children.
Tours that are cancelled by the booking party with notice of 48 hours or less will forfeit their entire deposit unless the tour is rebooked for a later date.
Tours that are cancelled by the booking party with notice of greater than 48 hours will receive a full refund of their deposit.
Fees, Deposits and Payments for docent-guided tours:
- $5.00 per adult (age 13+)
- $2.50 per child age 6-12
- Free for age 5 and under
- Providence based elementary and middle school groups: $2.00 per child, $3.50 per adult.
A deposit of $3.50 per adult and/or $2.00 per child should be submitted and received by the Botanical Center no less than 2 weeks prior to the scheduled tour. If the deposit is not received within that time frame, or if other arrangements have not been made with the Educational Program Manager, we reserve the right to cancel the reservation for the guided tour and will notify the scheduled party of such.
School groups may make special arrangements for payment in advance of their visit. Please contact the Botanical Center for more info.
Deposit checks should be made payable to: "URI CE" and mailed to the following address:
URI Outreach Center
Re: RWP-BC Tours
3 East Alumni Avenue
Kingston, RI 02881
The balance of the fee, if any, must be paid on your arrival to the Botanical Center. Payments can be made with cash, credit card or check; checks should be made payable to: "Roger Williams Park Botanical Center".
Please present cash fees from all tour participants at the Admissions Booth as one single payment.
Please call 401-785-9450 ext. 250 or email: rwbotanicalcenter@gmail.com for more info.