Garden Gatherings

Garden Gathering: Seeds for the Future

Harvest and explore heirloom seeds, learn how to store them for the future, and discover how preserving seeds can support food sovereignty, sustain communities, and carry a living legacy forward.
Event Details
Sun, Sep 20 • 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Garden Classroom
Admission
This event is free, but space is limited. Please note this event registration does not include Museum admission. Please bring your confirmation email with your digital ticket(s).
Register
An adult and 2 children planting seeds in a garden

Details

Discover the art of seed saving and how what we preserve today can nourish communities for generations to come.

Explore the journey from harvest to next season as you crack open dried pods, handle heirloom seeds, and learn how to prepare and store them for the future. Taste microgreens grown from saved seeds while discovering how this ancient practice supports food sovereignty. Enjoy music from a live DJ along the way, and see how something as small as a seed can carry knowledge forward and help sustain communities for years to come.

In Partnership With

  • Urban Growers Collective logo featuring an illustrated avocado over a green watercolor background

    Urban Growers Collective

    We’re honored to feature Urban Growers Collective as our signature partner for the Fruit and Vegetable Garden. Urban Growers Collective is a Black- and women-led non-profit working to build an equitable local food system. Urban agriculture is our tool and method to create pathways for economic stability and abundance.

Plan Your Visit

Fruit & Vegetable Garden

From the Parking Garage: Follow the signs to the elevator and take it up one floor to the Garden level. Make a right out of the elevator and follow the signs to the Garden. From the Plaza: Accessible Path: Head toward the South end of the Forum building and continue through the breezeway between the Forum and the Chicago Public Library. From there, head toward the Parking Garage and follow the signs to the Elevator. Take it up one floor to the Garden level. Make a right out of the elevator and follow the signs to the Garden. Outdoor Walking Path: Head toward the South end of the Plaza and follow the walking path up the hill to your left. This path will swing around to point you back northward and arrive at the Fruit and Vegetable Garden. Celebrate the legacy of two extraordinary First Ladies as you learn how to grow and make your own food. You can find dozens of garden beds or local plants and native vegetables.
Mon - Sun 6 a.m. - 9 p.m. CT

Raised garden beds planted with leafy greens in front of the Obama Presidential Center Museum
Good to Know

Explore helpful resources regarding transportation, accessibility services, and on-site amenities before you arrive.

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