Discover Classes. Earn Rewards.

The Morton Arboretum
Upcoming Classes in Chicago

(4.5-star rating across 15 reviews)

View School's Profile

The Morton Arboretum

Unfortunately, no classes have spots left

70 The Morton Arboretum classes that have ended
Add to your wish list to find out about new dates

Sensational Summer Side Dishes

The Morton Arboretum @ 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle, IL

Learn to prepare three deliciously easy side dishes representing the flavors of summer in this hands-on class! This is the best part of summer in Illinois, when produce is plentiful in the farmers markets and backyard gardens are bursting at the seams. It’s the perfect time to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables for their peak flavor and stellar nutritional punch. In this session, learn to use farm-fresh greens and hand-picked fruit in a variety...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Beginning Beekeeping

The Morton Arboretum @ 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle, IL

Learn the basics of beekeeping. Curious about honey bees?  Interested in starting your own hive and harvesting your own honey? Already have a hive and want to learn more about managing it? Join our experienced beekeeper and explore the history of beekeeping, bee anatomy, starting up a colony and managing it through the year, equipment basics, honey bee pests and diseases, harvesting honey, and more. Recommended text: The recommended text, ...

(15) Beginner 16 and older
No upcoming schedules
$109

4 sessions

Gift it!

Handmade Bookbinding Workshop

The Morton Arboretum @ 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle, IL

Learn to make one-of-a-kind handbound books that can be given as a gift, displayed as art, or used to hold photographs, sketches, or journal entries. Artist and instructor Maria Rebelo will model different bookmaking techniques and book styles, including saddle stitch, variations of dos-à-dos or French Fold, accordion books with pockets, Japanese stab binding, hardbound books, and more. Each student will make a total of four unique books of various...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules
$225

5 sessions

Gift it!
Discover Classes. Earn Rewards.

CourseHorse Gift Card

Thousands of classes & experiences. No expiration. Gift an experience this holiday season and make it a memorable one. Lock in a price with the Inflation Buster Gift Card Price Adjuster™

Buy a Gift Card

Floral Design 101

The Morton Arboretum @ 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle, IL

Learn to make your own bouquets and arrangements in this four-week floral design class. Working under the guidance of a professional florist, you will make four floral designs to take home with you, including corsages, a centerpiece, a hand tied bouquet, and a stunning high-style European design. You’ll practice wiring, taping, gluing, and arranging as you create these take-home pieces. In addition to creating four floral designs, you will also...

(15) Beginner 16 and older
No upcoming schedules
$210

4 sessions

Gift it!

Field Study: Birds of Spring

The Morton Arboretum

Learn how to identify Illinois' spring resident and migratory birds by sight and call and meet other birders. We will meet primarily outdoors and visit different habitats around the area to learn calls and identification of field marks. Indoors, we will discuss behavioral clues that help in identification, feather arrangement, and physical topography and review daily checklists from the prior field days. Notes: Held indoors and outdoors. Please...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Capturing Birds in Watercolor

The Morton Arboretum @ 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle, IL

Complex and colorful, birds are one of the most common subjects among wildlife artists. Join artist Alex Warnick as she shares the tips and techniques she’s gained over years of painting birds professionally. Participants will develop skills that empower them to express the beauty of birds while learning watercolor techniques that can be applied to any subject matter. In this two-day workshop, participants will learn how to capture birds’ critical...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules
$162

2 sessions

Gift it!

Spring Ikebana: Japanese Floral Arranging

The Morton Arboretum @ 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle, IL

Capture the graceful curve of an unfolding bud, the surprise of new leaves, or the lightness of a cloud through Ikebana -- the art of Japanese flower arranging. The instructors will demonstrate several techniques and then help you create your favorite version. All plant materials will be collected fresh from the Arboretum grounds. Each student will create an arrangement to take home. Required Materials: A kenzan and container will need to be purchased...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Meditation and Essential Oils

The Morton Arboretum @ 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle, IL

Explore meditative and self-nurturing yoga poses with the use of plant-based essential oils to restore and rebalance the mind and body in the tranquil setting of The Morton Arboretum. Notes: This class requires a yoga mat! Bring your own or borrow one of ours. Will be held outdoors if weather permits; please dress for outdoor practice.

(15) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules

The Secrets of Bird Identification (Online)

The Morton Arboretum @ **Virtual Classroom

Get tips from birding expert Denis Kania to improve your bird identification skills in this online presentation with The Morton Arboretum. The trick to identifying birds is knowing which details are key to confirming the species. But you need to know what to look for first! Bird identification starts with a simple road map. With practice, you will understand how to read the map and navigate the parts of a bird that will lead to an ID. In this...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

The Prairie in Art and Literature (Online)

The Morton Arboretum @ **Virtual Classroom

The tallgrass prairie is usually thought of for its diverse community of plants, animals, and insects. Yet, it is also an inspiration for a creative community! In this interactive online talk, natural history author and prairie steward Cindy Crosby will explore historical and contemporary writers and artists, musicians, and other creatives working in the prairie genre: from Neil Young to Willa Cather to graphic comic artists and jewellers expressing...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Growing a Productive Edible Garden (Online)

The Morton Arboretum @ **Virtual Classroom

Imagine growing an edible garden so bountiful that it overflows with produce. In this online workshop, learn to maximize results in your edible garden through good design, plant selection, and smart techniques. This workshop will teach the following: how to install and prepare a raised bed garden; tips and techniques on building a food garden at home; companion planting, square foot gardening, and succession planting; how to grow a donation garden...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Woodcraft Workshop: DIY Reclaimed Birdhouse

The Morton Arboretum @ 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle, IL

Make an attractive, one-of-a-kind bird house using mid-century lumber reclaimed from Chicago buildings. In this hands-on workshop, you will: Learn how materials are reclaimed from demolition sites and the positive impact that sustainable demolition has on our resources and environment. Understand which species of woods are best for woodworking, and learn basic woodworking terms and techniques. Under the guidance of a skilled instructor, you’ll...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Valentine Floral Design

The Morton Arboretum @ 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle, IL

Create a unique fresh floral design to celebrate love, and bring a splash of color and life to winter. Under the guidance of the Arboretum’s botanical arrangers, you will learn how to arrange fresh materials in floral foam. Please bring a floral shears or garden clippers and a small box stuffed with newspaper to carry your design home.

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Sustainable Gardening: Pollinator Garden Seminar

The Morton Arboretum

Sustainable Gardening Series Pollinator Garden Seminar with Melinda Myers Kick off pollinator week with gardening expert Melinda Myers. Learn to support pollinators in your landscape with this detailed, practical, and hands-on seminar, led by one of the region’s leading horticulturists. Why are pollinators important? Whether planting a garden, enjoying the beauty of your landscape or sitting down to a delicious meal, you have bees, butterflies...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Intro to Watercolor (Online)

The Morton Arboretum @ **Virtual Classroom

Learn to use watercolor to capture nature in color.  In this four-week class, you will learn watercolor techniques such as laying a wash, glazing, and dry brush. Work under the guidance of your instructor to practice techniques with simple exercises, and complete several small pieces throughout the course.  If you don’t have supplies, no problem! Purchase a supply kit for an affordable $15, and enjoy the opportunity to develop your...

(15) Beginner 16 and older
No upcoming schedules
$110

4 sessions

Gift it!

Basic Nature Photography (Online and in-person)

The Morton Arboretum

Three Saturdays, March 13, 27, April 10, 2021, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.: Attend live sessions online. Two Sats., March 20 and April 3, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.: Attend sessions on-site at Thornhill Picnic Shelter, P-21 Move beyond shooting in automatic and learn to use your digital SLR camera to capture beautiful nature images. This five-session course includes three live, online sessions and two in-person field sessions on the grounds of The Morton Arboretum....

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Spring Warbler Workshop

The Morton Arboretum @ 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle, IL

In this focused workshop, enjoy the spring warbler migration while learning about identification, arrival dates, migration patterns, habitat preferences, and daily feeding techniques. Brightly colored warblers are one of the highlights of spring - time to dust off and improve those identification skills! Notes: Held outdoors. Please dress for the weather and for hiking on uneven terrain during the Friday field sessions.  Covid-19 Safety:...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules
$100

3 sessions

Gift it!

Beginning iPhone Photography (Online)

The Morton Arboretum @ **Virtual Classroom

Learn how to take great nature photos with your iPhone in this online class from The Morton Arboretum. Whether you are new to photography or new to smartphones, discover techniques for capturing the season with your iPhone. Over the course of of the class, your instructors will: go over your iPhone’s most useful camera functions provide tips and tricks for composing attractive image recommend a selection of good starter apps for basic photo...

(15) Beginner 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Garden Design for a Changing Climate (Online)

The Morton Arboretum

Set your garden up for success with plants and design techniques that can withstand changing conditions. The Midwest is experiencing more weather extremes, with an increase in intense storms, severe cold snaps, hotter summers, and prolonged periods of rain followed by long stretches with no rain at all. These conditions are tough on plants and wildlife. In this class, you will learn: how climate change is impacting our region; how the changing...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules

Design a Spring Container

The Morton Arboretum @ 4100 Illinois Rte 53, Lisle, IL

Design an attractive spring container with hardy plants that will bring color to any outdoor space. Learn optimal plant combinations, secrets of color and texture, successful planting techniques, how to prune and edit… and more! Great for beginners and experienced gardeners alike--use this opportunity to make the mess in our classroom and have the plants you need right at your fingertips. Bring your own container, and create a complete container...

(15) All levels 16 and older
No upcoming schedules
Reset all filters.

No results found

Try removing some filters.

CourseHorse Gift Cards

  • Creative & unique gift for any occasion
  • Thousands of classes & experiences
  • No expiration date
  • Instant e-delivery (or choose a date)
  • Add a personalized message
  • Lock in a price with the Inflation Buster Gift Card Price Adjuster™
Buy a Gift Card
gift card with the CourseHorse logo gift card with the CourseHorse logo
Loading...