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Tropical Ravine
Our Autumn Fair will take place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September in Botanic Gardens.
Our guided tours visit the Palm House and Tropical Ravine. Tours are free and run at 10.30am, 11.30am and 12.30am on Sunday 13 September 2026. Tours are fully booked on Saturday 12 September. Discover how Botanic Gardens are evolving. Learn about the Victorian origins and plant collection in these heritage spaces. The tour highlights plant conservation, biodiversity and protecting our built heritage.
Each tour lasts 45 minutes.The tour meets at the front of the Palm House. Maximum is 25 people on a tour. Groups can book by email [email protected]. You can join a tour on the day. You should wear layers of clothes and bring drinking water because the glass houses can become very warm.
Ursula Burns invites visitors to reimagine the ravine through the traditional sounds of the harp. Ursula presents new ways to experience the living plant collection in the Tropical Ravine.
Artist and horticulturalist Hayley Wylie-Thurrat will demonstrate watercolour-based botanical illustration. Hayley will focus on the giant water lily in the Tropical Ravine. Free drop-in sessions are on between 2pm and 5pm. Sessions are suitable for beginners aged over 12 years old.
Kerrie Hanna will show how to capture the living essence of nature using plant offcuts from Botanic Gardens. Free drop-in sessions are on between 2pm and 5pm in the Palm House. These immersive sessions bridge the gap between subject and medium, allowing you to document the physical history of Botanic Gardens. Kerrie is our artist in residence at the gardens.
We are running free, drop-in Show and Tell sessions with artist Kerrie Hanna in the Tropical Ravine. Sessions take place on:
For event details, go to Tropical Ravine Show and Tell sessions.
The Tropical Ravine is a unique, historic building in Botanic Gardens. It was created in Belfast’s Victorian heyday to display rare and beautiful tropical plants brought to the city from around the world.
This resource is for schools. It is self-led and showcases the Tropical Ravine and Botanic Gardens' heritage, explores Victorian invention and engineering and explains plant properties and uses.
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Session | Led by teacher |
| Location | Tropical Ravine upper walkways, ground floor tropical zone and Botanic Gardens |
| Access to the Tropical Ravine | Ground floor will only be available when booked through the Education officer |
| Resources on site | Worksheets, clipboards and Activity Box with tools for onsite learning |
| Session length | Session length will vary depending on group requirements: thirty minutes to three hours |
| Available | Tuesday morning, Wednesday afternoon, Thursday morning and Friday morning |
| Maximum group size | Contact the Education Officer by email [email protected] |
This resource is in development and free. For more information, to book your class on site and use this resource, contact the Tropical Ravine education officer [email protected].
There are opportunities to volunteer at the ravine. If you have a passion for plants and heritage and would be interested in giving tours and engaging with visitors, you could join our Tropical Ravine team.
For more information, email [email protected] or call 07775 031345.
Free Wi-Fi is available at the Tropical Ravine.
The Tropical Ravine is accessible to wheelchair-users in the spaces used for a full educational visit, including the Tropical Zone and the Ravine walkway. There is lift access to the exhibition on the walkway, but some doors are not automatic.
There is an accessible toilet in the Tropical Ravine building. There are also public toilets in Botanic Gardens which have an accessible toilet. You should request the key for toilets in Botanic Gardens if your group is touring the gardens.
If your group has mobility requirements, you should tell us when booking.
The Tropical Ravine has an induction loop system. If your group needs to use this, you should tell us when booking.
Education tours are not available.
For more information and advice, get in touch.
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