About the Garden
The Yehuda Naftali Botanic Garden at Tel Aviv University was established in 1973. Since then, it has served as a center for teaching and research, as well as a sanctuary for endangered plant species.
The Tel Aviv University Botanical Garden was established in 1973 as the legacy and spiritual testament of Noah Naftulsky, a pioneer botanist and plant researcher in Israel. Today, the 34,000-square-meter garden serves as a vibrant center for education, academic research, and plant conservation. It features displays of native flora from Israel and neighboring regions, alongside unique plant collections from around the globe. In total, the garden is home to approximately 3,800 plant species.
The garden is a core research and education facility for scholars from the George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, primarily the Manna Center Program for Food Safety and Security, as well as researchers from Tel Aviv University and other academic institutions worldwide. It also serves as an educational hub for professionals, schoolchildren, and the general public, revealing the beauty of nature, the richness of biodiversity, and crucial ecological and evolutionary processes.
Throughout the year, experiments and research projects involving various plant species are conducted across the garden, its greenhouses, and laboratories. These studies cover diverse fields such as ecology, biotechnology, cell biology, evolutionary genetics, and more.
In 2019, the garden was renamed "The Yehuda Naftali Botanic Garden" in tribute to Yehuda Naftali, whose generous contribution supports the garden's continuous development and progress.
The diverse selection of local and global flora makes the garden a dynamic, living museum of the plant world. Numerous ecological and botanical studies take place here, exploring a wide range of subjects, from the functioning of ecological communities to plant genetics. Additionally, the garden functions as a conservation refuge for rare and endangered wild plant species, actively cultivating and protecting them.
The Botanical Garden is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development through the Botanical Garden Council.
The Yehuda Naftali Botanic Garden is a hidden gem of nature in the heart of the bustling city. Amidst the dense tree canopies, the soothing sound of trickling water, and the lush vegetation, it is easy to forget the busy Ayalon Highway just around the corner. For a brief moment, visitors are transported out of the city to distant landscapes, such as a desert oasis, a tropical forest, or even an underground habitat where plant roots can be observed up close.
Visiting the Garden Visits to the Botanical Garden, whether independent or as part of a guided group, are coordinated exclusively through the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History. [Click here to purchase tickets and view visit options]
