In NYBG's wildly popular diorama, more than a dozen model railway trains traverse an incredibly detailed New York City scene, including such landmarks as the Empire State Building and Radio City Music Hall, made of natural materials such as leaves, twigs, bark and berries.
Each year, artist Laura Busse Dolan and her team at Applied Imagination work on the awe-inspiring structures using plant materials to build "botanical architecture." It's been a beloved tradition since 1992.
The production usually consists of nearly 200 scaled NYC buildings and structures like the Statute of Liberty and Grand Central Station, re-created using barks, leaves, branches and other materials you might spot while strolling through a garden.
As if a miniature plant-based New York City wasn't cool enough, 25 tiny trains will snake along the entire space, including some on overhead towering bridges. Don't expect them to look like your standard subway car, either: the tiny modes of transportation include replicas of American steam engines and streetcars from the 1800s, so there's something for fans of every commute era.
The destination is ideal for children, but there are also 21+ nights to check out.
This year's holiday train show will take place from November 16 through January 20, 2025, starting at 10am until 6pm, at the Bronx destination.