Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden in Kaunas

What Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden in Kaunas does

VDU Botanikos sodas (Vytauto Didžiojo Universiteto Botanikos sodas) is the botanical garden of Vytautas Magnus University, located in Kaunas, Lithuania. Founded in 1923, it is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the Baltic region and operates as an integral unit of the public university. The garden maintains scientifically documented plant collections spanning peonies (884 items), astilbes (270), hydrangeas (107+), dahlias (800+), tulips, asters, and a unique Baltic-region collection of medicinal, aromatic, and spice plants (established 1924) that serves as part of Lithuania's National Plant Genetic Resources (ANGI). The site includes the largest tropical greenhouse in Lithuania, the historic Aukštosios Fredos manor, and the 'Elfų kaimelis' children's play area.

The institution generates revenue through a diversified mix of ticketed admission (€7 adult / €4 discounted), guided tours (€50–70 per group), structured educational programs for schools (€10/person), seasonal children's camps (€150–200 per week), event venue rental, commercial photography and filming permits, and an on-site nursery selling ornamental plant seedlings. Demand is driven primarily by signature annual events including the Kvapų naktis (Scent Night) festival — Lithuania's largest botanical event — alongside the Paeony Festival, Botaninės naktys light festival, and Plant Appreciation Day. Customer segments span general public and families, schools and educational institutions, academic and research collaborators, healthcare and pharmacy professionals, and private event clients.

The business also operates a research and international collaboration arm, partnering with European universities (Medical University of Bialystok, University of Aveiro, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Palacký University Olomouc, Kiel University, Medical University of Warsaw) on NAWA- and Erasmus+ funded projects, and is a member of the Council of Europe-certified Aromas Itinerarium Salutis (AIS) cultural route and Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). Leadership is provided by Director Dr. Nerijus Jurkonis and Prof. habil. dr. Ona Ragažinskienė, head of the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Science Sector. The garden is funded through a combination of public university transfers, EU/international research grants, and self-generated commercial revenue, with 13 reported employees.

Name

Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden in Kaunas

Legal name

VDU Botanikos sodas

Website

https://botanika.vdu.lt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VDU Botanikos sodas is the 1923-founded botanical garden of Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, Lithuania, operating as a public university unit. It maintains scientific plant collections, runs educational programs for schools, hosts signature festivals like Kvapų naktis, and conducts medicinal plant research with European academic partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Botanical Garden Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114), Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Seasonal Color, Planting & Horticultural Services (BPABADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Protected Cultivation of Specialty Crops (Orchids, Bonsai, Exotics) (AFAGAHAH), Medicinal Plant Farming (Botanical/Pharmaceutical Crops) (AFAGAGAE), Garden Bed Installation & Planting (Annuals, Perennials, Shrubs) (HSAIAFAB)

Keywords

• Botanical garden services
• Plant genetic conservation
• Horticultural education
• Scientific plant collections
• Medicinal plant research

Headquarters

HQ city

Kaunas

HQ country

Lithuania

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Admission and entrance fees: Revenue from ticketed park and greenhouse access. Standard adult tickets, discounted tickets for children 6+, students, seniors, disabled persons, and VDU employees. Ticket sales via on-site cash desk and online portal.
2. Guided tours and excursions: Fees for guided tours in Lithuanian, English, or Russian, priced at €50 per group for standard tours and €70 per group for foreign language or weekend tours. Pre-registration required.
3. Educational programs and camps: Revenue from paid educational sessions (€10 per person), children's summer camps (€150–200 per week including meals and family tickets), and holiday programs for children.
4. Event venue rental and event tickets: Revenue from renting garden spaces for private events and ticketed entry to special events and concerts (e.g., Kvapų naktis festival tickets at €6–10, Inga Valinskienė concert).
5. Photography/filming permits and commercial sessions: Fees for commercial photography sessions (€30) and filming/photography permits for commercial purposes (€200 for 2 hours).
6. Plant nursery (Medelynas) sales: Sales of ornamental plant seedlings propagated and grown locally in Lithuania, well-adapted to local climate conditions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

VDU Botanikos sodas operates a botanical garden in Kaunas offering public access to one of Lithuania's largest scientific plant collections, including peonies, dahlias, astilbes, hydrangeas, tulips, and medicinal/aromatic plants. The garden sells admission tickets, guided tours, structured educational programs for schools, children's camps, plant nursery seedlings, and rents its grounds and the historic Aukštosios Fredos manor for private events. It also hosts large annual festivals such as Kvapų Naktis (Scent Night), Botaninės Naktys, and the Peony Festival, and conducts plant-breeding research and international scientific collaborations.

Product overview

VDU Botanikos sodas is a botanical garden and cultural institution offering a unified portfolio of nature-based services centered around plant conservation, education, and public engagement. The core offering includes public access to park and orangery facilities featuring diverse plant collections (peonies, astilbes, dahlias, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, medicinal and aromatic plants). Supporting services include educational programs for school groups, summer camps for children, guided tours, plant nursery sales, and venue rentals for events. The institution hosts annual signature events including the Kvapų Naktis (Scents Night) festival and Botanical Nights festival featuring concerts and light installations. The garden also maintains scientific plant collections and conducts research in partnership with academic institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aukštosios Fredos dvaras: The historic manor estate located within the VDU Botanikos sodas grounds, used for events, cultural programmes, and educational activities.
• Elfų kaimelis

Products and services

• Botanical Garden Visits (park and orangery admission) Public access to the botanical garden park and Lithuania's largest orangery featuring diverse plant collections (peonies, dahlias, astilbes, hydrangeas, tulips, rhododendrons, medicinal and aromatic plants), historical buildings, and natural attractions in Kaunas. Open daily 9:00–21:00 (park), cash desk 9:00–19:00.
• Educational Programs (Edukacija) Structured educational sessions and curriculum-aligned programs for school groups covering butterflies, orientation games, aromatic plants, floristry, nature exploration, DNA genetics, and scientific topics for various age groups (1–12 grades, kindergarten through adult). Includes Kultūros paso (Cultural Passport) programs approved by the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture.
• Children's Botanical Summer Camps Week-long summer (and spring) botanical camps for children aged 7–11 featuring nature education, creative activities, and exploration of the garden. Includes meals, snacks, and four family tickets. Spring camp priced €200, summer camp €150 (2024).
• Guided Tours (Ekskursijos) Guided tours of the garden and historical Aukštosios Fredos manor available in Lithuanian, English, and Russian. €50 per group for Lithuanian-language tours; €70 per group for foreign-language tours or weekend tours. Pre-registration required.
• Plant Nursery (Medelynas) On-site retail of ornamental plant seedlings and propagules grown locally in Lithuania and adapted to the local climate. Sold throughout the growing season in pots and bare-root.
• Event Venue Rental (Nuomojamos erdvės) Rental of garden spaces including the historic Aukštosios Fredos manor and other venues for weddings, corporate events, celebrations, concerts, and private functions.
• Kvapų Naktis (Scent Night) Annual Festival Annual signature botanical summer festival featuring concerts, lectures, workshops, tastings, and educational activities. Tickets priced €6–€10; described as the largest botanical event in Lithuania.
• Tropical Butterfly Exhibition (seasonal) Seasonal exhibition of tropical butterflies inside the orangery, featuring various species from around the world, accompanied by educational sessions for children and families.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 1,200 children participated in the 2024 Augalų žavadienis celebration — a record
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Balstogės medicinos universitetas (Medical University of Bialystok, Poland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Lead partner in the NAWA (Poland) 'Strategic Partnerships' funded international interdisciplinary project (November 2025 – October 2027) developing analytical and biomedical platforms for natural skin protection and regeneration compounds. VDU Botanikos sodas contributes its unique medicinal and aromatic plant collections and research expertise under Prof. A.S. Maruška and Prof. Ona Ragažinskienė. Collaborates with Aveiro University (Portugal), Rudjer Bošković Institute (Croatia), and Palacký University Olomouc (Czech Republic).
• Aveiro universitetas (University of Aveiro, Portugal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the NAWA international project developing platforms for natural skin protection compounds. Collaborating with medicinal plant collections at VDU Botanikos sodas.
• Rudjerio Boskovic institutas (Rudjer Bošković Institute, Croatia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the NAWA international project studying natural compounds from medicinal plants for biomedical applications.
• Palacký universitetas Olomouce (Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the NAWA international project developing analytical and biomedical platforms for natural skin protection compounds, utilizing plant collections and research from VDU Botanikos sodas.
• Aromas Itinerarium Salutis (AIS) — Europos istorinių vaistinių ir vaistinių augalų sodų asociacijacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVDU Botanikos sodas Vaistinių ir prieskoninių augalų mokslo sektoriaus is a full member of AIS, the European Route of Historical Pharmacies and Medicinal Gardens. The garden hosted the 2nd International AIS Forum in Kaunas in April 2026. The garden is a key institution in this Council of Europe-certified cultural route. The garden contributes to pharmacy heritage preservation initiatives across Europe.
• Lietuvos sveikatos mokslų universitetas (LSMU) — Farmakognozijos katedracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead organizer of the Erasmus+ BIP program 'Gamtinės kilmės produktų gamybos kelias: Botanika – Fitochemija – Fitoterapija'. VDU Botanikos sodas serves as the practical training site for this program, providing hands-on sessions in medicinal plant identification and research.
• Kylio Christiano Albrechto universitetas (Kiel University, Germany)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university in the Erasmus+ BIP program, sending students and faculty to Lithuania for practical training at VDU Botanikos sodas.
• Varšuvos medicinos universitetas (Medical University of Warsaw, Poland)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Erasmus+ BIP program, sending students and faculty for practical training at VDU Botanikos sodas as part of the natural products/phytotherapy curriculum.
• Bazilikatos universitetas (University of Basilicata, Italy)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Erasmus+ BIP program on natural products, contributing to the collaborative educational mobility program with VDU Botanikos sodas.
• Neapolio Frydricho II universitetas (University of Naples Federico II, Italy)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Erasmus+ BIP program on natural products, sending participants for practical sessions at VDU Botanikos sodas.
• LSMU Lietuvos medicinos ir farmacijos istorijos muziejuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the 'Materia medica' exhibition (April–May 2025) exploring the history of pharmaceutical science in Lithuania. Jointly organized with VDU Botanikos sodas and Lietuvos farmacijos sąjunga.
• Lietuvos farmacijos sąjungacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the 'Materia medica' exhibition and co-host of the annual 'Medicinal Plant of the Year' elections. VDU Botanikos sodas scientists hold leadership positions in this organization (Prof. Ona Ragažinskienė is President).
• Šiaurės ministrų tarybos biuras Lietuvoje (Nordic Council of Ministers in Lithuania)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-implementer of the 'Pamatyk, pasėk ir paragauk!' (See, Sow, Taste!) project in Lithuania, reaching 32 schools in Šiauliai, Kaunas, and Klaipėda. Project connects students with botanical gardens and seed collections.
• NordGen — Šiaurės šalių genetinių išteklių centras (Nordic Genetic Resource Center)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the 'Pamatyk, pasėk ir paragauk!' project, providing Nordic seed collections for educational use in Lithuanian schools through VDU Botanikos sodas.
• LUBSA — Lietuvos universitetų Botanikos sodų asociacijacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVDU Botanikos sodas is a member of LUBSA, the Lithuanian University Botanical Gardens Association. The association coordinates joint educational and research activities across Lithuanian botanical gardens.
• Strasbūro universiteto botanikos sodas (Strasbourg University Botanical Garden)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriendship established in 2023–2024 through the planting of Lithuanian plants in Strasbourg and Brussels to mark Ukraine's EU accession negotiations. The Strasbourg garden provided seeds of dailusis kaulenis (beautiful spindle tree) to VDU Botanikos sodas in 2015.
• Leipalingio bendruomenėminorOthersParticipated in Kvapų naktis 2026 with the theatricalized educational program 'Keturios provincijos dvaro seserys' (Four Provinces Manor Sisters), bringing cultural heritage to life in the garden.
• Panemunės pilies komandaminorOthersParticipated in Kvapų naktis 2026 with educational program about manor fragrance culture and Provencal aromatics.
• Kauno valstybinis lėlių teatrasminorOthersRegular partner providing theatrical performances for children during garden festivals and events, including 'Pasaka apie katiną Flioksą' at Kvapų naktis 2026.
• Ąžuolyno bibliotekaminorOthersLiterary partner for Kvapų naktis events, providing literary games and scent-inspired stories for families.
• VDU Kamerinis orkestrascoreOthersPerforming at the Kvapų naktis 2026 grand evening concert (July 17, 20:30) in the Maumedžių giraitė (Larch Grove) with opera soloists BALSAI.
• Lietuvos zoologijos sodas (Lithuanian Zoo)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-partner in the 'Tropikai Kaune' (Tropics in Kaunas) joint promotion: visitors to VDU Botanikos sodas or the zoo receive 50% discount on the other venue from November 24 to December 24.
• Kaišiadorių TIC (Kaišiadorys Tourism Information Center) — Lietuvos kultūros sostinė 2024minorOthersPresented cultural programs at Kvapų naktis 2024 as part of Kaišiadorys being named Lithuania's Culture Capital 2024.
• Šiaurės šalių biomasės aljanso partneriai (Nordic Bioeconomy partners)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVDU Botanikos sodas joined the 'Žaliasis intelektas' (Green Intelligence) cluster at VDU Žemės ūkio akademija, a platform for collaboration between science, business, and social partners.
• Aukštaitijos nacionalinio parko ir Labanoro regioninio parko Senovinės bitininkystės muziejussecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on creating a medicinal-meliferous plant collection at the museum since 2021. Joint conference organization and research on apitherapy. Inter-institutional cooperation agreement signed December 2023.
• VDU Gamtos mokslų fakulteto Instrumentinės Analizės Atviros Prieigos CentrascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed by academician Prof. habil. dr. Audrius Sigitas Maruška, this center has collaborated with VDU Botanikos sodas since 2000 on medicinal plant research, phytochemistry studies, and international projects on natural compounds.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• VU Šiauliai Academy Botanical Garden: Lithuanian university botanical garden explicitly listed as a LUBSA member and Kvapų naktis 2026 co-participant. Operates as a direct regional peer with overlapping plant collections, education programs, and shared national association coordination.
• Vilnius University Botanical Garden: Lithuania's other major university-affiliated botanical garden, operating under Vilnius University. Direct national peer offering similar plant collections, educational programs, scientific research, and public visitation in Lithuania — competing for the same local visitors and EU-funded projects.
• Strasbourg University Botanical Garden (Jardin botanique de l'Université de Strasbourg): French university botanical garden explicitly cited as a friendship and seed-exchange partner of VDU Botanikos sodas. Closely comparable in scale, university affiliation, and curatorial mission.

Regional players

• Tallinn Botanic Garden: Estonia's principal public botanical garden, comparable in offering (collections, education, events) and a peer in the Baltic peony exhibition circuit. Operates in a different national market but competes for international visibility.
• Latvian University Botanical Garden: Baltic regional peer operated by the University of Latvia. Competes in adjacent market (Latvia) for plant-collection prestige and collaborates/competes in cross-Baltic peony and dahlia exhibitions. Same Baltic university-garden category.

Broad incumbents

• Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin: Major European university-affiliated botanical garden combining collections, museum, and international research. Comparable in scientific mandate (plant systematics, medicinal plant research) but vastly larger scale and global footprint.
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World-leading botanical institution with extensive plant collections, research programs, public visitation, and educational programming. Sets the global benchmark for university-affiliated botanical garden operations — broader scope and far larger scale, but same fundamental category.
• Jardí Botànic de Barcelona: Mediterranean European botanical garden affiliated with the CSIC/Barcelona research institutions; relevant comparable for university-affiliated botanical gardens combining research, conservation, and public programming.

Others

• Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI): Global association of which VDU Botanikos sodas is a member and which awards the international Marsh Award received by the garden. Functions as the institutional network and standards-setter for the category rather than as a direct competitor.
• European Route of Historical Pharmacies and Medicinal Gardens (AIS): Council of Europe-certified cultural route of which VDU Botanikos sodas is a full member and hosted the 2nd international forum. Provides network access and visibility rather than competing commercially.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vdu-kauno-botanikos-sodas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden in Kaunas