Red Butte Garden
Red Butte Garden and Arboretum is a University of Utah-affiliated nonprofit botanical garden in Salt Lake City serving the general public, K-12 students, and researchers through admissions, memberships, concerts, education programs, and conservation research across 100 acres and 3,000 plant species.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersSalt Lake City, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Red Butte Garden does
Red Butte Garden and Arboretum is a nonprofit botanical garden located at 300 Wakara Way in Salt Lake City, Utah, legally affiliated with the University of Utah (EIN# 87-6000525). Founded in 1984 following an initial land transfer with seminal involvement from Zeke Dumke Jr., the Garden operates as the State Arboretum of Utah, spanning 100 acres of themed gardens and natural areas containing 3,000 species of plants and trees in a foothills setting. The Garden serves the general public, K-12 students across 41 of Utah's 42 school districts, adult learners, families, private-event clients, and conservation researchers through a portfolio of admissions, memberships, an outdoor amphitheatre concert series, adult and youth education programs, summer camps, a gift shop, private event rentals, and donation-supported conservation research. Its scientific contributions include the 2015–2018 Bonneville cutthroat trout reintroduction with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, native bee sanctuary research documenting 127 species, and the co-published discovery of 10,900-year-old Four Corners Wild Potato evidence in collaboration with the Natural History Museum of Utah and the USDA Potato Gene Bank.
The Garden monetizes through a diversified revenue model combining day admissions, annual memberships, concert ticket sales, fee-based educational classes and workshops, gift shop retail, private event rentals, and philanthropic donations — supported operationally by approximately 30,000 annual volunteer hours. Customer acquisition is event-driven and direct-to-consumer, relying on organic social media, content marketing (What's Blooming Now blog, Garden Journal, quarterly magazine), email newsletters, and on-site ticketing. Its go-to-market emphasizes educational content, conservation messaging, and concert/event promotion, anchored by deep institutional partnerships with the University of Utah, Salt Lake County's ZAP program, Rocky Mountain Power, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and a network of 19 local retail partners offering members 5–50% discounts.
In fiscal year 2025 the Garden hosted 278,000 guests and served 13,595 students, including 7,889 schoolchildren on field trips, while adding 3,608 new plants and distributing 524 Botany Bins to 35,420 students. Operationally the entity is led by Executive Director Derrek Hanson with a full director-level team covering horticulture, conservation, philanthropy, finance, marketing, events, and education. Governance is provided by an Advisory Board (2026 roster chaired by Kym Buttschardt). The organization holds no patents, has no subsidiaries, and operates exclusively from its single Salt Lake City campus serving the Intermountain West region.
Red Butte Garden firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Red Butte Garden
- Legal name
- University of Utah
- Website
- https://redbuttegarden.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Red Butte Garden and Arboretum is a University of Utah-affiliated nonprofit botanical garden in Salt Lake City serving the general public, K-12 students, and researchers through admissions, memberships, concerts, education programs, and conservation research across 100 acres and 3,000 plant species.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Red Butte Garden is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Salt Lake City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Red Butte Garden business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Garden Memberships: Annual and recurring memberships providing benefits including free admission, exclusive events, discounts at gift shop and retail partners, and quarterly Red Butte Garden Magazine.
- Visitor Admissions: Admission fees for general garden visits with tiered pricing for individuals, families, and groups.
- Concert Series Tickets: Ticket sales for outdoor concert series at the Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre featuring various musical performers.
- Educational Programs & Classes: Revenue from educational programming including adult education classes, workshops, summer camps for kids, school programs, and facility rentals for private events.
- Gift Shop Sales: On-site gift shop offering locally made products and garden-inspired gifts.
- Donations & Philanthropy: Tax-deductible charitable donations supporting rare plant conservation, science-based programming, and garden access initiatives. EIN# 87-6000525.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Membership |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Day Admission |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Concert Series Tickets |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels6 records
Red Butte Garden product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Red Butte Garden is a 100-acre botanical garden and State Arboretum of Utah that sells daily visitor admissions, annual memberships, seasonal outdoor concert tickets, and access to themed gardens and natural areas at its Salt Lake City foothills location. It delivers adult education classes and workshops, youth summer camps, K–12 school programs and field trips, private venue rentals, gift shop retail, and conservation research programs. As a University of Utah-affiliated nonprofit, it also raises philanthropic donations to support plant conservation and science-based programming.
Product overview
Red Butte Garden is a botanical garden and arboretum operated by the University of Utah, offering a diverse portfolio of products and services centered around plant conservation, environmental education, and community engagement. The core offerings include: the outdoor concert amphitheatre hosting seasonal music performances; educational programming through adult classes/workshops (Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, mindfulness) and youth summer camps; garden membership with partner discounts; the Gift Shop; and school programs serving thousands of students annually. Supporting resources include the What's Blooming Now blog, Garden Journal publication, and Plant Collections database. The garden also provides volunteer opportunities, private event rentals, and donation programs supporting conservation efforts. As Utah's State Arboretum, the 100-acre facility features themed gardens including the Water Conservation Garden demonstrating waterwise landscaping.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Outdoor Concert Series Seasonal outdoor concert series held in the Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre featuring various musical artists and performers, with individual show tickets and season passes sold directly through the Garden's own ticketing platform.
- Classes and Workshops Adult education programming including Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, mindfulness, botanical painting, and gardening/horticulture workshops, offered seasonally and registered through the adult education department.
- Summer Camp Summer day camp programs for children offering nature-based learning and outdoor activities at the Garden, including the Earth Connections Camp, booked through the kids classes department.
- Garden Membership Annual subscription membership tiers providing free garden admission, exclusive member events, a quarterly Red Butte Garden Magazine, and discounts of 5–50% at a network of 19 local retail partners.
- Red Butte Garden Gift Shop On-site gift shop offering locally made products and garden-inspired gifts, with a 10% discount for Garden members.
- Donation Programs Charitable giving programs supporting rare plant conservation, science-based programming, and access to the Garden. Tax-deductible contributions are processed under EIN# 87-6000525.
- School Programs K-12 educational outreach serving thousands of Utah students annually through field trips, the Botany Bins and Boxes lending kit program, and curriculum-aligned lessons delivered across 41 of the state's 42 school districts.
- Private Event Rentals Venue rental services for weddings, corporate functions, and private celebrations at the Garden's event spaces, coordinated through the rentals department and events coordinators.
- Water Conservation Garden Themed demonstration garden showcasing xeriscaping with five hydrozones — Zone 4 (watered 2–3 times/week), Zone 3 (once/week), Zone 2 (every other week), Zone 1 (once/month), and Zone 0/Xeric (no supplemental water after establishment) — accessed as part of general garden admission.
- Visitor Admissions (General Garden Access) Day-pass admission to the Garden's 100 acres of themed gardens and natural areas with 3,000 plant species, available at tiered rates for individuals, families, and groups, sold on-site at 300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City.
Quantifiable outcome
- 278,000 total guests visited in fiscal year 2025
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Red Butte Garden
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Red Butte Garden technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Red Butte Garden partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- University of UtahcoreRed Butte Garden is affiliated with the University of Utah as its State Arboretum. The Garden benefits from University resources, transportation services for projects, and administrative support. Legal name is University of Utah with EIN# 87-6000525.
- Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts, and Parks Program (ZAP)coreZAP funding has supported Arbor Day celebrations and enabled free admission days. ZAP provides public funding for arts, parks, and zoo programs in Salt Lake County.
- Rocky Mountain PowerminorPartnered with Rocky Mountain Power on Arbor Day celebrations including tree seedling giveaways and tree plantings at the Garden.
- Utah Division of Wildlife ResourcescoreCollaborative restoration project including pond dredging and release of approximately 200 Bonneville cutthroat trout fingerlings into Garden ponds fed by Red Butte Creek. Project completed 2015-2018 with ongoing conservation education.
- Utah Society for Environmental EducationminorPartner organization for Arbor Day celebrations and environmental education initiatives.
- Tree UtahminorPartner organization for Arbor Day celebrations and tree planting initiatives.
- Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, & State LandsminorPartner organization for Arbor Day celebrations and state forestry initiatives.
- Natural History Museum of UtahcoreCollaborative research with Red Butte Garden Conservation Director Bruce Pavlik and Museum curator Lisbeth Louderback on the 10,900-year-old Four Corners Wild Potato discovery, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
- USDA Potato Gene BankcoreCollaborative genetic research on Solanum jamesii for potential breeding applications to develop drought and disease resistant potato crops.
- 19 Local Retail PartnersminorNetwork of 19 local retail partners including nurseries, fitness studios, and specialty retailers offering 5-50% discounts to Red Butte Garden members. Includes Babinski's Baby, The Bar Method, Cactus & Tropicals, Glover Nursery, Gold 'n Diamonds, and others.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Red Butte Garden competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Chicago Botanic Garden: Major U.S. botanical garden with 27 gardens across 385 acres, extensive education programming, research, and event venue operations. Comparable as a large-scale, membership-driven botanical garden with similar diversified revenue streams including classes and special events.
- United States Botanic Garden: Public botanical garden in Washington, D.C. offering plant collections, educational programming, and conservation research. Direct peer operating a comparable nonprofit botanical garden model with admissions, memberships, and exhibits.
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Historic nonprofit botanical garden operating a major plant collection, research program, and broad educational programming. Direct comparable as a mission-driven, donation-supported botanical institution with conservation credentials.
- New York Botanical Garden: Large-scale nonprofit botanical garden with extensive plant collections, research institute, education programs, and event programming. Comparable operating model with memberships, admissions, classes, and conservation research at scale.
- Tucson Botanical Gardens: Mid-sized nonprofit botanical garden in the arid Southwest with comparable xeriscape, native plant, and desert horticulture focus. Direct peer with similar water-conservation demonstration gardens and educational programming in an arid climate context.
- Morton Arboretum: Large nonprofit tree-focused public garden and research institution near Chicago with similar plant-collection focus, education programming, and conservation research operations. Comparable as an arboretum-focused institution with similar programming mix.
- Denver Botanic Gardens: Regional botanical garden with comparable Western U.S. climate focus, arid-land plant collections, xeriscape demonstration, and education programming. Most directly comparable as an Intermountain West/Western peer with similar water-conservation horticulture mission.
- Atlanta Botanical Garden: Nonprofit botanical garden operating themed gardens, conservation research, education programming, and special events. Comparable as a membership-driven garden with similar educational and event programming mix.
Regional players
- Hogle Zoo: Salt Lake City zoo and accredited member of AZA, operating a nonprofit attraction model with admissions, memberships, education, and conservation programming. Regional peer competing for the same Salt Lake City visitor, member, and school district dollars.
- Tracy Aviary: Salt Lake City-based nonprofit bird park and conservation organization. Regional peer competing for the same local visitor base, school field trip budget, and conservation-minded donor pool as Red Butte Garden.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Red Butte Garden social profiles
Digital presenceRed Butte Garden financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Red Butte Garden leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Red Butte Garden funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Red Butte Garden M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Red Butte Garden
What does Red Butte Garden do?
Red Butte Garden is a 100-acre botanical garden and State Arboretum of Utah that sells daily visitor admissions, annual memberships, seasonal outdoor concert tickets, and access to themed gardens and natural areas at its Salt Lake City foothills location. It delivers adult education classes and workshops, youth summer camps, K–12 school programs and field trips, private venue rentals, gift shop retail, and conservation research programs. As a University of Utah-affiliated nonprofit, it also raises philanthropic donations to support plant conservation and science-based programming.
Is Red Butte Garden a public or private company?
Red Butte Garden is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Red Butte Garden founded?
Red Butte Garden was founded in 1984.
Where is Red Butte Garden based?
Red Butte Garden is headquartered in Salt Lake City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Red Butte Garden make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Garden Memberships are the primary driver. The others are visitor Admissions, concert Series Tickets, educational Programs & Classes, gift Shop Sales and donations & Philanthropy.
Who are Red Butte Garden's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Chicago Botanic Garden, United States Botanic Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden, New York Botanical Garden, Tucson Botanical Gardens, Morton Arboretum, Denver Botanic Gardens and Atlanta Botanical Garden. Regional players are Hogle Zoo and Tracy Aviary.
Does Red Butte Garden have an API?
No public API is recorded for Red Butte Garden.