The Bill Gatton Foundation commits $30 million to transform The Arboretum
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 29, 2026) — The Bill Gatton Foundation has committed $30 million to the University of Kentucky – Lexington-Fayette County Arboretum, State Botanical Garden of Kentucky, supporting new and renovated facilities and landscape improvements that will expand learning opportunities and enrich one of Lexington’s most beloved public spaces.
UK President Eli Capilouto announced the gift during an Oct. 29 celebration at The Arboretum, joined by The Bill Gatton Foundation trustees, university and city leaders, donors, volunteers and community members.
“The Arboretum reflects what is possible when a university and its community work together with a shared purpose,” Capilouto said. “The Bill Gatton Foundation’s extraordinary generosity will strengthen that connection for generations. This gift invests in a place where people learn, find renewal and build relationships — and where the beauty of Kentucky is preserved and shared with everyone.”
Managed through the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE), The Arboretum is a 100-acre public garden that connects university teaching and research with opportunities for people of all ages to explore Kentucky’s natural world.
“This gift will strengthen The Arboretum’s role as a place where university learning and community life come together,” said Laura Stephenson, vice president for land-grant engagement and dean of Martin-Gatton CAFE. “It will allow us to expand educational programs and better serve our visitors while caring for a place that means so much to so many people.”
The planned improvements include a new education building, renovations to the existing Dorotha Smith Oatts Visitor Center for expanded event use and enhancements to the Walk Across Kentucky, a living museum and native plant collection. Together, the projects will provide dedicated spaces for instruction, exhibits, community programs and gatherings while strengthening The Arboretum’s mission of environmental and horticultural education, research and conservation.
The new education building will include dedicated classrooms and an immersive exhibit experience, allowing indoor instruction to connect directly with hands-on learning throughout The Arboretum. Last year, more than 75 UK classes representing more than 1,300 students used the grounds, despite not having dedicated classroom space.
The renovated visitor center will create additional opportunities for conservation programs, Extension training, student presentations, arts programming and community events. Improvements to the Walk Across Kentucky will add gathering areas for outdoor instruction and quiet reflection.
An integrated landscape will connect the two new facilities, with educational features along pathways designed to enhance the visitor experience. Additional improvements will include a reconfigured main entrance and improved parking and accessibility. The investment will also support the relocation of operational facilities off-site, allowing more of The Arboretum's grounds to be dedicated to its public mission while maintaining the infrastructure needed to support the property.
Danny Dunn, trustee of The Bill Gatton Foundation, said these improvements will position The Arboretum to serve the university and broader community for the next 100 years and beyond.
“I’ve never known anyone who loved their home state more than Mr. Gatton loved the Commonwealth,” Dunn said. “Parks are places that allow children and adults alike to play and enjoy nature. The added great benefit of The Arboretum is the educational aspect, the opportunity to learn.”
Dunn also announced that the new education building will be named in honor of Scott Smith, former dean of Martin-Gatton CAFE, whose connections to The Arboretum spans more than four decades. During his tenure as dean from 2001 to 2013, Smith helped lead significant growth at The Arboretum, including the opening of the Kentucky Children’s Garden. He has remained a dedicated advocate, volunteer and supporter of The Arboretum.
The announcement comes as UK and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government mark 40 years since their 1986 agreement establishing The Arboretum partnership. Over the four decades, The Arboretum has become part of everyday life for generations of visitors. Its gardens, trails and collections provide settings for education, recreation, reflection and celebration.
“Many people who know and love this place want to know that for a very long time, and for generations to come it will still be the Arboretum,” said Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton. “This awesome gift from the Gatton Foundation has given our community that assurance.”
For Michael Wall, director of The Arboretum, the investment builds on the land’s history while giving The Arboretum greater capacity to fulfill its educational mission and serve the people who have made it part of their lives.
“Forty years ago, visionary leaders planted the seeds for a place dedicated to research, education, and outreach,” Wall said. “Over those four decades, the people of Kentucky turned it into something even bigger: a sanctuary of human connection, community building and celebration.”
Design is underway, with project completion anticipated in the third quarter of 2028.
To learn more about The Arboretum, visit arboretum.mgcafe.uky.edu.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and healthcare. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $1.02 billion research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.