Explore these areas and learn more about their unique features and their benefits to the Cemetery and the greater community.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:00 PM will officially open Birch Gardens to the public. Special activities for families will also be held throughout the afternoon, helping to introduce children to Mount Auburn's many horticultural, artistic and architectural treasures.

Mount Auburn Cemetery was founded in 1831 as a place for the commemoration of the dead and for the inspiration of the living. Today, 177 years after its founding, Mount Auburn continues serving its dual roles as both an active Cemetery and a renowned horticultural landscape - outdoor museum to all.

The completion of Birch Gardens and the Wildflower Meadow illustrates our innovative approach to fulfilling this mission in the 21st century.

This event is free and will be held rain or shine.

Mount Auburn Cemetery is designated an Important Bird Area by the Massachusetts Audubon Society, and the Wildflower Meadow will be especially beneficial for at least nine species of native grassland birds recognized as endangered or threatened in New England.

The Meadow expands the diversity of the Cemetery's horticultural collections and provides a beautiful new landscape for our visitors. It will offer a wide range of habitat resources - such as nesting material, shelter and food supply - and provide a habitat that is becoming scarce in Massachusetts due to development, loss of farmland, increasing pollution, invasive plant species and other urban stresses.

Learn more about Mount Auburn's horticultural collections.

Docents will greet visitors at Mount Auburn's Visitor Center as well as lead tours of the Cemetery. We are seeking people with interests in history, horticulture, art, architecture and birding. Most importantly, we are looking for people who wish to share their love of Mount Auburn Cemetery with our visiting public.

New volunteer docent training classes will begin this month. Two free sessions of five-week classes will meet once per week and will provide a solid overview of Mount Auburn's many facets.

Although the registration deadline has now passed, we are still happy to welcome additional new volunteers. If you are interested in signing up for the Docent Training Days classes, please email friends@mountauburn.org by Friday, September 5th. Session One: Mondays, September 8 - October 6, 2:00 - 3:00 PM. Session Two: Saturdays, September 6 - October 4, 10:00 - 11:00 AM.

Monument Inscription Workshop. Join us at 2:00 PM on Thursday, September 4th, to learn techniques for assessing the condition of older monuments and recording inscriptions that are fading away with time! Meet near the Entrance Gate. FREE.

Discover Mount Auburn. This 1.5 mile walking tour on Saturday, September 6th, at 2:00 PM, will focus on stories of history, monuments, and the lives of those buried here. Mount Auburn, designated a National Historic Landmark, is one of the country's most significant designed landscapes. Here the arts of horticulture, architecture, and sculpture combine with the beauty of nature to create a place of comfort and inspiration. $5 for members of the Friends; $10 for non-members.

Mount Auburn Book Club. Join us at 10:00 AM on Thursday, September 11th for a discussion of The Escher Twist by Jane Langton. Perfect for a late-summer read, this month's selection is a mystery set against the backdrop of Cambridge, MA. Readers will recognize many of the local landmarks that appear in the novel, including Mount Auburn Cemetery. Meet at Story Chapel. FREE.

The Native Woodland Restoration at Consecration Dell. Come explore this extraordinary woodland site in the heart of the Cemetery on Saturday, September 13th, at 2:00 PM. Discover how and why Mount Auburn has restored the natural habitat with native woodland species. Learn why the removal of the non-native Norway Maples has increased the availability of shelter, food, and nesting sites for wildlife. $5 for members of the Friends; $10 for non-members.

Visit www.mountauburn.org to learn more.

The Hurricane of 1938 caused extensive damage to structures and trees at Mount Auburn. An ambitious repair and replanting program followed in 1939. Now seventy years later, we have the opportunity to see how the effects are still evident. Our ability to respond to this disaster highlights the challenge of maintaining built structures and a horticultural landscape that can never be considered "permanent."

This walking tour will look at a sampling of the post-hurricane efforts and demonstrate how the different responses by our artisans, masons and horticulture staff have fared over time. $5 for members of the Friends; $10 for non-members.

Visit www.mountauburn.org to learn about other early-fall programs.

All of this scenery, pictured to the left-above, provides space for hundreds of exceptional burial and memorial options.

Advanced tours of Birch Gardens are available each Wednesday in September at 12:30 for Friends and visitors. A Grand Opening Celebration will take place on Sunday, September 28th.

To learn about Mount Auburn's many burial and memorialization options, please visit us in person or on our website at www.mountauburn.org.