Public tickets for Illumination at The Morton Arboretum go on sale Oct. 15 for its boldest, most captivating 14th season, returning Nov. 14-Jan. 2

—Reimagined exhibition features 22 dazzling displays, including 400-foot Northern
Lights-inspired canopy, and new Pine Whistle Railroad—

LISLE, Ill., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago's nationally acclaimed outdoor holiday lights exhibition Illumination returns to The Morton Arboretum for its 14th season Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, through Saturday, Jan. 2, 2027, with 22 dazzling displays, four spectacular new large-scale installations and the new Pine Whistle Railroad, a family-friendly model train add-on experience. Tickets for Illumination, IllumiBrew and Pine Whistle Railroad went on sale to Arboretum members Oct. 1 at 9 a.m. CT and will go on sale to the general public Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. CT. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit mortonarb.org/illumination.

This season, guests will discover an enchanting and inventive winter wonderland unlike anything else in the Chicago region, from a mesmerizing, colorful canopy inspired by the aurora borealis, or northern lights, stretching more than 400 feet overhead—the exhibition's most ambitious installation ever—to a glowing outdoor landscape of firefly-like orbs and illuminated mushrooms. A new model train fantasy woodland adds another imaginative world to explore inside the Firefly Pavilion.

"This year's Illumination invites guests to see the Arboretum in a completely new light," said Amy Scott, the Arboretum's head of exhibitions. "From our most ambitious installation yet, Northern Lights, to the imaginative world of Pine Whistle Railroad, we've created new ways for guests to explore, discover and enjoy the wonder of trees and nature. Alongside refreshed favorites and interactive displays, the 14th season will offer something new and surprising for returning visitors and first-time guests alike."

Four Brand-New Large-Scale Installations
Illumination's immersive one-mile, ADA-accessible outdoor walking trail will feature 22 radiant displays designed exclusively for the Arboretum. This season, guests will encounter four spectacular new installations, alongside enhanced fan-favorite displays and interactive features that will spark the imagination of all ages.

• Northern Lights: A stunning aurora borealis-inspired canopy of shifting color spans more than 400 feet overhead, with shimmering illuminated curtains. This is Illumination's most ambitious installation ever and will be available to experience during this Illumination season only.
• Lightwave: An immersive 165-foot tunnel features 64 moving lit spheres surrounded by 160 fixed chrome spheres of different sizes, inspired by falling rain and dew drops.
• Cosmic Garden: A sweeping hillside landscape of 25 glowing orbs and shifting patterns draws inspiration from meditative sand gardens.
• Fairy Forest: An enchanted landscape features glowing orbs evoking floating fairies and giant fireflies, alongside illuminated mushrooms and otherworldly elements.

New Family-Friendly Pine Whistle Railroad
New this year, the Pine Whistle Railroad transforms the Firefly Pavilion into a fantastical illuminated woodland world, featuring nearly 1,000 feet of model train track winding through detailed miniature scenes with fairy and gnome houses, large-scale mushrooms and illuminated elements. As guests walk through the exhibit, trains travel both overhead and at eye level, weaving through the fantasy woodland and surrounding visitors in the magic of the miniature realm.

Opening with IllumiBrew on Friday, Nov. 13, the Pine Whistle Railroad will be open during daytime hours as a ticketed add-on to general Arboretum admission and during evening Illumination hours as a ticketed add-on to an Illumination ticket. Following the conclusion of Illumination on Jan. 2, the daytime Pine Whistle Railroad will continue through Saturday, Feb. 13, 2027.

Enhanced Returning Favorites and Interactive Features
Returning fan favorites, including Treemagination, Golden Glade and Symphony Woods, will also debut refreshed enhancements this season, alongside interactive elements such as Celebration Circle and the beloved Hug-a-Tree installation.

Four larger-than-life illuminated Vivid Creatures sculptures by artists Heather BeGaetz and Fez BeGaetz will once again accompany guests along the trail, bringing whimsy and wonder to the nighttime landscape.

Special Event Nights and Seasonal Fun
Festivities will kick off with IllumiBrew, a 21+ preview and beer-tasting event on Friday, Nov. 13 from 5:30 to 10 p.m., offering seasonal beers, ciders and meads from popular Chicago-area breweries along the trail. Tickets to IllumiBrew are $85 for members and $95 for nonmembers, with designated driver tickets $45 for members and $50 for nonmembers.

Dog Admission Nights return on four evenings this season—Dec. 2, 9, 16 and Jan. 1—inviting guests to enjoy Illumination alongside their furry companions. Dog Admission Nights require standard Illumination tickets for human admission and separate $10 admission tickets for dogs.

Sensory Night also returns on Tuesday, Nov. 17, offering a modified Illumination experience featuring static lights and lower-volume music in a limited-capacity, sensory-sensitive environment.

Cozy IllumiDomes and Seasonal Concessions
Guests can elevate their Illumination visit with two-hour IllumiDome rentals, available beginning Friday, Nov. 27. The warm, enclosed, 13-foot see-through domes offer a cozy, more private setting for groups of up to eight guests. Each rental includes a warm nonalcoholic beverage voucher and s'more kit for each guest, plus a festive basket of holiday treats, including brownies and cookies. An optional alcoholic beverage package is available for an additional cost.

New this year, guests can add a four-course prix-fixe dining package, featuring two hours of dinner service and a specially curated menu served family-style. The menu includes shareable appetizers, soup, hearty entrées and a festive chocolate fondue dessert, along with soft drinks, sparkling water, coffee and hot chocolate. Dining Dome packages are limited to one reservation per evening.

A special IllumiDome Proposal Package is also available, featuring a 90-minute private dome rental for up to eight guests, champagne with toasting flutes, an artisan cheese board, chocolate-covered strawberries, warm beverage vouchers and a holiday treat basket.

For available IllumiDome rental dates, times, and prices, visit mortonarb.org. Illumination tickets must be purchased separately in advance for the same date and time as the IllumiDome reservation. Reservations may be requested through the Arboretum's Signature Events team at 630-719-2457 or by submitting an online inquiry form.

Along Illumination's walking trail, guests can warm up with seasonal concession offerings including hot chocolate, snacks, alcoholic beverages and s'mores kits to enjoy around warming outdoor fires. New this year, the featured seasonal beverage is a premium Ultimate Blizzard Hot Cocoa, served in a limited-edition Morton Arboretum logo mug and topped with whipped cream, a house-made cocoa marshmallow, a mini snowflake cookie and iridescent snow dust. This decadent winter treat is available exclusively for purchase inside the concessions tent. Guests can also enjoy a hot meal inside the Ginkgo Restaurant overlooking the spectacular Meadow Lake finale.

Ticket Information and Discounts
Tickets for Illumination, IllumiBrew and Pine Whistle Railroad went on sale exclusively to Arboretum members Oct. 1 at 9 a.m. CT and will go on sale to the general public Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. CT. Tickets for the one-of-a-kind interactive spectacle of dazzling light and music displays start at $17.60 for adult members and $22 for adult nonmembers, with prices varying by date and time selected. Members receive the lowest ticket prices all season with a 20% discount. The lowest Illumination ticket prices will be available exclusively to members Oct. 1–14.

Pine Whistle Railroad tickets are $7 for members and $9 for nonmembers and are available as an add-on to daytime Arboretum admission or an Illumination ticket. Children ages 3 and younger are admitted free.

In addition, deeply reduced Illumination ticket prices will be available on select nights for Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT/LINK) and WIC cardholders through the Museums for All program at $10 for adults and $5 for children.

Illumination sponsor ComEd is offering a $5 discount per ticket on a limited number of nonmember tickets by entering the code COMEDLIGHTS2026 during online checkout beginning Oct. 15, while supplies last. Offer is valid on all Illumination dates and is subject to availability. Offer not valid for IllumiBrew. The $5 discount applies to nonmember tickets only. Discount does not apply to tickets for dogs on Dog Admission Nights or for additional Illumination experiences like the Pine Whistle Railroad. A limit of four tickets can be purchased per transaction.

Don't worry about the weather—ticket rebooking for Illumination will be available up to the start time of the original reservation. The full balance may be applied to a new reservation, though additional payment may be required depending on the selected date and time. Illumination tickets cannot be exchanged after the start time of the original reservation.

Tickets are available online at mortonarb.org/illumination, via the ticket hotline at 630-725-2066 and in person at the Arboretum's Visitor Center during operating hours. The further in advance guests purchase tickets, the more they can save.

About the Exhibition
Illumination has delighted more than 2 million visitors since debuting in 2013. The exhibition is custom-designed for the Arboretum in partnership with international media and exhibit designers Lightswitch and features energy-efficient, eco-friendly LED lighting.

More details and ticket information for Illumination is available at mortonarb.org/illumination.

Illumination is generously sponsored by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity's (DCEO) Office of Tourism and ComEd.

About The Morton Arboretum
The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized tree-focused botanical garden and research center near Chicago in Lisle, Illinois. Its 1,700 acres include specialty tree and plant collections, nine miles of roads and 16 miles of hiking trails, a central Grand Garden, Children's Garden, educational programs and a Visitor Center. Information about exhibitions, events and admission is available at mortonarb.org.

Media Contact:
Nicole Bruce
Public Relations Specialist
[email protected] 

SOURCE Morton Arboretum