Group Visits
Private groups must register a scheduled visit two weeks in advance.
Buses and other large vehicles are not allowed on the grounds. Groups traveling to the Cemetery by private bus must contact us in advance to arrange walk-in entry at an alternate entrance.
Organized gatherings of any size are not permitted on the grounds without advance arrangements and may include a site rental fee.
Self-Guided Visits
Groups planning a self-guided Cemetery visit are welcome during our normal hours of operation. However, we ask that all large groups register with us a minimum of two weeks in advance of their intended arrival. There is no fee for a self-guided visit.
Guided Visits
The Friends of Mount Auburn offers guided tours for groups on a wide range of subjects including history, art, architecture, conservation, horticulture, and history. Tours typically last 90 minutes and are led by a Cemetery staff member or one of our highly trained volunteer docents. Fees vary depending on the size of the group, day of the week, and time of day. See below for more information about tour options and pricing.
Guided Group Tours
General Information
Groups wishing to schedule a guided tour the Cemetery should submit their visit request at least two weeks in advance of visiting. Those wishing to visit in the spring (late April through May) or fall should book their tours well in advance, as our calendar fills quickly.
Tours can be arranged seven days per week between April and October, subject to staff availability. Tours are available Monday – Saturday between November and March.
Mount Auburn does not offer rain dates. Group tours will only be cancelled for severe or hazardous weather.
If you have accessibility concerns, ask us about our options for accommodating people with limited mobility.
Tour Fees & Payment
available seasonally:
Monday – Friday, 9AM – 3 PM – $150 per guide*
Monday – Friday, 3 PM – 6 PM, – $200 per guide*
Saturday & Sunday, 9AM – 3 PM – $200 per guide*
Curator’s Tour, Weekdays Only – $500 per guide*
*Groups larger than 20 people will require at least two guides and a fee will be assessed per guide.
Tour fees should be made payable to the Friends of Mount Auburn and are due one week prior to your group’s visit. Cash, check and credit card (Visa and Mastercard) are accepted as payment. There is no deposit required to reserve a group tour.
Mount Auburn does not offer refunds without a week’s notice of cancellation. If your visit is cancelled due to severe weather and cannot be rescheduled, a full refund will be issued.
Tour Option - Discover Mount Auburn
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. This walking tour will focus on the stories of history, monuments and the lives of those buried here.
* Stops during this tour can be customized according to your group’s interests, provided the tour is arranged with enough advanced notice. For example, the tour can be tailored to include visits to the graves of those buried here with connections to your organization.
Tour Option - Horticultural Highlights
Mount Auburn Cemetery is one of the most beautiful and historic landscapes in America. Its impressive collection of over 5,000 trees represents 630 taxa. Thousands of shrubs and herbaceous plants weave through 175 acres of hills, dells, ponds, woodlands and clearings. Plant species from around the world that grow in a northern temperate climate can be seen on the grounds, including individual specimens recorded as Massachusetts or New England champions for their species. Walking tours will be customized to highlight areas of seasonal interest.
Tour Option - Custom Tour
We are happy to create custom tours tailored to the interests of your group. Our docents have given tours on a wide host of topics, ranging from monument studies to landscape design and history, and African American heritage and abolition to notable figures commemorated at Mount Auburn. Please give us a detailed description of your group’s interests, and we will do our best to create a highly-personalized tour.
Tour Option - Curator's Tour
Mount Auburn’s senior staff and curators are available for private guided tours upon request. Tour content will be customized to meet the interests of your group.