The Scott Arboretum has been awarded a Level III Accreditation by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and Morton Arboretum for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens.

The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at four accreditation levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. The Scott Arboretum is also now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.

The Scott Arboretum exhibits over 4,000 kinds of ornamental plants and displays the best trees, shrubs, vines, and perennials for the region and was recently named one of 10 beautiful botanical gardens by USA Today. Established in 1929 as a living memorial to Arthur Hoyt Scott through a gift from Scott’s family, the Arboretum's mission is to display ornamental plants suited for home gardens and to educate the public. 

“With this recognition and achievement, the Scott Arboretum will participate with peers in improving the standards for arboreta and botanical gardens and we will better convey our mission,” says Scott Arboretum Director Claire Sawyers. “While the Arboretum creates beauty on the Swarthmore College campus, we do much more; we abide by and strive for professional collections management curation standards as a living museum.”