‘Very ambitious and really special’: ‘Illumination’ at The Morton Arboretum getting new northern lights-inspired display
When the lights turn on for The Morton Arboretum’s annual “Illumination” exhibition this year, visitors will experience what organizers call their most ambitious display yet — a 400-foot-long canopy that will fill the night with the shimmering colors of the aurora borealis.
The northern lights display is one of four new installations guests will experience when “Illumination” returns to Lisle for its 14th year, beginning Nov. 14 and running until Jan. 2, 2027. It features 22 immersive displays along a one-mile accessible walking trail.
Tickets go on sale to members Oct. 1. They will be available to the general public starting Oct. 15.
Amy Scott, the arboretum’s head of exhibitions, said the display “really does mimic the beauty of the northern lights as you're walking through it.”
“It’s very mesmerizing,” she said.
Scott said the special display is part of a refresh for “Illumination.” She had the opportunity to see it live at a recent preview event.
“It was breathtaking. It was exactly what we wanted it to be,” she said. “So many of the things we do for ‘Illumination’ are new concepts, and they are risks. It's really exciting and so wonderful when it all comes together, and it is as beautiful as you had imagined and hoped that it would be.”
Unlike other new displays, this one will be a one-year-only experience.
“We haven’t really done this before, but yeah, as of right now, Northern Lights will be here for just one year,” Scott said. “The other three new experiences will return, but this one is very ambitious and really special.”
Also new this year is the Pine Whistle Railroad model train experience, available as a separate ticketed add-on during Illumination. It features 1,000 feet of model track winding through an indoor fantasy woodland of fairy and gnome houses, large-scale mushrooms and illuminated elements in the Firefly Pavilion.
The event will also mark the last chance to see the four large, colorful animal sculptures from the arboretum’s ”Vivid Creatures” exhibition as part of “Illumination.” That exhibit runs through March 2027.
Themed nights throughout the program’s run include “IllumiBrew,” a 21+ preview of “Illumination” on Nov. 13, featuring local beers and brews along the trail. Special dog admission nights will be held on three Wednesdays (Dec. 2, 9 and 16). A Sensory Night on Nov. 17 will offer a modified experience with static lights and music played at low volume.
Scott said “Illumination” is different every year — not just in the lights, but the canvas on which they paint. Events like storms or simple changes in the landscape dictate what guests see.
“We're not joking when we say it really kind of depends on what nature is telling us to do,” she said. “Our designs are always based on the collection and the landscape.”
She says the non-denominational light show offers a chance to slow down and escape the stresses of the bustling holiday season.
“This really does make you want to take your time, walk a little bit slower, stand around a little bit longer at some of the features, and kind of take it all in,” Scott said.
rwest@dailyherald.com