New York City may not have fallen into the path of totality for the Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024, but that did not stop thousands of viewers from making their way to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens (BBG) to watch the occurrence. BBG held a Solar Eclipse Community Event on Monday that granted ticketholders free access to the gardens for the afternoon, during the peak of the Eclipse. The event was sold out, so visitors waited in long lines outside the gates, tickets in hand. 

Once inside the gate, BBG employees handed out special Eclipse-viewing glasses to everyone who entered. The specs bore the brand Warby Parker, and their arms detailed a series of safety instructions to keep wearers from harm. With a structure reminiscent of 3D theatre glasses, these cardboard-constructed specs were for one functional purpose alone: staring into the sun. 

With over 52 acres of land, the BBG offered a variety of lawns, benches, and hideaways for eclipse viewing purposes. The first highly occupied lawn accessible from the Eastern Parkway entrance was the Osborne Garden. Here, people sprawled out between borders of crabapples and azaleas on picnic blankets in the Italian-style garden. 

But the number of visitors scattering the emerald lawn of Osborne Garden paled in comparison to the crowds seated in the Cherry Esplanade. This lawn, framed by flowering cherries in bloom, was packed full. Nearly every grassy spot had been draped in a blanket for eclipse watchers to comfortably await the moon’s passing. 

For individuals looking for a quieter experience, BBG also provides a variety of hideaways to marvel at the sky. A few places for discreet viewing included the Alfred T. White Memorial, the Japanese Hill and Pond Garden, and the Shakespeare Gardens. From here, the eclipse could be seen through tree branches and among the stillness of nature. 

The Fragrance Garden provided the perfect place to watch the eclipse reach its peak, with about 90% of the sun covered by the moon. The lawn of the Fragrance Garden was uncrowded, with a clear view of the sky. Here, among the sweet-smelling flowers, visitors could feel the temperature slightly drop, watch as the lighting shifted, and observe the sliver of the sun through their tinted glasses. 

For roughly an hour after the Eclipse’s peak- the moon still partially obscured the sun. But, within a few hours, the sun became shrouded in clouds, and the eclipse was over. However, despite its passing, the events of April 8th will not be forgotten. Departing visitors were heard exchanging farewells and declarations of, “We’ll always remember today!”