The New York Botanical Garden celebrates the 35th year of the Holiday Train Show beginning this Friday, Nov. 14, which will run through Jan. 10, 2027.
Beloved for its botanical miniature replicas of current and past New York buildings, the 2026 Holiday Train Show introduces a new creation from Kentucky-based team Applied Imagination led by President & CEO Laura Busse Dolan. Dolan’s father, Paul Busse, created miniature models for the train show since it began in 1992, until handing leadership over to Dolan nearly ten years ago.
“My father was the founder of this work. Now, I get to lead an incredible team to do this. But it’s a generational tradition for New Yorkers, so it transcends my family. It’s so important and special for me to hear that people came as a child and now they’re bringing their children and, you know, what more can I ask for?” Dolan said.
“As my father put it, ‘We create happy art,’ and, you know, the world needs a little bit more of that these days.”
For the new miniature, Dolan and her team used a variety of botanical materials to recreate New York City’s fourth tallest building, the 62-story One Vanderbilt. Additionally, the replica is befitted with a moving elevator – the first in Holiday Train Show history – as a nod to the SUMMIT One Vanderbilt observation deck.
Robert Schiffer, Executive Vice President of Development for SL Green Realty Corp., developers of One Vanderbilt, said he and his team were happy to be included in one of the city’s most visited holiday traditions. Special funding for the model was provided from SL Green Realty and the Summit OV Foundation.
“We’re really excited for One Vanderbilt to join the train show here. It’s one of the city’s most iconic holiday experiences, and we’re proud to be standing next to some of the city’s most historic iconic landmarks,” Schiffer said.
“It’s great that Summit is really represented here because it’s an iconic and incredible part of One Vanderbilt. It’s an immersive observatory. It’s the most visited observatory in all of New York City and it’s very visible, especially at night, I’m told.”
On select dates, the Holiday Train Show will be open later than usual, as the warm evening glow of the Haupt Conservatory will frame the many miniatures in a new light.
“I recommend that you join us not only during the day, but also for our extended hours, when the whole experience will light up and be just sort of twinkling and cozy and absolutely wonderful,” Joanna L. Groarke, Senior Vice President for Exhibitions and Programming at NYBG, said.
Aside from One Vanderbilt, many handcrafted botanical replicas of iconic New York City buildings are returning to this year’s exhibit, as model trains traverse through the boroughs, and time itself, gliding between creations of cinnamon sticks, pinecones, fruits and other plant parts.
“Look out for the Statue of Liberty, Grand Central Terminal, buildings that you can visit today, but also buildings that are no longer standing, like the first Yankee Stadium, the old Penn station, and many, many more,” Groarke said.
At a media preview for the Holiday Train Show, Dolan specified some of her team’s process creating the One Vanderbilt miniature model.
“There’s a very important architectural detail on that building, which is the ceramic tiles that create the spandrels on the whole building. Those are actually paying tribute to the vaulted ceilings in Grand Central, which is its neighbor. We had to get that detail exactly right.”
These details can be seen in person as The Holiday Train Show is displayed at the New York Botanical Garden from Nov. 14 to Jan. 10, 2027, alongside miniatures of historic Bronx buildings like Squad Company 41 and the Wave Hill House.
For more information, visit nybg.org.
