The Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Garden encompasses 23 acres, 13 of which serve as a living plant museum with over 4,000 native and adaptive plant species on display. It is located in a transitional zone between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Great Basin Desert. The Arboretum's mission is education, research, conservation, and to demonstrate how introduced plant species and native plants grow in a high desert environment.

The Wilbur D. May Arboretum & Botanical Garden is a member of the American Public Garden Association (APGA) and a certified Level II Arboretum through the Arb Net Program administered by the Morton Arboretum of Registered Arboreta, Lisle, IL.