The National Botanic Gardens is a scientific institution. Its mission is to manage the large, globally significant plant collections throughout the gardens, as well as to educate and inform visitors. The Gardens receives over 600,000 visitors per year and offers a wide range of tours, talks, exhibitions and activities for a range of audiences, year-round. The Gardens are open to the public from 9am to 5pm on weekdays and 10am to 6pm at weekends and bank holidays. Work is currently ongoing to tender for the remarking of the car park. The current surface of the car park is in a very good condition so no works are anticipated for this at present.