O.V. Fomin Botanical Garden is one of the oldest in Ukraine. It is located in the historical center of Kyiv. Its area includes 22.5 hectares, where located 17 greenhouses and 12 conservatories. At the same time there are 8 scientific departments that conduct researches in the field of plant introduction and naturalization, deal with issues of protection, enrichment and rational use of plant sources. There is also a group of landscape architecture, pest control group, and a seed bank.  

Eastern part of the Botanical Garden is open to visitors, it is free to enter. The western part can be visited only as part of an excursion group accompanied by guide, then it is a scientific collections zone. Precisely, as exotic plants require constant attention from scientific specialists, greenhouses and nurseries with unique plants are located on this territory. Interesting fact: if you study at the Educational and Scientific Centre «Institute of Biology and Medicine» at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, then a lot of your classes will be in the scientific collections zone of the Botanical Garden.

The architect of the garden was Vikentii Beretti, whose project was used to build the main building of the University. The greenhouse complex and terraces, which are still there to this day, were built according to the plan of architect Laufer. In 1833 basis of the garden's collection were brought from Krzemieniec Lyceum: 513 plants of 34 species, that were temporarily placed in the Mariinsikyi Palace garden (now it is the official residence of the president of Ukraine). But, due to lack of funds, creation of the Botanical Garden was delayed for 5 years. In 1839, the Kyiv Department of Education gave permission to establish a temporary botanical garden. Thus, the date of foundation of the Botanical Garden officially considered to be May 22, 1839, when the first plantings were made. At the end of 1841 garden received the status of a permanent one, and by 1850, the final arrangement of the garden was completed. 

In 1852 the Garden had 25,416 trees and 419 species of shrubs and over 4,000 species of other plants. For twenty years (1894-1914), the director of the Botanical Garden was Sergei Navashin. His name is associated with world discoveries in the field of cyto-embryology and double fertilization in angiosperms, which brought worldwide fame to Kyiv University and its Botanical Garden. From 1914 to 1935 the director of the Botanical Garden was O. Fomin, in whose honor it was named. 

In May 1944 the Garden was opened to visitors. The following years were marked by restoration work in the garden in particular a major overhaul of the main greenhouse. Also in that time were created expositions of spore-bearing vascular plants, a rock garden, a collections of rhododendrons, magnolias and cotoneasters. By decision of the authorities in 1960 the Garden received the title of Monument of Landscape Art of Republican Importance and since 1969 the Botanical Garden has become a scientific research institution. 

In 1985 in honor of the students and professors of Taras Shevchenko National University who died defending Kyiv in 1941 the monument "Navala" ("invasion") was erected on the territory of the public park. Years later, on March 14, 2024, on Volunteer Day, a memorial sculpture "Stitch" was installed in the Garden, dedicated to the volunteer soldier, student of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ihor Voevodin (2003–2023), whose call sign was the same name. 

It is worth mentioning that as a result of the massive rocket attack in Kyiv and 14 other regions on October 10, 2022, the garden's greenhouse, where a unique collection of tropical and subtropical plants is located, which has the status of National Heritage of Ukraine, was damaged. Some plants were impaired, but massive losses were avoided. 

Currently, the O.V. Fomin Botanical Garden is supported by employees, students, and volunteers, who not only care for the plants, but also improve the structure of the entire garden.