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An employee tends to the Fern Room at the Garfield Park Conservatory.
© Jennifer Roche
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Garfield Park Conservatory - Chicago's West Side Botanical Conservatory

From Jennifer Roche,
Your Guide to Chicago.
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Overview:

This venerable Chicago institution celebrated its 100th anniversary in April 2008. It's easy to see why a celebration was in order and why the Conservatory recently began marketing itself as an "oasis."

The Conservatory is as much a lush and welcome escape from urban life today as it must have been during the Victorian era that launched it. At the time of its creation, it was considered groundbreaking because it attempted to capture landscapes (rather than just plants) under glass.

It remains an all too rare respite, especially during the harsh Midwest winters. I can't recommend it enough.

Location:


300 N. Central Park Avenue
Chicago, IL 60624
(312)746-5100
Map It
Transportation & Directions

Hours:


Daily, 9am to 5pm
Thursdays until 8 pm

Admission:


FREE
(Although during special events or exhibits, there may be a modest suggested donation.)

Architect & Building History:

According to the Garfield Park Conservatory and The AIA Guide to Chicago, edited by Alice Sinkevitch, the building's history is as follows:
  • Designed and built 1906 to 1907 by Jens Jensen in collaboration with Schmidt, Garden, & Martin
  • New York-based Hitchings & Co. were the engineers.
  • In 1998 the entry pavilion and the landscaping were created by Booth Hansen Associates.
  • From 1995 to 2000, Eifler & Associates handled the planning and further restoration.

Special Features:

It's very possible to see and appreciate the entire Conservatory during a single visit, but dipping into its riches often is half the fun.

The building's design invites you to make a natural stroll through most of the conservatory. The highlights and featured rooms include:
  • Aroid House
  • Desert House
  • Fern Room
  • Horticulture Hall
  • Palm House
  • Show House
  • Sweet House
  • Indoor Children's Garden
  • Outdoor, 3000-square foot labyrinth

Facts & Figures:

  • The Conservatory covers about 4.5 acres total.
  • There are more than 700 species of plants indoors.
  • Outdoors, there are more than 200 species of plants.
  • The Conservatory is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
  • The Garfield Park Conservatory is one of two botanical conservatories in the City of Chicago. The other is the smaller Lincoln Park Conservatory located in Lincoln Park, near the zoo.
  • The 385-acre Chicago Botanic Garden is located in the northern Chicago suburb of Glencoe.

Essentials:

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