Franklin Park Conservatory facts for kids
Conservatory greenhouses and grounds
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| Established | 1895; modern entity in 1992 |
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| Location | 1777 E. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio |
| Visitors | 353,399 (2018) |
| Architect | John M. Freese (original) Böhm-NBBJ (expansion) |
| Public transit access |  Add→ 10  CoGo |
| Nearest parking | Multiple lots |
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Franklin Park Conservatory
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| NRHP reference No. | 74001489 |
| Added to NRHP | January 18, 1974 |
The Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a special place in Columbus, Ohio. It is a botanical garden and a large greenhouse. Here, you can see amazing plants from all over the world.
The Conservatory is open every day, but you need to buy a ticket to enter. It is a place for learning about plants and enjoying beautiful art. Many of the artworks are made by a famous artist named Dale Chihuly.
Inside the Conservatory, there are more than 400 types of plants. These plants come from different parts of the world. You can explore areas that look like the Himalayan Mountains or a Tropical Rainforest. There is also a Desert area and a Pacific Island Water Garden.
Other plant collections include a Bonsai Courtyard with tiny trees. There is also a Showhouse with plants that change with the seasons. You can see beautiful orchids and a Palm House with over 40 kinds of palms. The Conservatory is located inside Franklin Park, which is a large city park.
The original greenhouse was built in 1895. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This means it is an important historical building.
History of the Conservatory
The story of Franklin Park began in 1852. The Franklin County Agriculture Society bought 88 acres of land. This land was about two miles east of downtown Columbus. They used it to hold the first Franklin County Fair.
By 1874, the land became even more important. Its size grew to 93 acres. It was then chosen as the official home for the Ohio State Fair.
The state fair stayed at this location until 1884. After that, the land was empty for a short time. But in 1886, the Ohio State Legislature decided to make it a public park.
In 1893, a big event called the Chicago's World Fair happened. It inspired the city of Columbus to build a special plant building. This building was made of glass and had a grand Victorian style. It opened in Franklin Park in 1895 and was called the Franklin Park Conservatory.
From 1895 to 1989, the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department managed the Conservatory. Sadly, many early records were lost in a fire in 1921. So, much of its history comes from old newspapers and personal stories.
For a short time, starting in 1927, some animals were kept in the Conservatory's lower rooms. In 1929, these animals moved. They became part of the first Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
Over the years, the Conservatory became known for its amazing plants. It also became a popular place for family events and weddings. In 1974, the original glass building, now called the Palm House, was listed as a historic place.
In 1992, Columbus hosted a big international plant show called AmeriFlora '92. Franklin Park and the Conservatory were chosen as the main location. Because of this, the historic Palm House was updated. A large expansion of 58,000 square feet was also built. This added more plant areas, classrooms, a library, a gift shop, and offices.
After AmeriFlora, the future of the Conservatory was uncertain. The Ohio Legislature created a special group to manage it. A new board and director took over the Conservatory and 28 acres of land. With a small team, they worked to make the Conservatory great again.
The Conservatory Today
In 1994, the Franklin Park Conservatory started a new event called Blooms & Butterflies. It was the first conservatory in the country to have a seasonal butterfly show. It was a huge hit! Every year, thousands of tropical butterflies fly in the Pacific Island Water Garden. Many other conservatories have started similar shows since then.
In 2003 and 2004, the Conservatory had a very popular art show. It was called Chihuly at the Conservatory. This show made the number of visitors go up by 182 percent. In 2004, a group called Friends of the Conservatory bought almost all of the Dale Chihuly artworks. These glass artworks were worth nearly $7 million.
Today, Franklin Park Conservatory is the only public botanical garden in the world that owns such a large collection of Chihuly's glass art. There are over 3,000 pieces of glass!
Many other art and nature shows have been held here. These include stone sculptures from Zimbabwe and works by artists like Patrick Daugherty and Paul Busse. Famous artists such as Dennis Oppenheim and Andy Goldsworthy have also shown their art here. In 2013, British artist Bruce Munro created amazing light installations.
In 2002, the Conservatory started a big plan to improve the park. They raised $23 million for new buildings and gardens. New gardens and event spaces opened in 2008. Artist James Turrell added a permanent light display to the Palm House. In 2009, four acres of Franklin Park became the ScottsMiracle-Gro Community Garden Campus. This plan finished in 2011 with a new greenhouse.
The Conservatory offers many classes for students, families, and people of all ages. Its large plant collections and special shows offer fun ways to learn. You can learn about nature, gardening, and different types of art.
Gallery
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Main entrance
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Greenhouse space
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Outdoor topiaries
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Dale Chihuly works
Images for kids
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Greenhouse space
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Pacific Island Water Garden
