Garfield Park Conservatory facts for kids
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| Established | 1880s, present structure 1908 |
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| Location | 300 N. Central Park Avenue Chicago, Illinois, United States 60624 |
The Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago is one of the biggest indoor gardens in the United States. People often call it "landscape art under glass." It covers about 4.5 acres, both inside and outside. You can see many different plants from all over the world here. Some of the cycads are even more than 200 years old!
Like the Lincoln Park Conservatory, it offers amazing plant collections, fun educational programs, and ways to connect with the community.
Contents
History of the Conservatory
In the late 1800s, Chicago's West Side parks each had a small greenhouse. After about 20 years, these greenhouses were old and falling apart.
In 1905, Jens Jensen had an idea. He was a landscape architect for Chicago's parks. Jensen decided to tear down the old greenhouses in Humboldt, Douglass, and Garfield parks. His goal was to build "the largest publicly owned conservatory under one roof in the world" in Garfield Park. Many of the first plants came from those older greenhouses.
The Garfield Park Conservatory was built between 1906 and 1907. Jensen worked with architects from the Prairie School and engineers from New York. It was a special project where many talented people worked together.
Jensen wanted the conservatory to look like natural landscapes, but under glass. This was a new and exciting idea at the time. The building's shape is simple, like haystacks found in the Midwest. This design helps show off the beautiful plants inside.
Exploring the Plant Rooms
Today, the conservatory still follows Jensen's original ideas. One of the most popular rooms is the Palm Room. It's usually the first one visitors see. This room has over 70 different kinds of palm trees. There are more than 2,700 types of palm trees known today!
A very special plant was the double coconut palm. Conservatory staff first grew it in 1959. This palm tree only grows naturally off the coast of South Africa. It produces what is believed to be the largest seed of any plant in the world. This seed can weigh up to 50 pounds! Sadly, the double coconut palm at the conservatory died in 2012. Because it's so rare, it's not expected to be replaced.
Restoration and Challenges
After many years of not being cared for, the conservatory got a big makeover in 1994. Millions of dollars were spent to fix it up. A group called the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance was formed. They help keep the building nice and offer programs for visitors.
On June 30, 2011, a bad hailstorm hit the conservatory. Many glass panels in the plant rooms and growing areas were broken. Luckily, five rooms had special laminated glass, so they were not as damaged. Some parts of the conservatory reopened just a few days later. The Fern Room opened in December 2011, and all other areas were open by January 2012. To help pay for repairs, a local artist made bowls from the broken glass, which the Conservatory sold.
In 2012, the conservatory won the National Medal for Museum and Library Services. This award recognizes museums and libraries for their great service to their communities.
In 2018, the Garfield Park Conservatory was chosen as one of the Illinois 200 Great Places. This was part of the Illinois Bicentennial celebration.
Exhibits
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An endangered coco de mer seed in incubation at Garfield Park Conservatory in 2014
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Kalanchoe orgyalis
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Octopus of the desert
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Palm
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Cycads and ferns
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Garfield Park Conservatory Water Lily Pond
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Living wall display at the conservatory
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A marker
Other pictures
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inside the conservatory
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Garfield Park Conservatory Cactus Room (now Desert House), June 15, 1997
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A traditional Moroccan fountain inside the conservatory
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inside the Conservatory Palm House
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A lush haven for visitors
See also
In Spanish: Garfield Park Conservatory para niños
