Garfield Park Conservatory

Yes, coat check is available for members only in the Gift Shop during shop hours.

Yes, please feel free to eat and drink anywhere in the Conservatory. Tables are available in Horticulture Hall and on the Bluestone Terrace in the warmer months. You can purchase food and drink in our Gift Shop.

No, we do not have a wifi network in the Conservatory.

Yes, the the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance raised funds to purchase one set of glass pieces from the 2001/2002 Chihuly exhibit. They are on display in the pond in the Aroid House.

No, the Niki in the Garden exhibit was on display at the Conservatory during the summer of 2007 only.

The Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance keeps track of the number of visitors that come to the Conservatory as well as their zip codes so we can track where our visitors come from.

The Garfield Park Conservatory is in a neighborhood that is rapidly changing. Yes, it is safe to visit and park at the Conservatory, as well as take the L train here, but please use common sense and be aware of your surroundings when you visit. We recommend that visitors park in the Visitor Parking Lot just south of the Conservatory’s front entrance.

Yes, please enjoy these paths. Please do not go on paths marked “Employees Only,” nor into the plant beds themselves.

Yes, because we get a lot of large groups visiting the Conservatory, we need to keep track of them. Please contact the Program Registrar at 773-638-1766 x. 25.

Yes, we would recommend ‘Inspiration Kitchens’ on Lake Street, only a couple blocks east of the Conservatory. If you are looking for sandwiches, salads and snacks, the Gift Shop in the Conservatory has a wonderful selection.

Please visit our Tours page to learn about guided tours and self-guided tour options.

The Conservatory is a public Chicago Park District institution, and is therefore kept free for the visiting public to enjoy. Donations are greatly appreciated as they help fund the programs offered at the Conservatory.

Yes, permits are required for any non-commercial ceremonial photos or video (e.g. wedding photos) at the Conservatory. Permits are also required for commercial photography and filming, as well as student film productions. Please contact the Chicago Park District Permits Department at 312-742-5369 for information and to obtain your permit. You can also obtain information and forms at the Chicago Park District Permits webpage for media permits.

Yes, but gently! You are welcome to touch a plant that is within your reach when on a path. Please be very gentle so as to not damage the plant. Please do not walk off of paths and into plant beds to touch plants.

No, please do NOT pick any flowers, fruits or vegetables, or pull leaves off of any plants anywhere on the Conservatory Campus. All visitors should be given the chance to see these things growing.

No, for safety reasons please do not stand on rocks at the edge of plant beds or ponds.

No, we feed the fish a specific food in specific amounts, so please do not feed them extra food.

No, please do not toss coins in fountains or in ponds.

No, please do not go into any of the ponds or fountains on the Conservatory Campus.

Yes, but please be respectful of other visitors.

Yes, you are welcome to take photographs for your personal use. Permits are required for any non-commercial ceremonial photos or video (e.g. wedding photos, engagement photos, quinceañera photos, etc.) at the Conservatory. Permits are also required for commercial photography and filming, as well as student film productions. Please contact the Chicago Park District by calling their Permit Office at 312-742-5369, or by visiting the Chicago Park District Permits Department webpage for media permits.

Yes, you are more than welcome to use strollers in the Conservatory. Please be aware that some paths are narrow and/or uneven, and that during large public events the Conservatory may be too crowded to easily push a stroller.

“Behind-the-scenes” tours are offered through our guided tours program. Please visit our Tours page for a schedule of upcoming tours.

No, only service animals are permitted in the Conservatory and on the grounds.

No, you are not permitted to play with these types of items at the Conservatory.

Please contact the Garfield Park Conservatory Horticulturist at 312-287-3421 with any questions about the plants here. Soon a database of the Conservatory’s entire plant collection will be available on this website.

If you are having problems with your own garden or have questions about plants in general, please contact the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners. They can be found on-site at the Conservatory on Saturdays from Noon to 4pm, and you are welcome to bring your plant in with you for them to look at. Or call their hotline at 773-233-0476.

We would be interested in donations of plants that are of an unusual species. Please call Park District Horticulturist at 312-287-3421.

No, the Chicago Park District does not give away plants. The Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance gives away tulip bulbs each year that the city has pulled from downtown on one Saturday in May (to be scheduled each May). Watch the website for the exact date, or subscribe to our E-Letter to receive email notifications.

The Conservatory has about 10,000 different species of plants, including about 40 species of palm trees, 150 species of ferns, and 600 species of cacti and succulents.

The Holiday Flower Show now starts earlier in the year due to popular demand, so unfortunately there is no longer a window of time available for a Mum Show in the Show House. But mums are on display in the Conservatory’s outdoor gardens in the fall.

Fruits and vegetables grown at the Conservatory are for display purposes, just like the rest of the plants here. We ask that visitors please not pick fruits, vegetables, flowers or any other parts of the plants, so that all visitors get a chance to see them growing. When Conservatory staff remove fruits, vegetables and plant trimmings from the plants on display, those that are fit for composting are used to help fertilize the plant beds for future growth.

Unfortunately we do not have the staff necessary to provide services like this.

The Garfield Park Community Council offers after-school programs. Please contact GPCC Director Mike Tomas at 773-638-1766 x.14.

All workshops held at the Conservatory are listed on our website. If you have any questions about workshops, please contact our Programs Registrar at 773-638-1766 x.25.

We would love to have you as a volunteer! We need volunteers to help grow plants, maintain the gardens and display houses, and work with the public at events. Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at 773-638-1766 x.26.

Yes, please visit the Room Rentals section of the website for more information about rentals.

Yes, please visit the Support Us section of the website to join online.

The Garfield Park Conservatory is owned and maintained by the Chicago Park District, including the entire plant collection. The Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance provides all programming, activities and events for the Conservatory, as well as the membership program, the Gift Shop and various Visitor Services functions.

Yes, the Lincoln Park Conservatory is the sister Conservatory to the Garfield Park Conservatory. They are the only two Conservatories in Chicago, and are both run by the Chicago Park District.

The Garfield Park Conservatory is not officially affiliated with those organizations, but the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance partners with these groups for various programs and events.

We have a wonderful book available in the Gift Shop that details the entire history of the Garfield Park Conservatory called “Inspired by Nature: The Garfield Park Conservatory and Chicago’s West Side.” You can also visit our History page to get an overview of the Conservatory’s past.

The Chicago Park District staff at the Conservatory is made up of about 25 employees, and the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance has 12 full-time staff members as well as several part-time staff members. Other staff at the Conservatory include Visitor Services staff at the front desk, custodial staff and security guards.

Those buildings house the Trades employees for the Chicago Park District, such as carpenters, sign-makers and locksmiths.

The Conservatory is owned and operated by the Chicago Park District which receives its funding through city taxes. The Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance is funded by individual donors and members, and grants from foundations, corporations and government sources. The Alliance is also funded through revenue such as the Gift Shop and plant sales. To see the full audited financial report for the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, please click on the “Annual Report”.

Over 100,000 people visit the Conservatory each year, and the number increases every year.

The Conservatory opened in April of 1908. The Conservatory’s 100th birthday was celebrated in 2008.

The Conservatory Campus covers about 14 acres in total. The indoor display houses total about 2 acres, and the outdoor public gardens total about 9 ½ acres. The Garfield Park Conservatory was once the largest Conservatory in the country; it is now in the top 5 largest Conservatories in the country.