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Garfield Park Conservatory reopening

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Visit Garfield Park Conservatory

Visit Garfield Park Conservatory – Reopening

Local neighbors and GPCA members are invited to visit during a special preview.  This special 3-day preview is Wednesday, February .24 (10am-8pm), Thursday, February 25 (10am-5pm) and Friday, February 26 (10am-5pm). These visits will include a first look at the 2021 Spring Flower Show: Saturation. Reservations for local neighbors and GPCA members for this special preview will go live on February 10.

Indoor garden visits for the general public will begin on Saturday, February 27.  Public reservations will open Friday, February 12 here.

Visit Garfield Park Conservatory – Pre-covid

If you’re looking for something to do indoors take a trip to the Garfield Park Conservatory which is open 365 days a year and is always free (suggested donation).

Where: Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 North Central Park Avenue. 312-746-5100
Programs: 773-638-1766

When: Open 365 days a year. Daily Hours: 9 am – 5 pm and Wednesdays: 9 am – 8 pm.  Check GPC website for Covid hours,  Admission free. Donations requested.  Free parking is located just south of the Conservatory’s main entrance in the visitor parking lot. If you take the Green Line be aware of your surroundings you’ll be going through Austin and Garfield Park.

At this time, all in-person programming is on hold. Please check the COVID-19 Updates page for more updated information. 

Please check the Events page for more detailed information.  All events are subject to change.

Free Adult Programs

  • Adult Group Visit here for details and registration.
  • Drop-In Demonstrations. Volunteers cover the topics of beekeeping, composting and gardening in hands-on demonstrations. Check calendar for events.
  • Yoga: free yoga sessions are the 2nd and 4th Saturdays each month from 9am-10am.
  • Wandering Guides: ‘Wandering Guides’ are trained and knowledgeable volunteers around to answer questions. Times vary but look for them in a green apron.

Family Programs

Garfield Park Conservatory is a fantastic place to bring family members of all ages.  Something’s always growing, and there’s always something new to discover! To make your “growing” experience here even more enjoyable, we offer a number of special educational opportunities FREE for kids and families!

Calendar of events

2019 Monthly Themes

Each month we dig into a different theme for Morning Glories and Fiddleheads, and use the plant collection as a platform for our exploration. From texture to color, shading and symmetry, our plants exemplify it all!  See below for a full list of our monthly themes.

  • January: Smell
  • February: Flowers
  • March: Sound
  • April: Conservation
  • May: Gardening
  • June: Insects
  • July: Herbs
  • August: Taste
  • September: Native Trees
  • October: Leaves
  • November: Light
  • December: Winter Traditions

Planning a visit when we don’t have programming? No problem! We have a variety of resources to make your self-guided visit just as fun, including scavenger hunts, digital tours, activities and more! Resources

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About Garfield Park Conservatory

The Garfield Park Conservatory is one of the largest conservatories in the nation. When it opened in 1908 it was referred to as “landscape art under glass.” The conservatory occupies approximately 4.5 acres inside and out, where thousands of rare plant species are on display throughout eight indoor display rooms and vast outdoor gardens during the summer.

The Conservatory’s  eight themed and multifaceted display houses are: Palm House, Fern Room, Sugar from the Sun, Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden, Aroid House, Desert House, Horticulture Hall and The Show House. The outdoor gardens include a city garden, a sensory garden, a labyrinth, lily pools and a demonstration garden.

Most recently, the Garfield Park Conservatory sustained catastrophic damage from a hail storm that swept through the area in June, 2011, shattering 60 percent of the facility’s glass roof.  The public display houses most affected by the damage include the historic Fern Room, Show House, and Desert House, along with the all 10 production greenhouses. Reconstruction and repairs are complete and all rooms have reopened.

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