Chicago - Lincoln Park Conservatory

The conservatory was a bonus for us. We knew we wanted to go to the zoo, because we are into zoos, and it was free. On the way I saw what was clearly a conservatory - the building reminded me of the Conservatory on the National Mall in DC. I thought perhaps we would check it out after the zoo, but due to construction in the zoo we were directed to another entrance, and the conservatory was right there and also free. Well why not?

I was immediately rewarded with a beautiful fragrance coming from an orange jasmine tree. Right behind it was Kigelia africana, or a sausage tree. That's what those large pods in the top picture are. That was a pretty cool start.

The building seemed bigger on the inside than it had originally looked on the outside, as I kept finding more plants. The opening area would have been enough, but then there was an opening into the fern room, and on the other side of that there was yet another area, leading to orchids.

I suppose overall the plant life was more tropical. I saw antherium, birds of paradise, and ginger. I would have recognized some of those on my own, the labeling was really good, so I had some help. There were also pools with koi and goldfish, and water features and statuary in general added to the overall aesthetic.

I don't know that the conservatory would be enough of a destination on its own, but there is a lot in Lincoln Park in general that is worth seeing, and if you are going to be there anyway, why not?

http://www.lincolnparkconservancy.org/conservatory.html