San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers

Experiencing rare and unusual plants can increase our awareness of the world’s rainforests and how threats to them affect us, thousands of miles away.

A destination for generations of visitors, the Conservatory of Flowers at Golden Gate Park brings those exotic plant environments right to the City. Built in 1879, it’s the oldest municipal wooden conservatory in the country. It’s listed on the National and California Registers of Historic Places, it’s a California Historical Landmark and a San Francisco Designated Landmark. With all those designations, a restoration would have to meet extremely high expectations.

The restored Conservatory’s new interpretive plan draws visitors to explore the world of plants in the Highland Tropics, Lowland Tropics, Potted Plants and Aquatic Plants galleries. Visitors walk through a range of exhibits, from very elegant, formal pools and fountains, to playful interactive water elements, to informal naturalistic pools and waterfalls. Two visitor service kiosks for the area immediately flank the entry, freeing up the lobby for interpretive exhibits. The Conservatory was closed for four years during renovation and, since its reopening, over 2 million visitors have experienced the dynamic, immersive and artful plant exhibits.