Garfield Park Conservatory

Chicago, Illinois, United States

---

The Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago, Illinois, is a two-acre indoor garden and part of the larger 184-acre Garfield Park on the city's West Side.

Opened in 1908, it was designed by renowned landscape architect Jens Jensen along with Prairie School architects and is recognized as one of the largest and most stunning conservatories in the nation. The structure is notable for its haystack-inspired form and for pioneering the idea of naturalistic landscapes under glass, with plants growing directly from the ground rather than in pots.

The conservatory features a variety of themed rooms, including the iconic Fern Room with lush prehistoric-looking ferns and an indoor lagoon, the Palm House, the Desert House, and the Aroid House, which houses a famous permanent art installation by Dale Chihuly. Despite deterioration mid-century, the conservatory benefited from extensive restoration starting in the 1990s, which revitalized both its architecture and gardens.

It now serves as a beloved cultural and educational landmark hosting diverse plant species and engaging community programs, while showcasing innovative landscape design and horticultural artistry.