Garfield Park Conservatory

Garfield Park Conservatory Review

Escape winter's cold or revel in summer sunshine inside this huge Victorian glass structure housing tropical palms, spiny cacti, and showy blooms. A children's garden delights with climbable leaf sculptures and a tube slide that winds through trees. The Sweet House now houses a permanent Sugar from the Sun exhibit focused on the elements of photosynthesis—sunlight, air, water, and sugar—in a full-sensory environment filled with spewing steam, trickling water, and chirping sounds. And don't miss the historic Jens Jensen-designed fern house with its lagoon, waterfalls, and profusion of ferns. Events include botanical-themed fashion shows, flower shows, and the annual Chocolate Fest in February, which pays homage to the conservatory's fruiting cacao trees with chef demonstrations and free samples from area chocolate shops.