The Conservatory of Flowers is a white wood-and-glass greenhouse at the east end of Golden Gate Park, the oldest building in the park and one of the oldest public conservatories in the country. It opened in 1879, prefabricated and shipped around Cape Horn. It has survived an 1883 boiler explosion, a 1995 storm that shattered much of the glass, and a long restoration that reopened it in 2003.
Inside, five galleries hold tropical plants: a lowland rainforest, a highland orchid room, aquatic plants with giant water lilies, and rotating exhibits. The flower beds on the lawn in front are changed seasonally and are free to view. The greenhouse charges admission.
Part of a self-guided walking tour
