Plants appeal to the senses - visitors of all ages are captivated by the sights, smells, sounds and textures that surround them in our Conservatory.
The U.S. Botanic Garden is a museum with a difference. Our artifacts are the living treasures of the plant world. The towering leaves, graceful flowers, delicate seeds and exotic fruits of plants at their peak are displayed artfully throughout the historic Conservatory.
You will find a world of plants and environments in our permanent exhibits and gardens:
- Garden Court: The colorful foliage and flowers create a beautiful setting to feature economic and ethno-botanical plants used in products that provide our fibers, food, beverages, cosmetics, wood, species and more.
- Jungle: A tropical rainforest overtakes an abandoned plantation. The dome rises to 93 feet and has a mezzanine level from which to view the jungle canopy.
- Plant Adaptations: Shows some of the fascinating adaptations that have evolved in the plant world.
- Garden Primeval: A reconstructed Jurassic landscape of ferns and other ancient plant groups that have survived for 150 million years.
- Hawaii: A collection plants native to Hawaii, where species have adapted to live in the specialized conditions of the remote volcanic islands.
- World Deserts: Filled with succulents, grasses, shrubs and other flowering plants.
- Medicinal Plants: Explores the origins of plant medicine and displays a collection of medicinal plants from all over the world.
- Orchids: An ever-blooming, ever-changing display of these mythic plants. Our orchid collection numbers about 5,000 specimens, with hundreds on display at any given time.
- Plant Exploration: Highlights plant discoveries in the wild and in the laboratory. Features changing and seasonal exhibits.
- Rare and Endangered Species: A changing display of rare, threatened or endangered plants and habitats.
- Southern Exposure: A micro-climate outdoor garden featuring North American plants native to the Southeast, the Southwest and Mexico. Closed in winter.
- Children's Garden: an outdoor area where children can play in a garden and learn informally about plants. Closed in winter.
- West Gallery: "Plants in Culture" emphasizes the countless ways in which plants enrich human life. Sensory displays feature plants in therapy, ornamentation, music, ceremony, language and many other expressions of culture.
- East Gallery: Hosts seasonal exhibits designed to delight, educate and inspire visitors to become more active stewards of the plants that support life on earth.
Conservatory Map
