Conservatory of Flowers

Free Tuesday – Sponsored by Us! April 3, 2018 from 10:00 am–6:30 pm

Photo by Melissa Mellor

Join us for a free visit to the iconic Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, courtesy of Cole Hardware—no registration needed!

The Conservatory of Flowers has captivated guests for more than a century. This gem of Victorian architecture has a long and storied history: it is the oldest public wood-and-glass conservatory in North America. As a city, state, and national historic landmark, the Conservatory remains one of the most photographed and beloved attractions in San Francisco.

In the mid-19th century, James Lick, a wealthy businessman and philanthropist, ordered a greenhouse for his Santa Clara estate. Unfortunately, Lick died before it was erected, and the parts remained in crates, unused for decades. The kit was put up for sale by Lick’s trustees in 1877 and was purchased by a group of prominent San Franciscans who offered it to the City. The civic-minded group of donors included Leland Stanford, founder of Stanford University and governor and senator of California, and Charles Crocker, the industrialist responsible for much of the railroad system in the West. The Conservatory opened to the public in 1879. It was an instant sensation and quickly became the most-visited location in the park.

In the past 15 years, over 2 million visitors have visited the Conservatory of Flowers, including tens of thousands of school children on free educational tours and hundreds of couples marrying in the most romantic spot in San Francisco. This modern version of the Conservatory strives to connect people and plants in a way that is most meaningful for the Bay Area community and for visitors from around the world.

The Conservatory is also a place where horticultural societies, botany students, and young plant enthusiasts gather to study collections and ensure passion for living museums and conservatories will continue to flourish. In addition visiting free on April 3, you can celebrate the natural wonders of the spring season with “Photosynthesis: Love for All Seasons,” a new series of artistic illuminations on the Conservatory’s iconic facade. This program completes a cycle, transforming the Conservatory into an elegant, illuminated canvas of fall, winter, and spring scenes. This free show runs every night from sunset until midnight and will continue through the spring of 2018. It is best viewed from JFK Drive and in Conservatory Valley.