Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

The Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is a beautiful oasis in the midst of a bustling city. We visited Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus for the first time recently and were astounded at all the conservatory and gardens had to offer!

We planned our visit because I really wanted to see the Chihuly collection that is on display and Michael has always loved Bonsai trees and wanted to see their current display of these unique and ancient trees, but even without these two exhibits the Franklin Park Conservatory is still an amazing place to spend time. It is gorgeous, interesting and educational.

We have been to Columbus many times over the years and I cannot believe we had not visited Franklin Park before. We will certainly be returning on our future trips. I want to go back with the kids and explore the outdoor spaces because we simply did not have enough time on this trip to visit every area. Be sure to find time in your itinerary for a visit to Franklin Park Conservatory next time you are in Columbus. And if you area a Chihuly fan make this exhibit a priority to visit!

Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

The botanical beauties at Franklin Park are so curious and colorful that you might find yourself wondering if they could even be real…

Chihuly ~ Celebrating Nature:

I am slightly obsessed with Chihuly Sculptures, and the Franklin Park Conservatory collection did not disappoint. The sculptures blended so well into the botanical displays that they almost seemed like glass plants growing amongst the flora and fauna. So much Chihuly in one space blew my mind! We have seen a few different Chihuly exhibits over the years and we both will go so far as to say this one was our favorite so far. And we attribute that not just to the extensive collection of Chihuly sculptures procured by this conservatory, but to the way they are displayed in such a fantastic space.

More Details about Chihuly ~ Celebrating Nature:

Beginning June 1, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens will be awash in vibrant color as Chihuly: Celebrating Nature, presented by Nationwide and Davis Foundation, takes visitors on a journey through the breathtaking work of artist Dale Chihuly. The exhibition will present the Conservatory’s own collection of the artist’s work in full, along with temporary installations never before seen at the Conservatory, throughout the botanical gardens and courtyards.

Chihuly has played a significant role in the Conservatory’s history. In 2003, the Conservatory’s future was uncertain before it became the second botanical garden to ever host a Chihuly exhibition. Chihuly at the Conservatory resulted in record-shattering attendance and helped to position the institution as a gem of central Ohio. In a stunning move of support, a private nonprofit group, Friends of the Conservatory, purchased most of the Chihuly exhibition. This significant gift further established the young Conservatory’s role as a cultural leader in its community.

Since the 2003 milestone acquisition of Chihuly’s artwork, the Conservatory’s full collection hasonly been on partial display, apart from an exhibition in 2009. Chihuly: Celebrating Nature will be featured at the Conservatory from June 1, 2019 through March 29, 2020. For more information on Chihuly: Celebrating Nature and other attractions at the Conservatory, please visit fpconservatory.org or follow the Conservatory on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

The Bonsai Collection:

3.9.2019 ~ 11.10.2019: In the Dorothy M. Davis Showhouse, trees from the Conservatory’s captivating bonsai collection are on display among serene, Japanese-inspired gardens. Evergreen, deciduous and tropical bonsai trees will rotate throughout the exhibition, giving patrons a unique viewing experience with each visit.

The Children’s Garden:

From the outside looking in the Children’s Garden at the Franklin Park Conservatory seems like an absolute wonderland for children. We had reached our time limit and had to leave to make it to a concert in time, so we did not get to spend any significant amount of time in the Children’s Garden. We will return another day to let the kids check it out!

Blooms & Butterflies:

3.9.2019 ~ 9.15.2019: Whisk away to an enchanted land of tropical butterflies and splashes of floral color during the Conservatory’s 25th anniversary of Blooms & Butterflies. Hundreds of colorful butterflies fly freely in the Pacific Island Water Garden, a tropical haven filled with bright nectar blooms. Patrons can visit at any time to see a diverse array of butterflies soaring overhead or basking on nearby plant life.