Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

A beautiful conservatory except for a very sad finding of Macaws in a very small confinement.

Having grown up in Columbus, I have a long history of visits to Franklin Park Conservatory. Christmas 2015 afforded a visit after a several years absence from the area. I was dismayed to see that rather than a Botanical Garden, Franklin Park now seems to be a temple to Dale Chihuly. I’m beginning to think that you cannot go anywhere these days without bumping into large Chihuly installations. I have no quibble with his glass blowing facility, but by now, we all know what his stuff looks like. I suspect its instant recognizability is his key to success. I have visions of climbing Mt. Everest and finding a rest-​stop half-​way up lit with a giant Chihuly chandelier!
There were other non-​botanical exhibits in the Park as well. Overall, what saddened me about this visit was my growing suspicion that those who run the park are no longer very interested in Botanical matters, or perhaps it’s that generous Columbus charitable donors lack interest in gardening, or that visitors only come to Franklin Park for the Dale Chihuly exhibits. Whatever is to blame, it seemed to me that the glass overpowers the plants. At every juncture, you stumble across a very loud, bright glass assemblage.
So, if you can’t get enough Chihuly, this is a wonderful place to go. If you don’t care for it or just want to see beautiful unusual plants, it’s still worth a visit, but just be forewarned that Franklin Park is now a mixed bag.

Enjoyed a couple hours here. Pretty nice, average greenhouse. Special events may close one or two areas. I thought it was a bit over-​priced at $ 13 compared to other venues.

Thoroughly enjoyed our recent visit to the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Large indoor themed gardens gave us lots of room to wander and see beautiful plants on a rainy day. I wish we could have taken advantage of the outdoor gardens and exhibits, but it gave us a reason to go back. Always a fun day to watch butterflies and breathe in the fresh garden air. Also, I see on the schedule that they offer many events for all ages.
TIP: Price of membership purchase is well worth it. Very generous reciprocal program allows you to visit others for FREE.

Was helping a friend check off her bucket list and visited the botanical gardens this week. I have been many times, but was a first for my friend and she was over the top impressed! We were lucky to have chosen the opening day of the wonderful Origami sculpture exhibit. The displays are amazing and well worth the price of admission. We arrived and had a quick snack in the café and finished just in time to get to the butterfly release. I have never been for an actual release and the presentation by the butterfly keeper was very informative. We viewed all areas of the conservatory and every section had origami and Chihuly art installations. Will definitely make this a stop for all of my friends who visit. Columbus is lucky to have one of the finest botanical gardens in the country.

Beautiful conservatory! Very well-​maintained and kind staff. The butterfly exhibits were phenomenal! That glass room alone is worth the visit.
If you’re in the area, it’s a must go!!! Only takes about 2.5 hours to go through the conservatory, but you could stroll around the park on a good day.
Cost — $ 13/​person. Not bad!

It’s a snowy day in APRIL (!!!) and there’s no better way to help convince yourself that it REALLY is SPRING than to head over to this gem of a place and shrine to all things green (and just about every other color of the rainbow) «just up the road» in E. Columbus!
We had some stuff to get taken care of out that way (didn’t happen, and that was FRUSTRATING, but what can you do???) and we decided to spend the afternoon here at the Conservatory. We’ve been here before, but it’s been updated and expanded so much, it’s almost like going to a new place. You can easily spend a day here, and only see a fraction of their VERY interesting/​informative exhibits. You travel through the rain forest, the desert, and various other temperate zones, and see flowers and plants that you’ve only seen in picture books. EXTRA BONUS: AWESOME collection of Chihuly glass throughout!!! So much care and work goes into keeping these exhibits going, it’s definitely worth the price of admission ($ 13/​adults) and if local, consider a membership for the special events, and other perks…
P. S. Their café’s quick, with some tasty/​healthier options, and the Mr. didn’t want to wait and go afterwards to one of the 11 million Columbus restaurants I have bookmarked, soooooo, there’s that… We’ll be back soon to trim down that list!

Without a doubt my favorite place to go and just relax and detach myself from our digital world. This is one of the most beautiful parks I’ve ever visited and it’s nearly in the heart of downtown Columbus. There are several ponds and a waterfall along the walking paths, and of course geese that aren’t bothersome but a little creepy nonetheless (I’m scared of everything haha).
I love the different types of people you’ll see here — so much diversity — this is a great place to people watch. I mostly come here when I’m looking for a peaceful place to read. There’s plenty of benches around for doing so, picnic tables and lots of tree-​lined green space for those to lay out and read, write, play their guitars or whatever.
I don’t venture into the conservatory often but at least once a year I have to check out the butterfly exhibit. Like I said, I’m scared of everything, especially insects that fly, so this isn’t something I CAN do each time I go, but they’re so beautiful that I have to suck it up and stop in for a bit… or as long as I can stand it without freaking it.
The community garden towards the very back of the park (behind the conservatory) is amazing. I love chilling out back there with friends when the sun starts to go down. It’s a great place to just talk and take in the environment around you.

It was really cool to visit, but its actually a lot smaller than how they make it out to be. There was also a wedding going on that day so parts were closed.

Love this place! Just went for their holiday lights and it is always a great way to spend an evening. Even got to watch someone doing the hot glass experience. The gardens are great and love the addition of the Chihuly glass throughout. I’ve been on events night with dancers, when they serve appetizers/​drinks, jazz night, etc and every time I have just enjoyed myself and come back calmer. Great for couples, date nights, family and friends. Casual yet wouldnt be out of place dressed up on a night out.

This is a nice way to spend a couple of hours if you find yourself in Columbus. In addition to the botantical gardens, they have a lot of Chihuly that’s integrated very well into the plants, making for some really nice gardens with both natural and glass elements. The entrance fee ($ 13 for adults) is a tad steep for something that can be seen easily in an hour or two, but if you enjoy flowers or Chihuly, it’s worth a visit. If you love orchids, plan to go in the spring — all their orchids have been taken down to make room for holiday displays but there’s a big orchid extravaganza starting in January 2016.
Photos from my visit here:

I’ve been sitting on this review for a while now because I can’t quite put my finger on why I like this place so much. I guess it’s just nice; it’s a nice place to go. So there’s my review; the Franklin Park Conservatory is nice. You should go there; bring your kids too, they’ll love it.

Lush rain-​forest foliage mixes seamlessly with astonishing glass sculptures by Chihuly, a great combination that makes this place definitely worth a visit despite the rather steep $ 13 price. I loved the Fiji fan palm, each enormous leaf had to be 10 feet square, and right up the path in the steamy tropical hall was a towering tree of red-​orange glass tentacles, seriously octopus-​like, wild art amid the plant wildlife. And don’t overlook the colorful macau parrots, they were not very chatty in my presence but did let out some impressive squawks!
In the inner courtyard of the Franklin Park Conservatory is the «hot shop», a glass-​blowing studio with regular demonstrations about 11 – 2 daily. Unfortunately we missed the shows but still could watch two guys forming little ornaments. Glass blowing in a huge crystal palace, there’s some synergy there. Apparently this is the same synergy that attracted Chihuly to mount exhibitions in conservatories, totally unexpected (for me) but way cool.
Good for kids? Uh. not at the current price, I’m guessing the junior members of the family won’t give two hoots for jungle plants, even tho the glass tubes look like something from a video game they’re gonna be done long before you are.
Oh and the café will sell you a beer.
Rent the huge palm hall for a reception, it would sure beat the pants off your garden-​variety catering hall!

A friend and I took a sushi class this past weekend and luckily there were specific directions on the confirmation email, or otherwise I wouldn’t have found the building it was held in. A really nice building it was, both exterior and interior. They had the kitchen area and tables set up. The chef was very sweet. She did a demo, then it was hands-​on to make sushi, with a variety of fillings. She also made us miso soup, salad, and a panna cotta dessert. All delicious. The recipes were printed for us as well.
I did not like the «moderator» I guess you could call her, who was supposed to assist the chef and volunteer information about future classes. I don’t know if she is a paid employee or a volunteer, but I do not want to take another class in which she is involved. She was bossy, rude, and at one point told the class after we washed our hands, they should be sanitary and we shouldn’t touch our faces or our phones. Really? Are we children?
My friend and I also believed we had read there was supposed to be wine served with the food, but there was not.

Another awesome gem in Columbus. The conservatory is a great place to spend a Sunday afternoon as the park and grounds are beautiful. It is an especially nice respite from the often dreary winter weather of central Ohio. Only downside is that it can get quite crowded indoors during the winter months. Also sometimes a tough balance between the private events that may occupy parts of the facility and the public having access to all areas. Lots of good programs and changing exhibits pair nicely with the changing seasons to make each visit a little different. We visited today and there was an open house for a new barn. Looks like a nice addition for events and programming. Make sure to not miss the glass blowing.

This is probably one of my most favorite places in Columbus! The day I went, the weather was amazing and the court yards felt so relaxing and peaceful. It was pretty calm in the morning when they opened and around late noon, a lot of people started coming in. It was about 8 $ per ticket because I went through DTIX as a student at OSU. I learned about a lot of interesting plants while in the Conservatory and the butterfly garden was so much fun! The gift was super cute as well. I ate there and got the tuna melt, the taste was good and the tuna was basically overflowing. We watched the staff blow glass which was super sweet and kind of scary, but I think I’m just a big scardy cat haha. I recommend this place for everyone! My cousin and I spent about 2 hours here and the park was so relaxing and beautiful.

June Friday 1130am
The entrance fee is $ 13 per adult and includes access to everything in the building — the ScottsMiracle-​Gro community garden campus, park stroll and playground is free. The map is hard to read because the lower, upper and outdoor gardens are juxtaposed on the same map. It was kind of irritating but there are nice employees readily available. The entrance fee can be steep for those who aren’t fascinated with plants and bugs but I thought it was reasonable for a 3 hour trip.
We started in the Cardinal Health Gallery, currently showcasing Life on the Leaf Edge by Samuel Jaffe. I never knew caterpillars could be so cute hugging the leaves and chomping away. Then we transitioned to the Northern gardens, starting with the Himalayan Mountains that set the bar high for the rest of the conservatory. Each new plant was introduced by name and each new scene had an educational placard to explain why plants and flowers were they way they looked.
David Rogers’ Big Bugs exhibition was on display throughout the gardens which was really neat because they looked like they belonged there. The gardens would look much more empty if they weren’t there. Winding through the sculpture garden led us to the Hot Shop, featuring glassblowing demonstrations from 11−2pm on weekdays and 12 – 3 on weekends. We sat through two glassblowing sessions where the maester utilized different techniques for the different vases he was making, explained what he was doing through each step, and answered questions at the end of each 15min session.
A wedding was taking place in one of the rooms (Show House?) but garden guests were still free to amble outside the wedding to the next destination. The Bonsai Courtyard wasn’t what I was expecting, being so used to Japanese Bonsai. The Pacific Island Water Garden contained butterflies that could land on you. I wasn’t thrilled about that, but since we soundly missed both butterfly releases (at 1 and 3pm) we ambled around relatively unharassed at 2pm. This section in my opinion had some of the best of the Chihuly collection, with glass looking not at all out of place in the wilderness.
The Community Garden Campus wasn’t much to look around, but still had some pearls of wisdom for those who would like to take a walk around the plots. The gift shop was a clutter of stuff but it was awesome stuff. There is a huge clock with gardening tools that I want, but I didn’t check if it was for sale. Plants are for sale, and I was sad I couldn’t bring some cute succulents home with me.
I’m a bit bummed that I wasn’t visiting on a Saturday (scheduling constraints) because so many exciting classes were happening on the weekend! The website is wonderful and easy to navigate. If I were a native of Ohio, I’d probably make a visit every few months (or every week if I were taking a class). A delightful afternoon spent!

I am a huge fan of farmers’ markets for the fresh locally grown produce and other items they sell. I recently stumbled across this particular farmers’ market when my friend Allison was selling her challah bread here. She was telling me how she was trying to find something closer since I didn’t want to haul out to Canal Winchester so this was the closest to home for me.
I’m happy I did make the choice to come here. I have discovered a lot of good vendors I never met before. Some include Jose Madrid Salsa, Ohio City Pasta, Rhoads Farm, etc. Some familiar faces I saw were Boline Apothecary and Baby’s Bread.
Let’s talk about Baby’s Bread, it’s brand new business, the owner Yael is a master at making all kinds of breads. She started her business at her home and then it grew exponentially that she ventured off to the farmers’ market scene. The whole Jewish community knows and loves her bread. What makes her bread so well known is the ingredients she uses to make it. Which is sourdough, she lets it rise overnight and creates all sorts of blends with it. I’ve seen goat cheese with cherry inside to chocolate chip bread (which my family truly loves if you ask). The bread is so good you will not want to waste one itty bitty crumb while indulging in it. It’s just that good that you can taste the difference and for her the bread is like art that she creates. You’ll definitely want to check her booth out since she’s brand new and her business is just booming there.
What I like most about this particular farmers’ market is that it is small and brings the best local vendors to this area of Bexley most people come to off and on. For instance, Allison doesn’t come to this farmers’ market but she gives her bread to Nova Terra Farm to sell at the same table. Nova Terra Farm is known for driving their hearst to this event.
I also liked the food truck choices like Paddy Wagon and this smoothie food truck. Great options while browsing through some great vendors. Yesterday, I made a big purchase of peaches, corn, raspberries, blackberries, challah rolls, raisin bread and baby tomatoes. I loved the options and I love being able to support a local community.
I highly suggest checking out this farmers’ market it runs every Wednesday from 3:30 — 6:30 PM until October 7.

Went here yesterday and loved the peacefulness of it. Granted, having two preschoolers with you doesn’t make it the most relaxing, but we all still enjoyed ourselves! Make sure you stop in the butterfly garden and hold some butterflies!

What a fantastic urban park close to downtown Columbus! I’ve been here a few other times in my adult years, and spring always wins over in my book.
Today I headed to the park to meet up with a local African drumming group. The group meets at the gazebo — fantastic views of the grounds and the conservatory! Gorgeous landscaping. Flowers and shrubs everywhere. Bright, bold colors. The Japanese garden, with bonsai trees, always catches my eye. I’m super glad there are raised garden beds — a wonderful way to incorporate the community.
I’ve only been inside the Conservatory twice (that I remember). Clean, white walls. Art. The botanical area, with various climates, is perfect for a relaxing stroll. I haven’t had a chance to check out the Pazuti art collection, if it’s still there.
I definitely would like to get more involved with events that support this splendid urban «sanctuary»! I’ve never been one drawn to the quiet nature; but this «urban» oasis is right down my alley :)

Awesome time here today. Its very pretty and calming.
It doesn’t take that long unless you are REALLY into plants. Probably spent about an hour and a half walking around and it was time well spent.
We went mostly for the butterfly exhibit which was cool. Theres something like 2000 butterflies in one greenhouse at any given time. They land on you, you can (gently by sliding your finger under them, not grabbing them) pick them up, and just be entertained as they zip all around. Tons of different types in all colors and shapes. Some are HUGE as well. It was a cool time.
The rest of the gardens are pretty and themed. Nepal, dessert, rainforest, Zen, and even a bonsai garden. Be careful that some rooms are hot/​cold depending on what is necessary for the plants.
My only minus one star was because of the price. I guess its not horrible, but because we only spent about an hour and a half and managed to walk through it all and spend ample time with butterflies, $ 13 a person ($ 26 total) seemed a bit steep for a garden.

Yes, there are tons of reviews of the FPC. It’s beautiful. It’s a great escape on a winter day. I had my first date with my husband there and take my kids there all the time.
BUT… I want to make a highlight the café specifically. Whether you’re there with kids or not, it’s a wonderful place to grab lunch. If it’s a busy day, try to beat the crowd and dine a smidge early, because speed isn’t their forte when there’s a lunch rush. But on a (major) upside, it’s not the cold sandwiches wrapped up in Saran wrap and stuffed in a a fridge with plain olé’ chips and canned soda. Sure, there are cold sandwiches, but they’re fresh and made with more inventive ingredients than you’d think. My son and I like to split the curried tuna salad sandwich which can also be made as a tuna melt, and is served on tasty multi-​grain bread. There are healthy side salads, including a few more expected options like fruit salad, but also fresh veggies and very good hummus and various pasta salads that you don’t see everyday. Salads can be made to order. But you can also get hot food, including soups. The kids’ selection includes mac and cheese, grilled cheese, or PB&J with grapes and a pickle, but I appreciate that they’re happy to get my son a little cup of dried fruit from the salad menu to go with it! The milk boxes and little baggies of snacks also help get you through a day at the conservatory if you forgot such things. Adults meals come with a nice simple salad with a tasty dressing. If you still have room, the baked goods look fantastic, but we have never made that happen.

This really is one of the gems of Columbus. Even though the main exhibits stay the same, there is always something new to see every time I come. Both of my parents loved it as well.
One of my favorite times here was during the summer when they did a butterfly release into one of the rooms. It was such a cool experience having butterflies flying all around you and being able to get up so close to them. Their other events such as wine tastings are always fun too!

I visited Franklin Park Conservatory this week and immediately got a membership! Even in the winter there is still plenty to see. The first thing that caught my eye was the gorgeous Chihuly glass installations behind the customer service counter and hanging from the ceiling. I am a color addict and this immediately grabbed my attention. The Conservatory has an extensive collection of Chihuly art all around — make sure to look up! I found it in unexpected places.
The plants are well cared for and lush. There were not very many flowers this trip but I know that is temporary. They have an orchid exhibit coming up this month and will have butterflies in March (SQUEE!). I spent a couple of hours browsing the different areas and also spent a little money in the gift shop. I was delighted to find a unique collection of gifts and collectibles!
I would highly recommend visiting soon if you haven’t been recently! There is so much to see and it is so relaxing. It is definitely a fun place to take your camera and explore.

I was pretty excited to come by here. My husband and I very much love gardens.
The gardens were so beautiful. I loved how there was a variety of different ones too. The glasswork in some of the gardens was stunning.
We went to the butterfly section and holy cow was there a ton of butterflies. We even stayed for the butterfly release which was actually pretty entertaining and informative. The man who was doing the show did a great job.
One of my favorite things about the Franklin park conservatory is the variety of awesome events they have. So far we have been to the Asian festival and the bonsai show. I also read about a lot of different events like cocktail parties, etc. We are planning on coming here more often.
I couldn’t be more pleased with this place!

I have a terrible habit of overhyping things for myself. Franklin Park Conservatory had definitely been hyped up; people kept describing it as one of the go-​to destinations in Columbus.
So, as you might imagine, it would be easy for the Conservatory to fall flat. Instead, it completely lived up to the hype!
We took advantage of their late hours on Wednesday during the summer (open until 10!) and were particularly excited to visit the butterflies.
We had such a great time. We saw so many butterflies and beautiful plants. In general, we saw a LOT, but those were our favorites. The art by Dale Chihuly was a really beautiful addition; it worked with the exhibits and completely enhanced them.
I would imagine that the Franklin Park Conservatory would be a wonderful destination for people and occasions of all types; adults, children, casual visits, special events.
I am so glad we went, and I will look forward to returning!

Came here over the weekend to check out the Big Bugs, stayed for the scenery. Franklin Park Conservatory is gorgeous! The weather was so nice on Saturday, that we didn’t even go inside. We looked at the sculptures outside and then walked around the grounds and over to the park for a couple of hours, checking out all the different types of plants, plants, and flowers, and sitting to watch some geese and ducks. Looped around to find some more sculptures. A very romantic outing with the husband. Looking forward to actually going inside, checking out their cocktails event, and the farmers market!