Franklin Park Conservatory Re-Visited

Time sure can get away from me!  I wrote a couple of weeks ago that I’d share with you more about the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus.  I shot way too many photos and was trying to decide which ones to post.  Here’s just a glimpse of this fantastic place.

Of course the conservatory has several rooms filled with various types of plants.  But Franklin Park also features a butterfly exhibit, glass-blowing demonstrations, and a permanent collection of Dale Chihuly glass art. 

   Desert Room

There’s a play area downstairs in the center of the building with Chihuly-inspired plastic pieces for kids to use in creating their very own masterpiece.

Waterfall in the Tropics Room

Not sure what kind of butterfly this is.  Any ideas on the ID?  It reminds me very much of some of our native swallowtail species.  A Central or South-American cousin, most likely.


Megan was photographing some newly-released Blue Morpho butterflies when this little fellow decided to land on her hand.  I believe this one is called a Green Malachite, but I am not certain.  Most of the butterflies in the exhibit are non-native species.


The other fascination for our children was the glass-blowing demonstration.  We sat and watched as the artisan made two glass vessels.  By the time he was done, all three of my kids wanted to know if they could learn how to do this craft.  And actually, the Conservatory does offer glass-blowing lessons…
…for those aged 16 and up, that is.  Their smiles faded but quickly returned when I suggested we choose a piece of glass from the gift shop upstairs.  We are now the proud owners of an amber-colored bud vase.

This is definitely a place I would highly recommend for a family outing.    There is a delightful cafe with healthy menu choices for both adults and children.  We were quite pleased with the quality of the ingredients and the friendliness of the staff.  Or you could bring a picnic and enjoy the beautiful grounds outside.  Either way, take your time and make a day of it.  We are so glad we did.

Tips when visiting Franklin Park Conservatory:

• Memebership has its privileges. If you happen to be a member of your local botanical garden, you will be happy to know that Franklin Park Conservatory participates in a reciprocal membership program.  Showing your membership card here will earn you free or discounted admission.  For a list of participating gardens by state, visit the American Horticultural Society’s publication here. 

• The Conservatory is handicapped-accessible, however we found some of the pathways very narrow and difficult to navigate with our full-sized wheelchair.  The facility does have some wheelchairs available which are probably better suited for the narrow paths.