Located in the heart of Eden Park, The Krohn Conservatory is Cincinnati’s nationally-recognized indoor botanical garden that attracts over 200,000 visitors annually and is home to more than 3,500 plant species from around the world, including desert plants, Bonsai trees, tropical specimens, carnivorous plants, exotic fruit trees, and rare orchids.
Open year-round with ever-changing special exhibits and programs, the conservatory is the perfect place to visit during any season to soak up some nature and observe an incredibly diverse selection of plants.
In this post, we share a brief history of the conservatory, along with a quick visual tour and a guide to its current programs, membership options, and list of current events.
A Brief History of The Krohn Conservatory
The Krohn Conservatory was built in 1933 and was originally known as the Eden Park Greenhouse. However, it was renamed in 1937 in honor of Irwin M. Krohn, who served as Board of Park Commissioner from 1912 to 1948.
At the time, the architect firm Rapp & Meacham designed the conservatory in the Art Deco style, which explains the unique geometric shape of the building today.
During the first full year it was open, 1934, the Conservatory attracted an impressive attendance of over 300,000. As the years passed, the Conservatory amassed an impressive collection of plant species and began to host more public events.
Today, the Conservatory is home to six unique collections:
- Bonsai Collection – a collection of bonsai trees from the Conservatory itself, the Bonsai Society of Greater Cincinnati, and private individuals.
- Desert Collection – a variety of cacti and succulents that are all endemic to the desert.
- Floral Collection – home to six seasonal floral shows.
- Orchid Display – a collection of approximately 75 blooming orchids at any time.
- Palm Collection – a 45-foot high central house with rubber trees, palm trees, shrubby plants, a waterfall, and a goldfish stream.
- Tropical Collection – a large variety of ferns.
The most well-known show that the Conservatory hosts each year is The Butterfly Show, which takes place between late March and mid-June. During this time, thousands of butterflies are free to fly throughout the show room in a specially-theme garden.
Another popular show that takes place annually is the Holiday Exhibit, which takes place between mid-November and early January. During this time, toy train displays are set up throughout the Conservatory and model replicas of Cincinnati institutions are on display in different rooms.
Today the Conservatory has a reputation as a central hub for anyone interested in botany and nature.
A Visual Tour of the Conservatory
The Conservatory is home to a lobby area with a gift shop along with six different rooms that are home to different plant species.
The largest room in the center of the building is a 45-foot high central house with rubber trees, palm trees, shrubby plants, a waterfall, and a goldfish stream.
A paved path allows visitors to meander through this main room, admiring the impressive variety of plants and enjoying the peaceful sound of the waterfall.
The tall ceilings make the Conservatory feel much larger than it actually is and it only takes a couple minutes of walking around to feel like you’ve entered a completely new world.
Smaller rooms that house Bonsai trees, desert plants, and orchids all branch off from the main room and offer visitors an impressive variety of plants to enjoy.
Each room has plenty of windows on all sides, which makes the plants easy to admire in the natural light. There are also booklets and pamphlets in each room that offer interesting information about the various plant species, so your inner botanist can really nerd out.
Membership, Programs, and Current Events
The Krohn Conservatory offers general one-day admission to adults ($7) and children ($5) as well as annual memberships. There is free parking available on the street in front of the Conservatory as well as in the lot beside the building.
You can find an upcoming calendar of events taking place at The Krohn Conservatory here.
The Conservatory can also be rented for private events and serves as a great space to host small to mid-sized weddings. For information on rental rates and availability visit Premier Park Events, call 513-221-2610 or email at info@premierparkevents.com.
