The conservatory portion of the Como Park Zoo is worth a stop for its various gardens and exotic plants, especially on a cold winter day when you’re craving a pop of green. Start in the Sunken Garden, which hosts seasonal displays of everything from azaleas and tulips to roses and chrysanthemums, then explore the Tropical Encounters exhibition, which is home to an authentic South American rain forest filled with plants and animals. Also on-site is a palm dome, water lily pond, Japanese garden, orchid house, bonsai display, and Enchanted Garden, which attracts hundreds of butterflies every summer with its fragrant selection of plants, trees, and shrubs.
Marjorie McNeely Conservatory
More Recommendations
A Dome of Palm Trees
Peaceful. Relaxing. Green. Tropical palms of all shapes and sizes rule in the Palm Dome at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. “Wow” and “Oh my god” escape my lips a lot each time I visit this mammoth glass enclosure—some trees have leaves big enough to blanket a Saint Bernard; maybe even two at the same time! I kid you not. Also, a Carludovica palmata, a.k.a. the Panama hat palm, awaits you. Its leaves are harvested for that legendary hat. Definitely worth a visit if you’re headed to Minneapolis or St. Paul, no matter the season (but especially in the winter). And admission is free!
Beautiful 365 Days Of The Year, But Magical When It's -20 Outside
Escape to the tropics in this paradise of place!!!
