Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden - Pittsburgh, PA

Brief History

 Did you know that Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh has been open for over 125 years? Henry Phipps gifted the city of Pittsburgh a glasshouse with nine display rooms in 1893. Construction of the glass house was completed in August and it opened to the public later that year in December. The conservatory featured different varieties of plants. Arc lights were installed during 1894, allowing visitors to enjoy the variety of plants later into the night. Some plants featured in one of it's earliest fall shows in 1897 were chrysanthemums, banana plants, and rubber trees. Many expansions took place in the early years, including the addition of propagation houses, the South Conservatory, and an extra room. In 1901, Phipps funded the construction of the Botany Hall, which can still be found on the property. It was created to be used by public school teachers and enhance class trips. The debut of the Desert Room and Cactus House took place in 1902. The first Aquatic Garden was built sometime after 1910. Around this time, most of the plants were shown on waist-high displays.

Cactus pictured in November 2022

800 orchids, worth $50,000, were donated to the Conservatory by Charles Armstrong in 1932. Following this donation, in the mid-to-late 1930s, the Conservatory's layout and displays began to change. Instead of presenting the plants in pots, the rooms would be designed with plants blended to create patterns. This redesigned layout is similar to what visitors currently see on display. In 1937, a storm hit Pittsburgh and significantly damaged the Conservatory. The damage exposed various tropical plants to freezing temperatures, leading to police officers and firefighters working tirelessly to try to protect them from the cold through weatherproofing. The Conservatory was closed for 20 months while damages were repaired and restoration projects took place. It reopened it's doors in late 1938. By this time, the Conservatory was home to 5,000 species and varieties of plants, one of the largest collections valued at one million dollars.

The Conservatory continued to grow in the 40s, 50s, and 60s with the donation of rubber trees, new hybridizations, and continued additions to the property. In 1952, multiple art pieces, including a set of cherubs, were donated to the Conservatory and all three pieces can still be found on display. In the  1960s, many long standing displays were demolished and reimagined. Some of the displays that were redesigned were the Cascade Garden and the Cloister Garden. The Cloister Garden was replaced by the Broderie Room, which is still on display today. During the 1970s, the Conservatory underwent serious structural repairs over a 4 year span. Some of these repairs included glass replacement, repainting inside and out, and updated utilities. In 1991, the Japanese Courtyard Garden was installed and it remains a valuable part of the Conservatory's collection.

Broderie Room in 2020

Today

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden has been enriching the community in Pittsburgh for over 125 years. They hold a variety of special events like their Winter Flower & Light Show and their Winter Gala. Their current plant collection is home to a wide variety of orchids, bonsais, desert plants, and ferns. Other notable plants include the allspice plant, Lychee tree, and Meyer lemon tree. Information on the hours of operations, special events, and more plant species on display can be found on their website. They also have a more detailed recap of their history as an organization available as well.