Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens brings together the finest in horticulture, art, education, and fun! From seasonal flower shows, educational classes, special exhibits, and fun events - something's always blooming at Phipps! Whether you're just visiting online or planning a visit in person, be sure to bookmark this page and come back to watch us bloom! There are many ways to enjoy Henry Phipps' "crystal palace", one of the country's largest and finest botanical conservatories. Here you will learn about the opportunities available at Phipps: exchange your vows in our gardens; take your business meeting on a botanical safari; tour our National Historic Landmark with a knowledgeable and passionate docent; or volunteer in one of our greenhouses.
The opportunities for involvement at Phipps are limited only by your sense of adventure! Phipps Conservatory was a gift from industrialist/philanthropist Henry Phipps to the City of Pittsburgh. A friend and partner of Andrew Carnegie, Henry Phipps, made his fortune in steel and real estate. He wanted to "erect something that will prove a source of instruction as well as pleasure to the people," and the result was Phipps Conservatory, his best-known legacy. In Schenley Park, Phipps outdid himself. The philanthropist retained the prestigious New York greenhouse firm, Lord and Burnham of Irvington-on-the-Hudson, to design and build the new Conservatory. They created nine spectacular display houses featuring "silvered" domes, glass vaults, and an elaborate Richardson Romanesque stone entrance. Construction, which took one year, cost Phipps $110,000, a fortune then.
From 1893 on, the Conservatory gained distinction as a repository of horticultural excellence ÷ a distinction that exists today. For the first one hundred years of operation, Phipps was managed by the City of Pittsburgh. However, facing an ongoing shortage of funds, the City found it increasingly difficult to maintain its management role. In July 1993, Phipps Conservatory, Inc. signed a 100-year lease with the City to take over facility management.
Under private management, Phipps has added educational programming to display as a primary focus of operations. In 1997, the Board of Trustees recognized the expanded mission and voted to change the organization's name to Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Today, Phipps is among the nation's oldest and largest Victorian glasshouses, featuring lush tropical plants, palms, orchids, and a miniature orchid collection, ferns, succulent plants, seasonal flower shows, and a butterfly forest. Outdoor gardens and collections include: the Discovery Garden, Japanese Courtyard Garden, Outdoor Garden, bonsai, perennials, herbs, and aquatic gardens.
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