Botanical Gardens conservatory set to open

On Feb. 23, one of Birmingham’s most iconic sights will open for the first time since April of 2011.

Invited guests and media will be the first to tour the renovated Conservatory at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. IT will be open to the public starting Feb. 24, with a formal grand opening to be scheduled later this spring.  

Originally opened in December of 1963 and designed by the now defunct Lord & Burnham firm, the building has become a rare piece of architecture as many similar structures across the nation have since been razed. In 2013, renovations totally $1.3 million to preserve the 50-year-old landmark, allowing it to stand as a Birmingham attraction for 50 more.

Phase I of a series envisioned in The Gardens’ master plan began last May. This phase included stripping the old glass and cleaning the structure, upgrading base electrical distribution and automating ventilation sashes, repairing interior partition walls and replacing doors, remediating asbestos and lead, re-glazing with safety glass, restoring the original entrance appearance and installing an internal mylar shade blanket and insulation system.

The Conservatory will again become a classroom for Discovery Field Trips, The Gardens’ award-winning, curriculum-based educational programs that have provided a free science education to over 100,000 Birmingham children over the past 15 years. Phase I does not include new exhibits, and some old exhibits have been removed from the Conservatory in order to facilitate the project.