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All the United States Wisconsin Milwaukee Mitchell Park Domes

Mitchell Park Domes

A unique botanical garden housed in three giant geodesic domes.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Jen Nelson
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CAPTION
The Domes.   IIP Photo Archive/public domain
  James Jordan/cc by-nd 2.0
Inside the tropical dome.   Mark Baylor/cc by 2.0
The domes at night.   Mike Gonzalez/cc by-sa 3.0
The three domes.   Brian Moore/cc by-sa 2.0
The Arid Dome.   Brian Moore/cc by-sa 2.0
Inside the dome.   Brady Wieland/cc by 2.0
  amysorenson / Atlas Obscura User
Domes at Night   mocchiatto / Atlas Obscura User
  jen487 / Atlas Obscura User
  jen487 / Atlas Obscura User
Big old cactus   Wormfood / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Alexander Mitchell, the richest man in Wisconsin in the late 1800s, built the first horticultural conservatory in the state. He shared his greenhouse space with local organizations and opened his own park, Mitchell’s Grove. After his death, the city of Milwaukee bought up 30 acres of the park and established the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory.

The first conservatory on the site was modeled after London's Crystal Palace. It was knocked down in 1955 to be replaced with a new design concept: three huge geodesic domes. The beehive-shaped glass domes were finally completed in 1965, 10 years after the contest was announced, with a dedication ceremony conducted by Lady Bird Johnson.

The botanical garden holds over 1,000 different plant species, with each of the three domes displaying a different theme: the Tropical Dome, the Desert (Arid) Dome, and a floral Show Dome with rotating seasonal or holiday displays. The unique design of the glass orbs allows 85 percent of available light to transmit to the plants, and large fans are used to draw out heat in the summer so the domes don’t overheat. The aluminum tubing on the structures expands and contracts along with the temperature, and visitors can hear it clicking as they walk through the gardens.

The Domes are a beloved icon of Milwaukee, but they are in peril. Preservation and restoration work is needed and the city is unsure of how to proceed. A task force is currently investigating options for the future, including shutting down the domes if the costs of repairs will be too high. Be sure to visit this midcentury modern marvel while you still can.

Related Tags

Engineering Architecture Domes Botanical Gardens Gardens Plants History Flora Design

Know Before You Go

The Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, aka "The Domes" is located in Milwaukee's Clarke Square neighborhood. It's open Monday, Wednesday-Friday from 9-5 and weekends from 9-4. Check the website for special events.

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jen487

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mmintz, gingerstash, Meg, Wormfood...

  • mmintz
  • gingerstash
  • Meg
  • Wormfood
  • mocchiatto
  • amysorenson

Published

October 11, 2018

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  • https://milwaukeedomes.org/
Mitchell Park Domes
524 S Layton Blvd
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
United States
43.025764, -87.947436
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