Chicago - Lincoln Park Conservatory

Using London's Crystal Palace as an inspiration, architect Joseph Lyman Silsbee designed the Lincoln Park Conservatory in 1892. The conservatory contains 19 propagating houses in which flowers for Chicago's numerous parks are grown. The four display houses of Lincoln Park Conservatory include the Palm House, Fern Room, Orchid House and Show House, which is home to the annual flower shows. The main horticultural collection displayed in the large glass and copper building showcases exotic plants from around the world including palms, cacti and cycads.