My visits to Phipps have always been during the brown and apocalyptic days of winter, when walking into a warm conservatory filled with the scent of pine trees was like a little window into spring. Walking into Phipps in the middle of summer was like a sensory explosion. The scent of loam, the sounds of water falling over stone, the colors were lush and warm and energizing and everything I love about summer. You can see more photos at this link.
Highlights for me were the butterfly room (Stove Room), the Tropical Fruit and Spice Room, and the new Tropical Forest Conservatory. The butterflies in the Stove Room are a stream of beautiful colors and lovely to see close up. The path wanders throughout the room offering lots of butterfly viewing.
I read up on the green features of the new Tropical Forest addition on the Phipps website and was very impressed with the engineering. I wish some of that information was available on site and not just on the web. In addition to the gigantic tropical plants and quirky Frabel glass pieces, a fun aspect of this room are the three activity huts placed throughout. These are mostly for kids, but my husband and I also enjoyed playing in, um, I mean investigating these, as well.
Overall, the inclusion of glass art pieces throughout the Conservatory added the icing on the cake for my Phipps experience. The current exhibits are by Hans Godo Frabel, although some stunning Chihuly pieces also remain including the bold glass chandelier in the entrance hall. For those reluctant to visit the Conservatory, lure them along to see these amazing glasses installations. In my personal opinion, some pieces work better than others with their surroundings, but those that do work bring their settings to life with a deeper dimension.
SPECIAL NOTES: See the conservatory at night!! I can’t stress this enough. If you enjoy the conservatory and exhibits during the day, you’ll have a whole new appreciation for them at night. Phipps Conservatory is open until 10 pm on Friday nights and some of the glass exhibits that seem just ok during the day, all of a sudden jump out at you at night.
Anyone who wants to have a romantic date night, this might even top Mt. Washington (no pun intended) as a romantic Pittsburgh getaway. The lights in Phipps create shadows that play across the green plantings, the soft sounds of water in the background, and the shaded nooks and corners make for a very dreamy, calming, and at times surreal atmosphere which is perfect for spending quiet time with your date.
COST: Phipps Conservatory is $10 for adults, $9 for students with ID and those 62+, $7 for kids 2-18, and FREE for kids under 2. I found this to be a deal personally since my husband and I easily spent 2.5 hours there during the day and then returned for another hour at night. The place is huge and there is so much to see.
SPECIAL NOTE: See Phipps for FREE - you can enjoy the Aquatic Gardens and plantings surrounding the entrance anytime, and the Outdoor Garden is open during the day as well for FREE. Take a stroll through here when you’re in Oakland and enjoy the smells and sights, sit on the benches and just relax.
KIDS: The wonderful Children’s Discovery Garden has interactive activities for kids, water to play with and great bugs which kids all seem to love. The Tropical Fruit and Spice Room just before this area is a great place to show kids where some of their food comes from, and the huts in the Tropical Forest let their imaginations run wild. Parts of the conservatory are quite warm and humid and seeing the entire place could be a bit difficult for some ages and personalities. I would recommend visiting the butterfly room (Stove Room) then out to the Children’s Discovery Garden and finishing at the Tropical Forest. If they’re still going, duck back through the other rooms.
I read up on the green features of the new Tropical Forest addition on the Phipps website and was very impressed with the engineering. I wish some of that information was available on site and not just on the web. In addition to the gigantic tropical plants and quirky Frabel glass pieces, a fun aspect of this room are the three activity huts placed throughout. These are mostly for kids, but my husband and I also enjoyed playing in, um, I mean investigating these, as well.
Overall, the inclusion of glass art pieces throughout the Conservatory added the icing on the cake for my Phipps experience. The current exhibits are by Hans Godo Frabel, although some stunning Chihuly pieces also remain including the bold glass chandelier in the entrance hall. For those reluctant to visit the Conservatory, lure them along to see these amazing glasses installations. In my personal opinion, some pieces work better than others with their surroundings, but those that do work bring their settings to life with a deeper dimension.
SPECIAL NOTES: See the conservatory at night!! I can’t stress this enough. If you enjoy the conservatory and exhibits during the day, you’ll have a whole new appreciation for them at night. Phipps Conservatory is open until 10 pm on Friday nights and some of the glass exhibits that seem just ok during the day, all of a sudden jump out at you at night.
Anyone who wants to have a romantic date night, this might even top Mt. Washington (no pun intended) as a romantic Pittsburgh getaway. The lights in Phipps create shadows that play across the green plantings, the soft sounds of water in the background, and the shaded nooks and corners make for a very dreamy, calming, and at times surreal atmosphere which is perfect for spending quiet time with your date.
COST: Phipps Conservatory is $10 for adults, $9 for students with ID and those 62+, $7 for kids 2-18, and FREE for kids under 2. I found this to be a deal personally since my husband and I easily spent 2.5 hours there during the day and then returned for another hour at night. The place is huge and there is so much to see.
SPECIAL NOTE: See Phipps for FREE - you can enjoy the Aquatic Gardens and plantings surrounding the entrance anytime, and the Outdoor Garden is open during the day as well for FREE. Take a stroll through here when you’re in Oakland and enjoy the smells and sights, sit on the benches and just relax.
KIDS: The wonderful Children’s Discovery Garden has interactive activities for kids, water to play with and great bugs which kids all seem to love. The Tropical Fruit and Spice Room just before this area is a great place to show kids where some of their food comes from, and the huts in the Tropical Forest let their imaginations run wild. Parts of the conservatory are quite warm and humid and seeing the entire place could be a bit difficult for some ages and personalities. I would recommend visiting the butterfly room (Stove Room) then out to the Children’s Discovery Garden and finishing at the Tropical Forest. If they’re still going, duck back through the other rooms.
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