Important Things To Know & Frequently Asked Questions:
Arrival and Check in:
Arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled tour to allow ample time for check in. We will make every effort to accommodate your group in the event that you are late. Our flexibility depends on the daily tour schedule volume. Franklin Park Conservatory’s late policy is as follows:
30 minutes or less – Groups receive an abbreviated guided tour
More than 30 minutes – Groups receive a self-guided tour
If you have multiple groups, please adhere to the tour times specified on your itinerary. Alert Conservatory staff to any discrepancies regarding the schedule.
Lunch Information:
If you bring items in, consolidate lunches in boxes clearly labeled with your school name. We ask that your chaperones take responsibility for stashing the lunches prior to the start of your tour.Limited space for eating may be available inside the Conservatory and must be reserved in advance. During nice weather, many school groups choose to eat outside in the shelter house at picnic tables.
The Conservatory rents spaces, including the Palm House, for special events such as weddings and corporate meetings, in which cases there will be no access to those areas. We ask our guests to be respectful of the event in these circumstances.
Tour Information:
For a guided Biome tour, your group will enter the Conservatory through the school tour entrance. A Franklin Park Conservatory Educator will greet your group in the Atrium, just outside of the Coat Room promptly at your tour start time.For a PreK/K tour, your group will enter the Conservatory through the school tour entrance. You will meet your Franklin Park Conservatory Educator in one of the reserved meeting rooms.
For a garden program at the ScottsMiracle-Gro Community Garden Campus, you may park or have your bus driver drop you off at the Campus. A Franklin Park Conservatory Educator will meet your group at the Education Pavilion promptly at your schedule tour start time. Please visit the main Conservatory building for payment after your scheduled program.
*Special note about Garden Connections & Preschool Tours: During the guided tour portion of your visit you will not visit the Himalayan Mountain, Tropical Rainforest of Desert Biomes. You will need to plan time outside of your tour to visit these collections.
All materials for scheduled tours are provided by Franklin Park Conservatory and may include pencils, clip boards, worksheets, visuals and special materials. All supplies must be returned at the conclusion of your tour. If you need supplies outside of your scheduled program, please make arrangement to bring your own.
Biome Tours are approximately 50-minutes long, and take place on foot through the Conservatory collections. Tours are staggered in 15 or 30-minute intervals.
Down Time Information:
If you have several classes scheduled, YOU WILL HAVE DOWN TIME between tour departures. During this down time you can:Visit the Hot Shop - Watch local, professional gaffers demonstrate the art of glass blowing during this 25-minute program. Free with admission. The Hot Shop will close for the winter on January 2, 2011 and will reopen in March; hours are available online or inquire upon arrival at the Visitor’s Center.
Pacific Island Biome, Show House and Palm House - Make sure to visit the plant collections that are not included on your guided tour! Don’t forget the rooftop garden terraces and courtyards.
ScottsMiracle-Gro Community Garden Campus & Outdoor Spaces - Stroll through the grounds of the new Community Garden Campus, visit the trial garden plots & explore the park!
Prior to your visit, you may download a Leaf Trail Scavenger Hunt.
We ask that you do not visit the Himalayan Mountain Biome, Tropical Rainforest Biome or the Desert Biome prior to your guided tour. Franklin Park Conservatory educators lead school groups through this space, please be respectful of the other school groups visiting the Conservatory by keeping out of these areas until your scheduled tour time. On most days, it is quite busy.
