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Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden and conservatory located in Columbus, Ohio. It is open daily and an admission fee is charged. Originally built in 1895, the Conservatory is on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it is a horticultural and educational institution showcasing exotic plant collections, special exhibitions, and Dale Chihuly artworks. The conservatory contains more than 400 plant species. Biomes representing global climate zones include: Himalayan Mountains, Tropical Rainforest, Desert, and (Island Water Garden ). Additional plant collections include a Bonsai Courtyard, Showhouse with seasonal displays, orchids and tropical bonsai collections, and Palm House with more than 40 species of palms. The conservatory is set within Franklin Park, and surrounded by 90 acres (36 hectares) of outdoor botanical gardens and green space. On January 18, 1974, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places ==History== Franklin County Agriculture Society purchased of land two miles (3 km) east of downtown Columbus to host the first Franklin County Fair in 1852. By 1874, the Franklin County Agricultural Society agreed on the importance of this piece of land, increased the size to , and made it the official site of the Ohio State Fair. The state fair occupied the site until 1884, when it moved to a new location north of Columbus. With the change, the lot was abandoned. But on May 17, 1886, the site was officially revived when the Ohio State Legislature passed a resolution declaring it open for use as a public park. In 1893, the Chicago’s World Fair and Columbian Exposition was an immensely influential social and cultural event. It inspired the city of Columbus to create a horticulture building modeled after the Exposition’s Glass Palace. This glass structure, built in the grand Victorian style, was erected in Franklin Park and opened to the public in 1895 as the Franklin Park Conservatory. From 1895 to 1989, Columbus Recreation and Parks Department owned and operated the Conservatory. Unfortunately, little is known about the Conservatory’s earliest days, as a fire in Columbus City Hall destroyed its records in 1921. Much of the Conservatory’s history has been documented from newspapers and personal written accounts. For a short period starting in 1927, animals were kept in the lower rooms of the Conservatory. In 1929, these animals left the Conservatory and became part of the first Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Over time, the facility developed a reputation for horticultural excellence and the display of rare and unusual plants. The Conservatory also became a popular location for family gatherings, weddings, and other events. In 1974, in recognition of the Conservatory’s historic and architectural merit, the original glass structure, today known as the Palm House, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1992, Columbus hosted AmeriFlora '92 and chose Franklin Park and the Conservatory as the host site for this six-month international horticulture exposition. Renovation of the historic Palm House and a $14-million expansion began in 1989. Additions to the Conservatory totaled 58,000 square feet and included expanded plant collections, classrooms, a library, gift shop, café and administrative offices. In the wake of AmeriFlora, Franklin Park Conservatory’s future lay in question. Ohio Legislature created the Franklin Park Conservatory Joint Recreation District for the long-term management of the Conservatory. Ownership of the Conservatory and surrounding 28 acres was conferred to a new 10-member board of trustees and an executive director. With a handful of dedicated staff, volunteers, and an operating budget of $500,000, the institution began to regain its identity and momentum. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Franklin Park Conservatory」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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