About The Domes, Milwaukee's Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory

Wouldn’t you like to go to Orlando in mid-February? Not for Disney, but for the greenery, the smell, the sense that things are alive.

That’s what you’ll find in the Tropical Dome — where you can sit in the sun with a book in hand, no matter the season. Roll up your sleeves, find a bench and relax.

In contrast, if you’re always too hot, the Desert Dome stays 50 degrees through the winter. If you have kids with you, think Show Dome and occasional choo-choos.

The three beehive-shaped Domes, aka Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, sometimes seem the forgotten child of Milwaukee attractions. They’re fighting for their future. Yet even the common name – Domes – has a Milwaukee humility about it.

With more than 1,800 plant species, cleverly described with signage, the Domes are worth a walk.

Since Lady Bird Johnson dedicated the Domes in the fall of 1965, other accolades have followed. In 2017, the National Trust for Historic Preservation gave “National Treasure” status to the Domes.

And the Domes have a characteristic that Milwaukeeans love: They’re cheap.

The priciest admission costs $9, and parking is free, unlike at the stadium, the zoo, or almost the entire downtown.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: About The Domes, Milwaukee's Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory