The Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens harkens back to a day when American capitalists built wonders for the public to benefit from and placed their name on it so we could remember decades if not centuries later. With no expense spared, the Gardens have few modern rivals who can compete in terms of display, layout, and sheer volume. Phipps is deceptively large and can easily take several hours to walk through. With 23 distinct gardens, mostly indoors, Phipps offers everything botanical and is super weather friendly except on super hot days. I found it very easy to navigate, never felt rushed, and it was just gorgeous. The staff also were very friendly. I felt warmly welcomed and encouraged during my visit. My friends and I had a fantastic time walking and talking throughout the zoo. read more

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It's been many years since I visited Phipps but it has never failed to wow me. I think it's safe to plan to spend at least two hours and perhaps twice that depending on how crowded it is and how much time you want to spend seeing the beautiful displays. We visited at the start of the fall display which was transitioning from the Alice in Wonderland theme display and, as usual, everything was just amazing to see. We visited on a weekday morning and we're happy that it was not crowded and we could take our time. Beware the cafe which offers very friendly service for very expensive refreshments. We spent $15 for three 12-ounce cans of tea. If you have a refillable water bottle, bring that and throw some ice in it. Even when it's cool outside, it's still hot in the greenhouses so you'll probably want something cold to drink. read more

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Absolutely loved visiting Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens! I was doing a cross-country road trip and stopped here while passing through Pittsburgh, and I'm so glad I did. I love visiting botanical gardens, so I was excited to check this one off my list! They were doing an Alice in Wonderland collaboration while I was there, which made the visit even more fun. The conservatory was absolutely beautiful, with so many different flowers, plants, and unique rooms to explore. The Alice in Wonderland displays they did were super cute and really well done! My only wish is that they had incorporated the Alice in Wonderland theme throughout more of the conservatory because I would have loved to see even more of it. But overall, it was such a beautiful and relaxing place to explore. Definitely recommend stopping here if you're in Pittsburgh! l And you definitely have to hit the gift shop read more

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My friend and I came through for the Alice in wonderland themed exhibit this past week. I absolutely love Phipps during Christmas and they delivered during this fall display, as well. The mums (and all other flowers) were extremely fragrant and colorful. The art installations were thoughtful and whimsical. Being in Phipps temporarily transports you to another world! I think it's more than worth the $22.50/pp to spend a few hours here. I can't wait to visit again. read more

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Visited Alice's Adventures in Autumn and the Garden Railroad: Fairies and Gnomes on Sunday morning. Loved see the ways the early morning light brings out the boldness of some of the fall colors. Loved the whimsical fairies and gnomes as well as the fall updates to Alice's Adventures. read more

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Phipps is a must-visit spot if you ever come to Pittsburgh. This is our second visit and we really enjoy the current Alice-in-Wonderland theme. Definitely a perfect place for spending time with family and friends. Parking can be challenging if you go during holiday or weekend. We bought the tickets in advance online, but you can also purchase it at the entrance. Recommend bringing a water bottle since there are various water refilling station in the conservatory. read more

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Wowowowow. This is the largest and most beautiful botanical garden I've been too. I love the rooftop garden too! The Alice in wonderland theme was stunning! The cafe and gift shop are pretty amazing too. I can't even explain how magical this place is. Don't forget to walk around the outdoor gardens. Those are free to walk into. The park across the street would be a perfect picnic spot! read more

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I went to Phipps for their annual orchid exhibition and I absolutely loved it. The greenhouses are well curated and well cared for, with wide walking paths, beautiful plants, and a collection of Chihuly glass that is scattered about in surprising places. It's beautiful and relaxing. I went through the whole interior part twice during my visit. I particularly enjoyed the fern room. Because I went in February and it was single digit temperatures, I did not venture into the outdoor portions other than a quick peek for a picture, but they looked well maintained and expansive. Do note that they do not offer reciprocal admission if you are a member of another botanical garden. Honestly, I'd go back to Pittsburg just to visit this garden. read more

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Absolutely incredible. I don't go to botanical gardens much so I don't really have qualifications to compare or rate any particular place but Phipps blew me away. I like plants. I have some. I thought seeing a bunch of plants might be fun but I wasn't expecting it to be such a wonderful experience! The place is quite large considering most of it is inside. It is organized for a few different environments and a little something for everyone depending on what your floral preferences might be. It took us about an hour and a half to go through the whole thing. Got a lot of pictures. Saw a lot of interesting and cool plants as well as beautiful flowers. Highly recommend this as a stop on any and every Pittsburgh trip. read more

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Pgh Candle & Phipps partnered for an evening at Botany Hall. We selected our scented oils and were able to create our own soy candles. The vessel was a lovely shade of green and had some weight. Simple instructions for those of us who were not-crafty. While our candles were solidifying, we were able to go see the Spring show. Lovely evening. Definitely would do again. read more

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Located in Schenley park right behind CMU, this conservatory is amazing! I went to school here decades ago, and did not know it was there. On a recent trip to Pittsburgh, I discovered this place. There was a seasonal theme to the displays and it was lit up during our evening visit. Beautiful gardens that you could spend hours or many visits taking in the serenity. It can get very busy during the holidays, though. You can buy your tickets online and parking is available in the park. read more

This was a beautiful conservatory and botanical garden. The perfect location if you want to enjoy the tranquility and serenity of the gardens and get away from the city noise for a bit. There are so many rooms to see with different themes throughout. It's recommended the stay on one side and take left turns to make sure nothing is missed. Could easy take 1 or two hours observing all the beautiful foliage. Make sure to stop by the gift shop on your way out and maybe pick up one of many succulents or flowers to commemorate the visit! read more

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From the vantage point of a neophyte Pittsburgh visitor, this conservatory is what I call a three-fer. Spending the afternoon in the Oakland area, I explored a trio of genuinely worthwhile attractions right off the Carnegie Mellon University campus. This was my third stop after breezing through a lot of fine art and prehistoric dioramas at the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History. I took a quick stroll to Schenley Park where the massive glass greenhouse stands. It's set up as a bucolic labyrinth which required a specific path to follow to explore 14 separate rooms which hold a wide variety of plant species from dense tropical forests to desert oases. The greenery and flora extend outside the greenhouse including a rustic Japanese garden which provided a nice meditative break. There's a surprising number of Chihuly blown glass sculptures throughout starting with the ceiling of the Welcome Center (Photo 9). I was here during the holidays, so the Christmas decorations tended to camouflage its natural beauty. They also made the conservatory family-friendly with dedicated play areas. Admission was $17.95, a bit on the high side but still quite worthwhile. RELATED - Exploring Pittsburgh? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/QKLtuBlwjs read more

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Beautiful place with all of the plants one can imagine. There was an Alice and Wonderland theme. There were so many interesting plants and colorful flowers. There was an outdoor vegetable garden. The structure itself is amazing. There is a gift shop and a cafe. I hope to get back at some point. read more

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Came to see the Alice in Wonderland and it did not disappoint. Such beauty!! There are some beautiful Chihuly pieces here as well which was an added bonus! read more

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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My husband bought us a Phipps Conservatory membership for Valentine's Day. I think I found my new happy place. This over a century old Victorian green house is a full sensory experience. Fragrant flowers, colorful plants, sunlight filtered by large trees, old growth vegetation and moss mixes with annual blooms, soft music and water features, warm moist air, cobblestone paths, delicate fern fronds and "please don't touch" cactuses. This is a wonderful place to reconnect with nature and give space for yourself in an ever attention demanding culture. I recommend going early as there is free but limited parking. You buy tickets at Phipps or on their website. Displays change through out the season and there is an outside winter light show in December. If you haven't been here in a while, the atmosphere is very relaxed. Get yourself an adult beverage or coffee at the Phipps cafe and enjoy a stroll with nature or an evening serenade with the coqui frog. read more

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On a beautiful sunny afternoon, my dad, my husband, and I decided to explore Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. First and foremost, the parking situation is absolutely atrocious! We drove around for probably about 15 minutes, just looking for a spot before we finally managed to find one about half a mile away. I think with it being located so close to two university campuses, parking is never good here. The terrible parking situation aside, this place is absolutely beautiful! The variety of plants and various vegetation in beautiful arrangements was definitely something to behold. We had such a wonderful time, exploring the exhibits and even had fun looking for the hidden toucans in the various rooms. Such a pleasant afternoon and definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in Pittsburgh. read more

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Wonderful time. Beautiful. Lots of interesting spots for the little ones. Alice in Wonderland exhibits just opened (May 2026) and that was special...find all the White Rabbits ; ) Outside garden is small but nice. read more

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Absolutely stunning building and beautiful flower exhibit. My daughter is a student at CMU and she said they change all the flowers monthly/quarterly which is insane given how beautiful and expansive the exhibits are! A must see when you're near CMU. Allow for 2-3 hours to take it all in. read more

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This is my second time visiting Phipps and I absolutely love it here. They do an outstanding job with the botanicals and the themes are beautiful. I spent a lot of time admiring the gardens and enjoying the full blooms of hydrangeas. This place is a must visit. The addition of the Chihuly art everywhere made this a special visit. read more

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Who knew Pittsburgh had such a beautiful place?! I loved walking thru and taking in the scenery. Sitting in the garden enjoying the pond, the bubbling water. Peaceful. read more

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So beautiful. It was a joy to walk through the connecting rooms. My favorite was the bonsai garden. The event I was at got completely rained out through the ceilings. read more

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens - Tulip garden! - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

First time visiting in July and not going to lie... it was hot at 3:15 pm ( we were early ). I recommend entering at true reserved time for less congestion . I also heard many people saying how warm they felt. However , one must remember that the environment is just right for the plants inside the dome . We walked around for a while before we realized that we needed a drink of some sort. An ice cold drink made the experiences even more enjoyable. We had an ice cold troeg beer at $12 for two. The workers were helpful and kind. By the time 4 pm rolled by, it was a peaceful stroll through each exhibit. The theme was Alice in Wonderland and what was completed was done well. Some parts seemed that perhaps they ran out of time, people, or space to complete fully such as the chess board In front of the queen of hearts. I would visit again because where else can I visit the jungle without actually flying there? read more

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What a magical and well thought out space. Every room has its own habitat and its own theme. Everything is well marked and maintained. Very clean space and spread out where I felt like I wasn't bumping into anyone constantly. Huge selection of plants from all over the world. Highly recommend a stop here to just appreciate the natural beauty of mother earth. read more

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Everything about Phipps Conservatory is magical. No matter the time of year, or day, when you walk through the front doors you will be 100% captivated by the seasonal exhibitions that are available. Not only does Phipps have a huge selection of floral arrangements, they have an indoor, and outdoor area as well. These areas offer so many photo opportunities. read more

Holy moly this place is a gem! I initially thought the admission price was a bit high, but after spending 4 hours exploring, I'd say it was worth it. There's so much to see, and we loved every second of it. The bonsai section is always a favorite, though I do wish more of the trees had info about their age or years of training. The butterfly exhibit was another highlight. We loved with full of foliage it was, a cool path to walk through. Overall, a very cool spot and absolutely worth a visit if you're in the area! read more

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I recently visited Phipps again for their holiday display. We got there around 5:15 on a Tuesday. The surrounding area was pretty busy but I was able to find parking. I believe they also offer valet parking too! Each time I go to Phipps, I have a great experience. The staff are very kind and the display of flowers, plants, and lights are stunning. It takes about an hour or so to get through the conservatory and botanical gardens. Overall another great experience here! read more

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This place is such a pittsburgh institution! They always have exciting new displays for the season. The winter time is my favorite because there's a beautiful light garden outside and I went during snow flurries and it was magical. Love that they have wine and cozy winter drinks too like hot cocoa during this! The wine was pretty good too, which was such a plus. Been coming here since college and it's always a great time. Love the gift shop too! The staff is also always so sweet. Definitely looking forward to the orchid and bonsai show! read more

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We had a wonderful time spending a summer afternoon at the Phipps Conservatory. Each gallery is uniquely themed, and all of them were stunning in their own way. The summer 2025 flower show is called Jungle Quest, and many of the galleries featured surprise guests hidden among the plants (like animals). There are also art installations scattered throughout, created by other talented artists. The onsite cafe is decent. Overall, it is a worthy stop if you're exploring Pittsburgh in the summer. read more

Came on a Wednesday evening at 8pm. Not too crowded. It was perfect temperature about 39-40 degrees. The lights take place both inside and outside. You just follow the trail. This was a great date night. Gives the opportunity to enjoy a great conversation while smelling all the flowers and plants and looking at the wonderful lights. Family friendly. They do have a small cafe at the entrance where you can purchase cocoa, hot beverages and beer. Great for a date night or just bringing the family along. read more

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I came here for the Christmas event so that's all I can really comment on. The event was amazing. The only downside was the parking. We drove around for quite some time before finding a spot. I've been to a lot of Botanical Gardens for Christmas displays, and this is my favorite. It is better than Longwood Gardens and that is a HUGE compliment in my opinion. I really only chose this for the Christmas event because of the Garden Railroad: The Age of Dinosaurs display and it was WELL worth it. It is just so unique and fun and everyone who was there enjoyed it. No sad faces in that room! I would definitely recommend and would be back! read more

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We went to see the Christmas decorations it is always so Beautiful. We booked are time and date online very easy. They do just a wonderful job of decorating and displaying the plants. I highly recommend going at any season always Beautiful read more

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Between the holiday show and holiday cooking class, I had a ton of fun at Phipps this month. The annual show is not to miss and is open late in December to accommodate guests. I also recommend the coming classes, and there's a variety throughout the year. The team did a great job doing the prep so the students (like me) could focus on learning cooking techniques and enjoying what they cook. read more

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Beautiful place! Definitely go visit during holiday seasons! They do an amazing job decorating, especially the indoor parts. Plants were taken great care of and everything looked so healthy and alive! Staff were all friendly and helpful. read more

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Took an out of town friend here and we both loved it so much. Just beautiful inside. Plenty of parking and well priced. read more

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This place is perfect, please go ASAP. I'm always a huge fan of botanical gardens, my mom took me to a lot growing up. Phipps is HUGE. I could've spend several hours enjoying this place. If I lived in PGH I would get a membership here. I love all the different types of spaces. Most of the attractions are indoors, which I imagine is great for when PGH gets cold and gray. But the outdoor parts were perfect too. This is a wonderful place to explore or relax. I think it's great for all ages because there are different activities and mindful accessibility things. The urge to take a million photos was very present in me during my visit. I loved all the seating available because I had some work I needed to complete and was able to do that without disturbing anyone. They also have lockers you can use before you enter the garden part. When I asked if there was a place to store my bags, they kindly gave me 25 cents to use for the locker. There are womens and mens restrooms scattered throughout the space. They also have a gender neutral single family bathroom near where you scan your ticket to enter the garden. I absolutely adored my time here and think it's worth every penny. read more

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We went on a private after hours tour on Tuesday and there were eight of us. The tour was led by Greg who's the Director of Development Campaign. It was so nice having a tour after hours because it was empty which was a stark contrast when I was here last for their winter light show. We started around 6pm and finished around 7pm. Greg took us through pretty much the entire inside and since he's been there more than two decades, he was really knowledgeable and gave us great background and insight on everything. The current summer flow show is called Jungle Quest and they have animals from flamingos to elephants that they all make in house! Phipps is truly gorgeous and we loved the guided tour. We'll be back for sure!! read more

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Phipps is always a great place to visit but the Winter Light show is truly amazing! Winter lights and plants throughout the facility plus a large outdoor light display. We love visiting the conservatory whenever we visit Pittsburgh but this was our first winter trip, and it was stunning. read more

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The conservatory is a must see and takes at least two hours to enjoy. You can easily spend more time there, especially in the beautiful basil gardens. The highlight is the butterfly exhibit, which features many species flying freely. Some butterflies camouflage themselves perfectly, hiding in plain sight. You can visit the exterior gardens last, as there is no fee for them. The entire experience is truly great. read more

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What a beautiful place! Each room is different and the flow of the crowd was perfect- just keep to the left. Very peaceful and several spots to sit down and take it all in. read more

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