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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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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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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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 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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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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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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One of the best things I've done since moving to Pittsburgh is get a membership at Phipps! The photos are drawn from a few different visits including the Spring Flower show. Love how the exhibits change regularly and it's been a beautiful space to enjoy during the cold of winter. Have loved going about once a month to see how the plants blossom, grow and develop! read more

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It was very pretty. The Alice in Wonderland was a bit underwhelming. After seeing reviews for the café we decided to eat there and I do NOT recommend it! $10 for a turkey sandwich that had 2 bites of turkey on one side and 4 bites on the other. Nothing special and definitely not worth $10! read more

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

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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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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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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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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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

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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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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Amazing place to take in a lot of floral beauty! Their spring flower show is amazing! The place makes you feel like you are in some whole different world. I got some amazing photos there and I have been there at least 3 times. Great gift shop too! 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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This place reminded me of Longwood Garden, just smaller in terms of footprint. Lots of rooms and such inside. The outside garden is super small. We missed it and went back to walk around. We were done in 5 minutes. Inside, the rooms are all well maintained and rooms leading to other rooms and such. The glasswork is vibrant and the interactive portions placed randomly for kids works for them. They curated some rooms to look at holistically and for photos. I thought that was cool. They don't let you go in the curation to preserve its look and I think that's a a good decision. This place is located right next to Carnegie Mellon University. Pretty campus. Parking was easy for us because we got there at opening. They have free parking but it's limited read more

I really enjoy Phipps and definitely make an effort to go every year during the holiday light show. I like the ability to buy tickets online ahead of time so that it wasn't super crowded when you visited. We went on a Sunday afternoon and I was actually surprised by the small size crowd, it was really nice. This year's displays are great just like every year. The only thing I will say I was disappointed in is that since we visited in the afternoon, the outdoor section was not open. I understand that it's obviously better to see the lights at night, but I still would've liked to walk through the section but they had it closed off. FYI - Phipps is stroller-accessible but it might not be the easiest of routes. read more

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I don't know too much about conservatories - I've been to the Anna Scripps Whitcomb conservatory on Detroit's Belle Isle a bunch of times, Matthaei Botanical Gardens out in an Ann Arbor and saw I think just a small portion of what they have at Meijer Gardens in Ann Arbor. Phipps dwarfs the first two and the third I have to grade incomplete. This is a beautiful, immersive, sprawling conservatory, with indoor and outdoor sections, spanning all forms of flora. I really enjoyed my time here and could have spent a good deal more but I was with my slow moving father and we had a Tigers vs Pirates day game to get to at PNC Park. I liked the animal sculptures, particularly the flamingos that utilized actual plant life and the shiny glass sculptures that mimicked flora. Once or twice things verged on being a little too much but they never quite crossed the line into being tacky in my opinion. I'd love to see the holiday light display if I'm ever back in town that time of the year! read more

Phipps Conservatory is a large botanic garden in the middle of the city worth visiting. Once you pay admission, budget two hours to go through it all. Each room has different planets and flowers and areas for kids to touch. Our eight-year-old loved the butterfly area and the outdoor children's garden. She also loved seeing poison frogs and clock roaches in their tanks in the Pana read more

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incredible holiday light display Nice selection of plants inside Beware that snack shop sells ONLY smacks read more

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Amazing! The botanical gardens are so vast and beautiful, and the butterfly garden was stunning! Took my grandma, and we spend hours in here exploring every room. We went for the Jungle Fest themed gardens. read more

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The conservatory was great. Always nicely done. They remodeled the cafe and the food selection is not only cold sandwiches but they provide no condiments for it. It was much better before they renovated. read more

We popped in and took the 2 hrs self guided tour. They had no maps but for the holiday lights display it was fine. We would visit again. read more

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

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