Krohn Conservatory
1501 Eden ParkCincinnati, Ohio 45202
513-421-4086 | cincinnatiparks.com/krohn
Krohn Conservatory
In the early twentieth century, the Krohn Conservatory became a staple of Eden Park, connecting visitors to architecture and exotic plants from around the world.
Eden Park, which began with purchases for Nicholas Longworth’s winery in 1859, developed as a center for art and culture in the mid-nineteenth century for a growing Cincinnati. Residents built a number of small greenhouses in 1894 for growing plants, and the park added a new greenhouse in 1902 designed for public display, which welcomed more than 300,000 visitors within two years. In 1933, the Cincinnati Park Board replaced the structures with an Art Deco style building that still stands today. Four years later, the Park Board officially named the conservatory after Irwin M. Krohn who served on the Board of Park Commissioners for twenty-years. A plaque within the entrance of the conservatory recognizes his service.
Since the conservatory’s early years, room additions, a giftshop, a new entrance, and a terrace garden have been added to the building and property. Today, the Conservatory houses more than 1,000 plant species from around the world divided between six permanent display areas: the Fern house, Palm house, Desert house, Orchid House, Floral Display House and Bonsai display. The conservatory hosts five annual flower shows and a yearly butterfly show.
The Fern House and Palm House replicate rainforests, with an abundance of plant species. The Fern House is looped with ferns, vanilla and guava, and the paths of the Palm House weave between palm trees, hanging vines, and a twenty-foot waterfall with a walkway underneath. Each species is labeled, and pamphlets available at the front desk assist in locating and identifying specific plants.