While In: Edmonton - Muttart Conservatory

If you're traveling to Edmonton by yourself or with family, you might want to check out the beautiful Muttart Conservatory, nestled in the lovely Edmonton river valley.  Comprised of four glass interconnected pyramids, the conservatory hosts three different climate displays, plus one rotating showcase gallery. This is a great chance to pull out your camera and take some photographs, especially on rain days.

Looking from inside one pyramid to another on a stormy day

Bordered on two sides by the North Saskatchewan River, there is also an ample outdoor green space surrounding the Conservatory, which I found perfect for relaxing in the sunshine (once it came out!) but you might find it nice for a picnic too.  If you visit during nice weather, you'll likely also see at least one wedding party or high school prom-goers coming to the area for photographs.

Inside, you'll find the Tropical zone, Temperate zone, and Arid zones represented by the plants, flowers (and in the tropical zone, fish) from areas around the world.  Metalheads might be interested in Putrella (Pew-trella) - the "Giant Corpse Flower" or "Titum Arum", nature's tallest flowering plant, but you'll also see other, less brutally-named plants.

Hydrangea in the Muttart Conservatory

The Conservatory has a small gift shop as well, however I found it lacking in one important thing; batteries.  I ended up not getting nearly as many photos as I would have liked because early on in the tropical zone, my batteries died... and my extras were on the charger back in my hotel!


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Visit: The Muttart Conservatory Web Pages

Want more ideas for what to see and do in Edmonton? Click the "Edmonton" label and check out my recommendations!