It’s truly unbelievable. The worst damage in the history of this 105-year-old American institution. While there has been hail damage in the past, it only ever amounted to a few panes of glass.

This is totally different.

DONATIONS

They need help folks. Desperately. There are rare plant species, everything from tropicals to succulents. Not to mention the critters, like turtles, who call this place their home. Undoubtedly there will be fundraisers in the near future and below is the first. Also below is a direct link to the donation page at the conservatory:

HISTORY

Designed by Jens Jensen, this stunning 19th-century conservatory is on the National Register of Historic Places. The propagation greenhouses also provide plants for Chicago’s parks. Needless to say, this is a catastrophic disaster.