Botanika, Botanical garden and natural history museum in Horn-Lehe, Germany.
Botanika is an indoor botanical garden and science center in Bremen's Rhododendron Park. Its four main greenhouses, covering about 4,000 m², recreate the landscapes of Japan, Borneo and the Himalayas, plus a tropical butterfly house added in 2021. A spiral-shaped Discovery Centre of 1,000 m² holds around 80 interactive exhibits on biodiversity.
Botanika opened in 2003 as a green science center within the Rhododendron Park, with display greenhouses for tropical and subtropical rhododendrons and companion flora. In autumn 2021 a 900 m² tropical house was added, and since August 2017 the site has housed the 2.4-metre, 450-kilogram European Peace Buddha made in Bylakuppe, a gift from the 14th Dalai Lama.
Visitors come here to see tropical plants up close and learn about their natural habitats in a hands-on way. The indoor houses and garden areas show how different climate zones work and what grows in each one.
The visit works well on weekdays when it is less crowded, or on weekends when there is more time to explore. The grounds are flat and easy to navigate, with wide paths between the houses and gardens.
The 2.4-metre, 450-kilogram Buddha for Europe was made in Bylakuppe and given by the 14th Dalai Lama; it has stood in the Himalaya greenhouse since August 2017. The grounds also serve as an outside wedding venue for Bremen's registry office, with ceremonies in the butterfly house, the Japanese garden and before the statue.
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