United States Botanic Garden, Botanical garden at Capitol Hill, Washington, United States
The United States Botanic Garden is a federal garden on Capitol Hill in Washington that displays more than 26,000 plant species from all climate zones in greenhouses and outdoor grounds. The main structure is a large glass conservatory with ten themed chambers recreating deserts, rainforests, and temperate zones.
The foundation goes back to a plan from 1820 supported by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. The conservatory moved to its current site near the Capitol in 1933 and opened to the public there.
The name reflects the federal mission to collect and study native and exotic plants for public education and research. Today visitors watch school groups move through the glass rooms and families explore the tropical spaces on weekends.
The garden is located at 100 Maryland Avenue SW and is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00, with free admission. All pathways inside the conservatory and outdoor areas are wheelchair accessible.
Four plants in the collection trace directly to the Wilkes Expedition of 1838, including ferns descended from specimens gathered during the global sea voyage. These living connections to early American exploration continue to grow in the conservatory.
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