Milwaukee County Parks
 

Mitchell Park Domes

Open

Wed. - Fri: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Last Entry at 4 p.m.)
Sat. - Sun: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Last Entry at 3 p.m.)

Closed: Monday & Tuesday 

Feel the heat of a desert oasis, the humidity of a tropical jungle and the bright colors of a floral garden…all at one destination! The Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, better known as The Domes, is a living museum filled with plants from across the globe. Visit Milwaukee's most unique destination.

The Domes hosts special events and educational programs throughout the year. All exhibitions are included in admission and free for members.

Reservations no longer required!
We do ask all guests to wear face coverings indoors at all times.

View Our COVID-19 Guidelines

  • Visit
  • Exhibits
  • Learn
  • Membership
  • Rentals
  • Weddings
  • Donate

Explore the Great Indoors! 

Wed. – Fri: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.   
Sat., Sun. & Holidays: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

*The Floral Show Dome will not have a display when it is transitioning between major shows.

Admission

Adults
$8*
Junior (6-17yrs), Students, Person with disability
The Domes are wheelchair-accessible. 
$6*
Child (under 5)
The Domes are stroller-accessible. 
Free
Friends of Domes Member
Free
AHSG Member (max. 2)
Free
Groups (20 people minimum)
Call (414) 257-5600

*Milwaukee County residents get $1 off entry. Resident seniors (60+) get $3 off entry. ID required

Free First Thursdays Suspended Until Further Notice

Due to COVID-19, the free-admission days for Milwaukee County residents are suspended. See other Milwaukee County free days.

New Domes COVID-19 Guidelines

Due to COVID-19, The Domes have updated their viewing guidelines:

  1. New hours: Wed. - Fri. from 9 a.m. -5 p.m. and Sat. - Sun. from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Closed Mon. and Tue.)
  2. Limited services available: The Education Center will be closed, no guided tours and no live programming.
  3. Mask required for everyone 3 and over in all three domes at all times. 
  4. Follow our directional signage throughout The Domes.

On View

All temporary exhibitions are included in admission and free for Friends of The Domes members.

 

Mums, Mosses & Mushrooms

Fall Floral Show: Sept. 25 - Nov. 7

Step inside the Mitchell Park Domes this fall for a colorful kaleidoscope of mums blanketing the floral dome; plus discover marvelous mosses and get ready to be fascinated by fungi with our pop-up mushroom art-gallery. 

 

Explore The Domes

Transportation

Floral Show Dome

Five times a year the Floral Show Dome transforms with unique, themed floral shows. Visit throughout the year for spring flowers, the annual train show and the popular Holiday Show. 

Transportation

Desert Dome

Explore the deserts of Africa, Madagascar, South America and North America. Snap a selfie by giant cacti, seek out succulents, agave and more, and meet Steve, our resident bearded dragon.

View the Desert Dome Map

Transportation

Tropical Dome

Step into the steamy rainsforest and transport yourself to another world. As you explore the jungle look for coffee beans, cocoa pods, bananas and even sausage fruit! You'll find 1,200 species of plants in this dome. 

View the Tropical Dome Map

Rotating Exhibits

The Floral Show Dome transforms five times each year with seasonal displays designed to spark your imagination and showcase seasonal flowers. Shows run between six and 14 weeks and are included with general admission.

 

2021 Floral Show Schedule

Mums, Mosses and Mushrooms
Fall Show: Sept. 25 - Nov. 7

Step inside the Mitchell Park Domes this fall for a colorful kaleidoscope of mums blanketing the floral dome; plus discover marvelous mosses and get ready to be fascinated by fungi with our pop-up mushroom art-gallery. 

 

Holiday Show: Nov. 20 - Jan. 3, 2022

Continue – or start! – a family tradition of visiting The Domes during the holidays.

Events & Programs

While no in-person special events are currently planned, watch for special virtual events coming soon! View the events calendar for upcoming events and programs hosted at the Mitchell Park Domes and Greenhouse No. 7.

View Events Calendar

Group Tours & Educational Opportunities

The Education Center, managed by the Friends of the Domes, offers programming for grades K5 – 12, college, adults, companies, homeschoolers, travel agencies and all youth groups throughout the year. There is an additional charge for guided tours and educational programs.

Learn More

Adult Guided Tours

Each tour is $9/adult. There is a minimum of 20 paid adults per group tour.

Your time with a guide will last 90 minutes. During that time you will be guided through the Show and Desert domes and a self-guided restorative stroll through the Tropical Dome with time left for the gift shop or to revisit a dome. Tours must be reserved three weeks ahead and prepaid five business days before the tour date.

• Around The Domes in 60 Minutes
• Best of the Season
• Horticulture: From Seed to Plant
• Mitchell Park, Conservatory and Greenhouses
• Science and the Conservatory
• Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory: Past, Present and Future

Book a Guided Tour

Schools, Scouts & Camp Tours


School Groups: $7/student* (minimum 20 paid students)
*All Milwaukee County schools or groups will receive a $1 discount with proof of address 

Programming reflects core concepts for each grade.

Kindergarten: Plants, Animals & Their Habitat

1st Grade: What Do Plants & Animals Need to Survive

2nd Grade: Teamwork & the Surroundings

3rd Grade: Environmental Impacts on Plants & Animals

4th Grade: Life Cycles and Traits of Plants & Animals

5th Grade: Energy in Ecosystems

6th-8th Grades: Ecosystems & Human Impact

9th-12th Grades: Biogeography or Resources:  

  • Can You Survive a Desert, a Rainforest?
  • Water, Resources & Population
  • Composting, Vermiculture & Soil
  • Design or substitute a program with the Conservatory Educator

Arrange a Group Visit

About the Plants

Desert Dome

The deserts of the American Southwest as well as Africa, Madagascar, South America and Mexico are represented in the Desert Dome. The Desert Dome is divided geographically into Old Word and New World habitats. Visit the Sonoran, Northern Mexico and even mountainous South American desert plantings. Enjoy the Madagascar collection, where endangered and unusual plant forms find sanctuary, and the South African and Canary Island collections, where you may just see some familiar plants. Around the pool in the oasis, find native crop plants and an ethnobotanical garden. 

Tropical Dome

Tropical rainforests, covering five continents but less than 7 percent of the Earth's land surface, are home to over 15 million species of plants and animals. Rainforests are the most productive and diverse of the Earth's ecosystems. 

In this Dome you'll find tropical fruit trees including star fruit (Averrhoa) and guava (Psidium guajava). You'll discover the source of chocolate and cocoa (Theobroma cacao) as well as flavorings such as vanilla from the vining vanilla orchid. You will also find spices such as cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), turmeric (Curcuma longa) and black pepper (Piper nigrum).

Learn More

Friends of The Domes

The Friends of The Domes is a non-profit support group for The Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory. They organize educational programs and special events at The Domes and manage The Domes Gift Shop.  

As a Friend of The Domes member, you will receive:

  • Free admission to the Conservatory during normal operating hours, 365 days a year
  • Advance notice of special educational programs, speakers and exhibits, many of which are free or discounted to Friends of The Domes members
  • A 10% discount in the Domes Gift Shop, Gifts Under Glass
  • A quarterly newsletter
  • Membership in the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admissions Program
  • The satisfaction of supporting this unique and historic Milwaukee landmark!

 

Become a Member

Rentals at The Domes

Rent Milwaukee’s most unique venue for your next event. Rental spaces include The Domes, the Atrium and Greenhouse No. 7. For very large events, food and beverage stations may be scattered throughout The Domes. 

The Domes Atrium

The Domes offers a one-of-a-kind destination for your event or wedding. Seated events can accommodate 275 guests; cocktail events, up to 500 guests. Air-conditioning and Wi-Fi are available in this area only.

Zilli Hospitality Group is the exclusive caterer at The Domes; this includes both food and beverage. For rental inquires, contact Zillis at (262) 547-9447.

Available: Year round, evenings

Capacity: 275 for seated dinner or 500 for cocktail event

Get More Details

 

 

Greenhouse No. 7 

Greenhouse No. 7, adjacent to the Mitchell Park Domes, gives your guests the illusion of being outside with views that cannot be replicated at any other site. Seated events may accommodate up to 250 guests; cocktail events, up to 600 guests.

Zilli Hospitality Group is the exclusive caterer at The Domes; this includes both food and beverage. For rental inquiries, contact Zillis at (262) 547-9447.

Available: Year round, evenings

Capacity: 250 for seated dinner or 600 for cocktail event

Get More Details

Weddings at The Domes

For a truly unique wedding, have your ceremony, for up to 50 people, in the Tropical, Desert or Show dome at the Mitchell Park Domes during regular hours. Bookings are accepted up to three years in advance. 

Availabilty: Year-round during normal operating hours except on days when special events are scheduled.

Time Period per Ceremony Permit: Two hours

Capacity: 50 

During Regular Operating Hours: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are not taking wedding permit requests at this time.

After-hours Ceremony: For an after-hours ceremony, larger private rentals are available and may include a reception. In addition to using the three domes, private events may be held in Greenhouse No. 7. Bookings are accepted up to three years in advance. Private rentals, call (262) 547-9447 

Daytime Wedding Ceremonies

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are not taking wedding permit requests at this time.

Wedding ceremonies with up to 50 guests can be held in the Tropical, Desert or Show domes at any time of the year during regular public open hours. A ceremony permit is required for ceremonies, plus admission per person. Permits are for two hours and include photography at your selected site. For private ceremonies, an after-hours rental is required.

Photography

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are not taking photography permit requests at this time.

The Tropical, Arid and Show domes make stunning backdrops for wedding or engagement photos. A Photography Permit must be completed, approved by Domes management, processed and payment received to reserve time at the Domes to take photographs.

Friends of The Domes

Make Financial Contributions & Volunteer

The Friends of The Domes, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, directly channels both financial and volunteer resources – along with staff time – to make possible many of the educational, scientific and cultural programs at Milwaukee's Living Landmark.

The Friends of the Domes mission is to promote and support the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory and the surrounding park by creating and enhancing the visitor experience of this globally significant urban destination.

Learn More!

 

 

Find a New Home for Your Plants: The Domes!

If you have plants that for one reason or another you no longer want, consider donating them to The Domes!

To begin the donation process, snap a photo or two of your plant, then fill out the application. Next, a Milwaukee County Parks horticulturists will review your application. If your plant is accepted, you will be contacted to arrange a time for you to bring the plant to The Domes.
 

Complete Your Plant Donation Application

 

 

 

 

Take a Virtual Tour

Mitchell Park Domes logo

How to Find Us

524 S. Layton Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53215. (414) 257-5600

Amenities

  Free Parking Available

  Wheelchair Accessible

  Gift Shop

 

 

Partners

MILWAUKEE COUNTY PARKS

9480 W. Watertown Plank Road
Wauwatosa, WI 53226
(414) 257-PARK (7275)


Connect with us on Nextdoor

EXPLORE

CONSERVATION

DONATE

RENTAL GUIDE

2020 rentals guide

This site is powered by the Northwoods Titan Content Management System

Menu

X