Milwaukee's Mitchell Park
Horticultural Conservatory

Mitchell Park Domes

Summer Floral Show

The Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory’s Show Dome is transformed 5 times each year. Each Show Dome display has a specific theme, generally categorized as historical, cultural or fantasy, and is chosen at least a year in advance. Plants are selected specifically for a particular floral exhibit and grown in the Greenhouses located at the Mitchell Park Domes. Once in place, a show may last from six to fourteen weeks.

Friends of the Mitchell Park DomesMilwaukee County Parks

Rotating Exhibits / Events

  • Ultra Violet Summer Floral Show

    JUNE 10 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2017

    Summer of 2017 is Ultra Violet.  A rare opportunity to see the Show Dome done up entirely in purple. The show will feature a garden of  'Jams 'N Jellies Blueberry' Vinca, very fragrant Heliotrope and 'Purple Flash' Ornamental Peppers, leaves of Purple: Strobilanthes Persian Shield, Coleus 'Fishnet Stockings' and Setcreasea 'Purple Fuzz". Accompanying these purple plants and flowers will be a collection of modern and abstract sculpture pieces all created in shades of violet, lavender and purple

    Orchid Show and Sale

    SEPTEMBER 16, 9AM - 5PM AND SEPTEMBER 17, 9AM - 4PM

    Orchid displays, exhibits and programs showcasing this amazing exotic plant           

    Wisconsin Bat Festival

    AUGUST 26, 2017 - 9AM - 5PM AND 7PM - 9PM

    We are so excited to announce that the Wisconsin Bat Festival is coming to Mitchell Park Domes on August 26th. The WI Bat Festival has travelled to other locations in the past and this year it’s here. Celebrate the unique and vital role of bats in ecosystems as pollinators, seed-dispersers and insect eaters while eliminating misinformation that has created needless fears and has threatened bats and their habitats around the world.

    The festival features activities for children, families, educators and conservation professionals everywhere. Presentations, speakers, live animals, hands-on activities, games for kids, and interactive exhibits provide a full day of fun and environmental education.  If that’s not enough, you can take a guided tour in the tropical and desert to learn about the bat-dependent plants in the domes.

    Our featured speaker, Rob Mies, executive director of the Organization for Bat Conservation, will present Bats of the World. This is a unique opportunity to come up close with bats from around the world! See the world’s largest bat, a Malayan flying fox that has a wing span of six feet as well as fruit bats from Africa and Asia, vampire bats, and Wisconsin’s native bat species. During the festival, the Bat Science Symposium will feature bat and WNS experts from USGS National Wildlife Health Center, US Forest Service, universities and Wisconsin DNR. Presenters will address a variety of topics, including the latest white-nose syndrome research and the state’s response to the recent arrival of this devastating bat-killing invasive fungus. Finally, to round out your day, you can join the bat experts for a Science Night where we will watch bats emerge at sunset and talk about more amazing aspects of the bat world, 7:00pm – 9:00pm, at the Mitchell Park Domes. 

    Regular Domes Admission Applies.  FREE TO FRIENDS OF THE DOMES MEMBERS.