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Free Traveling Guides » States » California » San Diego

Botanical Building

When visiting Balboa Park, the Botanical Building is a must see. This building with the Lily Pond in front is one of the most photographed buildings in Balboa Park. The Botanical Building was built for the 1915-1916 Panama-California Exposition and it is one of the largest lath buildings in the world.

The building houses more than 2,100 permanent plants which include collections of cycads, orchids, ferns, other tropical plants and palms. The Botanical Building is renowned for its seasonal flower displays and attracts thousands of visitors each year.

The Botanical Building was conceived by Alfred D. Robinson, the founder and president of the San Diego Floral Society, and designed by Carleton Winslow. The Botanical Building opened on January 1, 1915 and it was 250 feet long, 75 feet wide and 60 feet tall. The interiors contained palms, bamboos, banana trees and birds like thrushes and canaries were housed in bird cages among the larger plants. However, the bamboo and other plants grew so rapidly that two years after the opening some were removed or cut down.

The famous Lily Pond of Botanical Building is part of the two reflecting ponds, La Lagunita and La Laguna. During World War I, La Laguna was converted into a swimming pool so that sailor of the Naval Training Station, housed at Balboa Park, could learn to swim. After the war, the ponds were put back to their original use.

The Botanical Building was closed from 1941 to 1959 when it underwent massive reconstruction at the cost of $63,500. It underwent another reconstruction which was completed in early 2002.Today the Botanical Building is home to more than 350 species of plants and displays which are seasonally changed.

Admission to the Botanical Building is free.

• Address: 1549 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101
• Telephone: (619) 239-0512
• Hours: 10.00 AM – 4.00 PM (Friday through Wednesday; closed on Thursday and City holidays)
• Website: www.balboapark.org

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