Oklahoma City KEY - Cover Story

The exhibit will be on display in the Conservatory’s south lobby through April 27. The display will feature seldom-seen photos and compelling narrative in a retrospective of the Myriad Botanical Gardens and its crown jewel — the Crystal Bridge.

In the past 15 years the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory in downtown Oklahoma City’s Myriad Botanical Gardens has transformed from a sparse greenhouse into a dense tropical jungle teeming with life. Palm trees that once stood at eye level are now competing to reach the crown of the 70-foot tall Conservatory. A small family of lizards that hitched a ride from Florida on tropical plants introduced into the Bridge has grown to hundreds. And vines that started out as little more than bare roots are now covering the tropical rain forest.

On Tuesday, March 25, the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory will be celebrating its 15th Anniversary. As a part of the celebration, the Crystal Bridge will be open free to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors wanting to learn more about the exotic plant and animal life in the Crystal Bridge can take a self-guided tour of the Conservatory. Docents will be located throughout the Crystal Bridge to answer questions about the flora and fauna.

At the heart of the 17-acre outdoor grounds is the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. The 224-foot-long, architecturally-acclaimed, tubular Conservatory is an ecological refuge overflowing with exotic animal and plant life. Representing plants from the rain forest to the desert region, this “living plant museum” houses thousands of unusual plants from around the world. Visitors can relax among endangered palm trees and rare orchids or trek the Adventure Walk up a 35-ft, vine-covered waterfall for a birds-eye view of the Conservatory’s spectacular plant life.

The Myriad Botanical Gardens is located at Reno and Robinson in downtown Oklahoma City. Admission is $5 for adults, $3.50 for seniors and students and $2.50 for children age 4-12. For more information, call 297-3995.

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