| General Tour Information |
| The Des Moines Botanical and Environmental Center is open daily from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., 7 days a week. Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Admission rates are as follows: |
| 3 and under – free
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| students 4-17 - $3.00
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| adults - $5.00 |
| seniors (65+) - $4.00 |
| Groups may pay by cash, check, credit card or purchase order. |
| Allow 45 minutes-one hour for dome tours, with additional time for the outdoor gardens, gift shop, and café. |
| To schedule a group tour, call or e-mail the Education Coordinator at 515-283-8753 or peckumn@botanicalcenter.com. |
| Brochures for self-guided tours of the dome and the bonsai collection are available at the Admissions Desk. |
| The Riverwalk Café in the Botanical and Environmental Center serves lunch from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call 515-323-6288 for reservations or more information. |
| Photography is permitted indoors and outdoors. Professional photographers need to inquire about special fees for the use of the dome or grounds (call 515-323-6290). |
| Floral exhibits in the show beds are changed quarterly and special events are scheduled throughout the year. |
| The dome is wheelchair accessible except for the balcony overlooking the central flower beds. The riverfront gardens are accessible by wide blacktop pathways. The specialty gardens have crushed brick pathways and may require some wheelchair assistance. |
| Adult Tour Information |
| Guided and self-guided tours are available (minimum of two weeks notice for guided tours). Call 515-283-8753 or e-mail peckumn@botanicalcenter.com. |
| If you have a group of more than 15 and would like to eat lunch in the Riverwalk Cafe, please call in advance for reservations, 515-323-6288. |
| Group Tour Information |
| The Botanical and Environmental Center is an ideal site for a group tour visit where your guests can enjoy the beautiful tropical setting of the conservatory and also the various outdoor gardens. Easy access to I-235, ample free parking and handicapped accessibility combined with the spectacular tropical floral setting make the Botanical and Environmental Center a popular place to visit while in the Des Moines Metro area. Guided tours are available for groups of 10 or more people. A reservation is required for all guided tours however; self guided tours are also available which do not require any arrangements in advance. A series of stimulating education presentations are also available exclusively to motorcoach groups. These lectures are presented by the Botanical Center horticulture staff. Presentations are approximately 30 minutes. Please contact Gail Peckumn at 515-283-8753 or e-mail peckumn@botanicalcenter.com to arrange for a guided group tour and/or education presentation (minimum of two weeks notice). The following presentations are available: |
| Roses |
| Best hardy roses for fragrance and a long flowering season. |
| Herb Study |
| Favorite herbs to grow in the garden and in the house for fragrance and flavor. |
| Orchids |
| Not as fragile as you think. Easy to do tips on watering, light, temperature, repotting, fertilizing. |
| Bonsai |
| Take home all the knowledge you will need. Get the basic techniques for practicing the ancient Japanese art of growing dwarf trees in pots. |
| Deer Resistant Plants |
| A discussion with handout of trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, vines and groundcovers that deer generally do not eat. |
| Container Gardening |
| Learn how to incorporate all-season color and fragrance for indoor, yard and deck gardens. |
| Terrariums |
| Understand how to plant a terrarium for desk or tabletop, using miniature foliage and flowering plants. |
| House Plant Bonsai |
| Discover how to get the effect of an authentic bonsai working with your plants at home. Even fairly common houseplants, such as jade plant, geranium, and some begonias can appear authentic. |
| Make sure your itinerary includes a visit to our Garden Gate Gift Shop to find unique gifts handmade by over twenty Iowa artists and also a delicious lunch in our new Riverwalk Café. For lunch reservations or inquiries, please call the café at 515-323-6288. |
| Student Group Tour Information |
| · The education coordinator and volunteers of the Des Moines Botanical and Environmental Center are dedicated to taking an active role in helping student visitors develop a greater appreciation for plants and flowers and their role in people’s lives. |
| · Reservations for groups of 10 or more are essential so you are able to receive proper service and obtain our special group rates: |
| 3 and under – free |
| students 4-17 - $2.00 |
| adults - $4.00 |
| seniors (65+) - $3.00
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| teachers, chaperones (for school groups), bus driver – complimentary |
| · The Education Coordinator can provide you with all of the information needed to plan a successful trip. To schedule a tour, call 515-283-8753 or e-mail peckumn@botanicalcenter.com. |
| · Student groups require chaperones. We recommend one adult for every 8-10 children in elementary school groups. Chaperones must stay with their assigned students during the entire visit. |
| It is helpful to remind your students of the following rules of conduct prior to their tour of the Botanical Center: |
| 1. Walk on paths and walkways – no running. |
| 2. Stay with your assigned group. |
| 3. Use indoor voices in the Dome. |
| 4. You may touch plants, leaves and flowers carefully, but do not touch fish or animals. |
| Student Group Options |
| · Tours can be guided or self-guided. Guided tours last about 45 minutes-one hour. Tour guides lead groups of 8-15 students through the Dome to learn about interesting plants and their adaptations to desert or rainforest habitats. During busy seasons, we need at least 2 weeks notice to schedule a guided tour. |
| · Scavenger hunt sheets can be made available for use during self-guided tours. There are four different levels of scavenger hunt sheets (Kindergarten, 1st-2nd grades, 3rd-5th grades, and middle school). These sheets help your students focus on some of the plant highlights in the Dome. |
| · K-6th grade teachers may also choose to have a slide show before their scheduled tour. Slide show tours book very quickly in the spring months and are subject to availability of classrooms. Slide shows are approximately 15 minutes and are shown prior to the dome tour. The available slide shows are: |
| (1) “Observing Plants”– kindergarten – plant colors, smells, sizes, shapes, textures, and distinct characteristics of certain plants in dome. |
| (2) “Plant Growth and Care”– 1st-2nd grades – looks at different kinds of seeds, what’s inside seeds, how to plant a seed, and what seeds need to grow into a healthy plant. |
| (3) “Seeds to Plants: Life Cycles with Oscar Orange”– 1st-3rd grades – follow Oscar Orange from seed to fruit to store and purchase; also includes parts of seeds and plants, types of roots, and some common plant uses. |
| (4) “Leaves”– 3rd-5th grades – leaf sizes, shapes, symmetry, types of leaf margins (e.g. lobed, smooth, ribbed, etc.), types of vein patterns (e.g. pinnate, palmate, parallel), photosynthesis carried out by leaves. |
| (5) “Habitats in the Dome”– 3rd-6th grades - discusses characteristics, adaptations, and examples of plants that live in desert and tropical rainforest habitats |
| (6) “Plant Reproduction”– 4th-7th grades – show examples of reproduction from seeds, as wells as vegetative reproduction from roots, stems, shoots, cacti pads, offsets, buds, leaves, and plantlets. |
| Parking |
| · Unloading areas for buses and bus parking are located in front of the center and around the perimeter of the parking lot. |
| · Car parking is available in the parking lot or along the street. |
| Directions |
| The Des Moines Botanical and Environmental Center is located in the heart of downtown Des Moines, just north of Interstate 235. |
| Eastbound on I-235-I-235-take the E. 6th St. exit, turn right on E. 6th then turn right on Des Moines St, to “T” intersection turn right on Robert D. Ray Dr. go under I-235 on the right. |
| Westbound on I-235-take the E. 6th St. exit, turn left on E. 6th then turn right on Des Moines St, to “T” intersection turn right on Robert D. Ray Dr. go under I-235 on the right. |
| Eastbound on University Ave., cross the bridge and immediately turn right on E. 6th St., turn right on Robert D Ray Dr. The Botanical Center will be on the left. |
| Westbound on University Ave, turn left on E. 6th St (just before the bridge), turn right on Robert D Ray Dr. The Botanical Center will be on the left. |
| East or west bound on Grand Ave, turn north on Robert D Ray Dr, continue under the I235 overpass, the Botanical Center will be on the right hand side. |
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The Des Moines Botanical & Environmental Center welcomes your comments and questions. If you have questions,
or comments about the botanical & environmental center e-mail us at botanicalcenter@botanicalcenter.com
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