Dorothy Chapman
Fuqua Conservatory
The Dorothy Chapman Fuqua Conservatory was opened in 1989 to highlight the botanical richness of selected tropical and desert regions around the world, and to educate visitors on issues of conservation and plant use. The 16,000-square-foot Fuqua Conservatory requires heat, hand-watering, ventilation and occasional organic pest control and fertilizers to maintain optimal climates. Sensors throughout poll each minute, measuring light, humidity and temperature, and motorized ventilation systems adjust accordingly.
The Fuqua Conservatory is divided into five main display areas.
Tropical Rotunda
Experience the world’s lushest climate where more than half of the planet’s plants and animals live: Earth’s equatorial tropics. The Dorothy Chapman Fuqua Conservatory’s Tropical Rotunda houses plants from many tropical regions throughout the world.
Orangerie
Discover the plants behind familiar foods and other products in the Orangerie inside the Dorothy Chapman Fuqua Conservatory, where economically, medicinally and industrially significant plants from around the world are grown and displayed.
Desert House
Look, but don’t touch! The Desert House inside the Dorothy Chapman Fuqua Conservatory celebrates the surprising diversity and harsh beauty of the desert habitats of southern Africa and Madagascar.
Special Collections Exhibits
Discover seasonal displays that highlight unique plant groups, adaptations and help connect people with plants in new ways.