DETROIT (WWJ) — After more than two years of renovations, the country’s oldest conservatory, right here in Detroit, is once again open.
The 120-year-old Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservancy on Belle Isle reopened to visitors on Wednesday after receiving a $10 million renovation.
Work on the conservatory, which began in November 2022, included replacing the glass panes of the greenhouse dome and other structural restoration.
WWJ Newsradio 950’s Mike Campbell reported roughly 1,500 glass panels were replaced, protecting exotic plants from the harsh Michigan winters and giving them enough sunlight to thrive.
Other improvements included:
• New concrete floor and planter walls in the showroom.
• New roof, ceiling, ceiling fans, glass and exterior limestone panels in the vestibule.
• New glass in the cactus and tropical house from the gutters up.
• Sidewalk repairs and new concrete for the Lake Tacoma overlook in the gardens.
To mark the end of the long wait for reopening, officials cut in half the large “closed” sign that hung in front of the conservatory’s front gates.
“While the journey may have taken many more steps than anticipated, we think you’ll be pleased with where it has led us,” officials said in a Facebook post Wednesday. “And there are many an improvement yet to come…..don’t forget to look up and have a great day everyone.”
The non-profit Belle Isle Conservancy raised $2.5 million for the renovation, while funds from the American Rescue Plan Act also contributed to the project.
The conservatory will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. It is free to get in the building, but you must pay admission to get onto the island or have the state’s Recreation Passport sticker on your license plate.
More information on the conservatory can be found on Facebook, while more information on Belle Isle is available on the park’s website.