Reviews of Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory (Tourist Attraction)

Ingramar Miller

One of my best friends got married here over the weekend. The conservatory was beautiful and well maintained. The record keeping could be better, but the staff was very cordial, except the young boy at the gate. Overall, a very nice place to visit.

Nicole Whitaker

Beautiful conservatory! They have plants from all over the world. My boyfriend and I really enjoyed our visit here as it gave us to chance to do something different.

Alex C

Gorgeous building. Absolutely worth a quick walk around. Will be a haven to anyone interested in flora.

Kelly Hatch

And place worth seeing in Belle Isle.

Elizabeth Johnson

Beautiful conservatory and gardens. Although the best part of the trip for the little ones will be the playground the conservatory should not be missed. Room after room of exotic plants, a large and peaceful front garden, and exciting koi pond.

celeste elechi

Love this place! They have a little scavenger hunt for kids.

Bethany

Absolutely beautiful. Great variety of plants.

Dane Peterson

Gorgeous art deco conservatory / greenhouse gardens. The structure is beautiful on the outside and is full of nice Pathways and walkways on the inside. Different areas are separated by different rooms. Some are very dry summer a lot more humid. The walkways are set up well even for small children and it is easy to get around with a stroller or wheelchair as there are no inclines or stairs.

Brian Zoebisch

What an excellent collection! If you are fond of plants, this collection is very impressive. There are several dedicated rooms including the "Palm House" with some very impressive Palms, the "Desert House" that has some really amazing Cacti and Succulents, and a "Fern House" as well as some other rooms and an outdoor pond area and a very large garden. This is the longest continually-running Conservatory (right next to the first Aquarium in the US), and it is a "must-see" for plant lovers. The hours are Wednesday - Sunday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m, at the time this review was written. I find Wednesday to probably be the best day with the fewest crowds. Usually though, my experience has been that it doesn't get terribly crowded. Bell Isle is a great place close to the city where you can spend an afternoon. If you have a recreational pass (registration sticker is $11 when you renew to add access to Michigan parks), there is no fee. I believe it is around $9 per vehicle otherwise if you are coming from out of state. Personally, if you live in Michigan it is well worth $11 for access to all of the state parks. But specifically in Bell Isle, the state troopers will fine you if they spot your vehicle without the registration pass or a day pass. Entrance to the Conservatory is free.

Jesse Brown

The Anna Scripps Observatory is none of my favorite places to visit and bring guests. The sights, smells and atmosphere keeps me coming back. I enjoy plants, herbs and nature so I especially like coming during the summer. It's a must to visit here when you come to Belle Isle and they have done so much on the island that you will want to come out to see the improvements anyway.

Phyllis Thomas

Looks like a very Natural setting to get away to the Every Day Stresses..Just imagine having Butterflies land on ones head arm shoulder...Part of Nature is all around You

Patricia Curry

Had a great time with my family and friends.

Jayke Brown

Awesome place full to the brim with plants. It made my partner feel like home because of the tropical area which even had oranges growing on trees, bananas growing and more. Love the price...free. Cannot wait to visit again!

Mr E

Great time with the family! Very warm inside.

Michael Desoff

Amazing collection of plants beautifully laid out

Paul Sablack

My family and I really love everything that Belle Isle has to offer I have been going there since the year of 1993 and I now take my children since it is a state park they have done a complete 360 with it and they're actually taking pride in Belle Isle once again has become a family-friendly place to visit and hang out

Eric Mullins

Best in detroit

Salty Snack

Absolutely beautiful!! It has a classic old charm that you just dont see any more

Michelle Rebain

I liked being upstairs on the boat.My cousin took a picture of me rowing the boat.

Cecile W.

Good spot for a visit if you out and about near Belle Isle, worth the visit.

Russ McBride

Very interesting plants

Gabrielle Toupin

Beautiful all year long. The detail and planning can be seen and respected throughout the greenhouse in every room. The best part is while the overall place remains the same plants are constantly changing so a trip every few months is worth it.

Burt G

Very quant and lovely conservatory. Much larger than I expected. Nice spot to go to in the cold winter.

Yuliya Koval

Very beautiful place. Have been coming here for 20 years and love it. Always different variety of flowers that are constantly blooming.

Ed Peters

A must see in Michigan beautiful place.

John Davis

Love this place. No better way to spend a day in Detroit.

Brittany D

I like it because of the different flowers and different plants and different fruit come from the plant I just like it

Chris Gallmeier

Incredible feature in the park. They do a great job! We brought relatives from out of town to the conservatory and we were extremely impressed. Free with entry to the park... they do except donations. Go ahead and chip in... we'll be back.

Durvank Yewle

All kinds of tropical and desert plants. They have from giant banyan tree to time cactus where you can’t even see the thorns There is nice green field in front of conservatory - can be used to organise public functions if available

Tj Young

A piece of Detroit history. It's a must see nature attraction that takes a lot of care by the people who work it. The Aquarium is amazing, too!

Jeff Jaje

If you visit Belle Isle you should walk through the conservatory. It only takes a few minutes, but there are some interesting things to see, which normally are not found in Michigan.

Dave Stafford

A beautiful facet of the hidden jewel that is Belle Isle. It's free, but they accept donations. Thousands of plants, trees, and flowers. Outdoor gardens as well. Make sure you visit if you are at Belle Isle. Don't forget it's a state park now, so you need a pass.

Mary Pero

This conservatory is amazing. Love the different types of flowers and cactus.

Hannah Thomas

Love this place always gives me ideas

Nathaniel Williams

,Very nice

Shihan Qu

Outrageously beautiful for being free

Detroit Snapshot photography

Great place to take your family spend quality time with one another.

Jayy brandel

Such a beautiful realxing place

marilyn elie

First aquarium in the United States. Built by a wealthy businessman who loved the one he visited in Europe. Located on Belle Isle in Detroit and part of the Arboretum complex. Wonderful educator in charge. Knowledgable, enthusiastic and a dynamic storyteller. Hiring her is part of Detroit's comeback and the restoration of Belle Isle. This aquarium was an unexpected delight and a great insight into the history of Detroit.

Aubrey Kalota

Future couples please read this before booking your wedding at the Belle Isle Conservatory aka the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory. I've waited for a response from staff at the Conservatory to see how they handled the issues they created on my wedding day which nearly ruined our ceremony. They have failed in every way possible and are completely ill-equipped to handle wedding events.

Jennifer Chandler

Very well done

Lisica's Lounge

If you ever visit Detroit this is a MUST SEE! During spring/summer/fall days this conservatory shines inside and out! From a beautiful Koi Pond to the surround manicured lawns and landscape, this place is a Photographers dream for any sort of pictures from Wedding to Yearbook photos. Inside you will first encounter palm tree that is over 70yrs old(come see it within a couple years because it will have to be cut down and a new palm planted. The palm is getting too big for the conservatories Dome). You'll experience jungle plants to desert plants all with a few steps of eachother! A must see!

Michael Herman

Beautiful greenhouses with all sorts of plants and flowers. A great place for picture taking or just enjoying the atmosphere. The people here are all wonderfully knowledgeable.

TheyCallMeDarkk

Beautiful restoration.

Dave Smith

Very serene and tranquil place. Just wish it was open. Visited during off-season

Michael Pinto

Beautiful manicured gardens and tropical greenhouse

Steve Thomas

This conservatory is small but really nice. What a wonderful place to spend an Arctic January day!

Crystal Policelli

Beautiful such as amazing place to visit

Shop Girl

Amazingly beautiful. I never thought the tallest palm tree i see in my life thus far would be in Detroit. Its like a mini tropical jungle. Definetly check this olace out in the winter time. Its like a mini mini get away. So warm.

Ricky Patel

Amazing, great for kids and the family. Beautifully created.

R. York Moore

Super awesome 100+ year old palm trees

Nora Altenbaugh

Nicely restored. Beautiful plants. The ladies at the front and the workers walking around were very nice and helpful

Molly Hawkins

Free to the public. Wonderful place. So many types of flowers and plants. Beautiful wedding spot.

Anna Q

Very peaceful spot to take a walk, spend some time in the park. Get a bite to eat. Great was to spend a Sunday afternoon

Chasity Ashby

Beautiful. Best part of Belle Isle for a nature lover.

Gerri McIntosh

Took my friend from Florida to Belle Isle. Had a wonderful day. She hadn't seen Downtown Detroit in a while Very impressed.

Eugene Zarzecki

Always nice to visit

Michael Holzhauer

Great place to visit. You can feel the extra oxygen in the air! Beautiful plants! Very cool.

Patrick White

Love this place!

Ang G

This is probably one of few conservatories/aquariums that is free to the public. The conservatory is a nice trip and a must see on the Belle Isle tour. There was a nice display of various climates and foilage. Sadly, the aquarium has limited weekend hours, so we missed that. Make another loop from the entrance and go to Scott Fountain too!

Brian Flemming

If you are planning to have a wedding ceremony here, please consider going somewhere else. We had a terrible experience, and the staff has been rude to us and not followed up appropriately with our issues. We lost over $1,000 in equipment rentals due to the miscommunications with the park staff. It's a shame, because it's a beautiful location. If you want to book an event here, don't do it. Fair warning.

Gabrielle Trader

Was there for a wedding. It's a unique venue, very pretty with a variation of plants. It is currently undergoing construction, but it was fun to walk around and see the different plants, each room is unique. There are conservatory cats that wander around that are neat to watch too.

Zlatko Rauker

Great place with the variety of flowers

Ace Nicole

Beautiful walk through exhibits. A bit of remodeling seems to be going on, but it's still a great day date!

contessa m

Great. Right on bell isle,park and recreation. Next door to small aquarium that's free

Paul Dalecke

Beautiful and unusual plants and flowers.

jose ferrer

Gorgeous Light Pleasing

Shaina Marie

Beautiful is an understatement. Even if you just come to Belle isle for this, it’s worth the trip

John Zeke

This place is well taken care of. Many more plants than you would expect for the size of it. Plants are in great shape and appeared to be very healthy.

Andrei Gal

Found same thing that home depot sells 15% cheaper plus you get an additional 11% discount. So from now on i will shop more here l.

Stevie Cote

We love the Conservatory and visit it several times a year. It is always gorgeous, educational, and relaxing.

Harris Robinson

Great location clean and safe

Jacob Daniel

Such a beautiful place! Was closed last time i went but definitely worth checking out!

Megan Wilcox

Beautiful building, one of my favorites in Detroit. Great variety of plants inside, and the grounds around it are nice as well. Definitely a fun place to stop by on a nice day, or even when it's snowing to see it surrounded by snow.

Ellen Finn

There's so many wonderful beautiful plants in the conservatory. Many of them are decades-old which makes them even more interesting. There is a pond outside, fenced-in, that has beautiful outdoor plants around that in gigantic koi that are 30 and 40 years old. Plenty of babies too!

A.D DLF

Absolutely love this place. I go several times a year. They even have rare blooms on display.

Me Wi

Beautiful! We stayed inside with our troupe but the plants, variety, and foliage were stunning. Love the banana tree and the huge palm inside is breathtaking. Had about 45 mins and that was enough time but will carve out more for the next trip. Don't miss this place

Rick Smoke

Very nice historic conservatory

benny richard

I had a wonderful experience at the Nature Center. I stopped there just to see if it would be worthwhile to take my grandsons. It is definitely worthy of a trip. I highly recommend going there so that the children can see various animals in their natural, albeit small, environment. Snacks, various turtles, bees, and frogs, to name a few. Please go if you can. You will not be disappointed.

Mark Tremel

Tropical. Plants of all kinds from all ecosystems. The tropical plants are the most beautiful to me. A favorite winter destination in Detroit. Recently renovated and looking incredible, the conservatory is to me the best part of Belle Isle. If you have time, visit the aquarium too.

susan poma

Beautiful! Enjoyed our time there very much! Well maintained. Great free local attraction.

Tia Daniel

Beautiful wedding venue! My baby brother and his bride are very pleased with their big day

Vicki Rosser

This was beautiful. We were on vacation and while waiting for the rest of our party to arrive in Detroit, we took a side trip to the conservatory. They had such a great variety of plant life.

Sue-Anne Norrick

Crazy variety of plants, many never seem by anyone in our group before. Lovely setting as well.

Andrew Stewart

This place is so beautiful love the environment wonderful place to take picturesavailable magic place to impress a nice person

Jason Fischer

Beautiful is all I'm gonna say

Jesse Harrison

Well kept, and very lively, beautiful plants

Denis Cash

Really a wonderful visit. An incredible variety of species on display, all well-cared for. One of Detroit's hidden gems. See also the aquarium and the shipping museum while you're there.

BIG GUY for hire Moving Labor Services

Pretty small but very nice place unexpectedly beautiful for its locale

Jason Castleberry

One of the best kept secrets!

Davis Porter

One of Belle Isle's many attractions. Beautiful tropical botanical garden and Koi pond. Next to one of America's oldest aquariums. Picturesque outdoor location for wedding ceremonies! I know two couples that have married here and I hope to do the same someday.

Fraser Romeo

Belle Isle Conservancy is definitely worth a visit. It is in a heritage building and on the smaller side. That being said they really managed to make use of the space and showcase as many different kinds of plants as possible. The place is really well kept up and clean. The staff were all really friendly. There is lots of parking available.

Cheryl Milliner

Beautiful inside and outside. Large koi pond outside.

Aaron Margerum

Amazing architecture, very warm friendly place. Very family oriented. It's like stepping through time when visiting this place. It's neat to see how far aquariums have come.

patrick costyk

Looking forward to having this place back for the winter, always a spot to feel some moisture in the air during a cold winter's day!

Ce Coz

Wonderful relaxing experience, and its free.

Sharon McKee

Belle Isle is a hidden gem! Both the Conservatory and the Aquarium are so beautiful and interesting, and a perfect way to spend a few hours, either with kids or just adults. (They are both historical structures. The docents are knowledgeable and friendly, and willing to answer questions.) The Conservatory has several types of climate areas. Be aware that it is very hot in some of them, especially the cactus/succulent area. There is also an outdoor seating area by the pond, accessible from inside the conservatory. Photo opportunities galore! Don’t forget to walk around outside the building where there are beautiful gardens, too. They book parties and weddings in the Conservatory. Admission is free with Belle Isle State Park entry.

Matthias Hamm

Great place to visit. Nice jazzy music and full of beautiful plants.

brenda lackey

Beautiful. More people than I've seen in years

Roger H

Beautiful & unusual plants

Plum Health DPC

What can you say about the Belle Isle conservatory other than it’s a gem

Regulo Fernandez

I think you have to fix it a bit

Jim Miller

Real Education on Beauty around us.

retrojoe87

Lots of history and gorgeous plants.

Laura Ford

Love Belle Isle! We had our wedding ceremony here and it was beautiful! The conservatory interior can accommodate up to 30 guests. For an intimate celebration I highly recommend renting the space. The photos were lovely. The only negative could be if it is a hot day, the room will be quite warm. Didn't bother us, and our guests had paper fans to keep them comfortable.

Keith Powers

This place was absolutely amazing! So much historical significance and live exhibits. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and personable. She really made an enjoyable trip into an outstandingly memorable one. Thank you!

Paul J Baresi

Great place to see beautiful plants when on Belle Isle.

Jill Walker

Loved going through this! Winter is a great time to go! Warm and humid inside!! So many different types of plants. Different rooms have different types.