Greetings!  

 

Orchids blooming in Highlands this week.

The Conservatory is recruiting Docents and Children's Jungle Guides. Jungle Guides introduce elementary school students to the wonders of the rainforest. Docents educate adult visitors about the Conservatory's fascinating collection of tropical plants and the importance of conserving the rainforest and San Francisco's stunning historic greenhouse. No experience with plants or as a docent is necessary. To schedule a meeting and fill out a volunteer application, contact Erika Frank, Director of Volunteers & Education, at efrank@sfcof.org or (415) 637-4326. For more information, click here. 

Thursday, November 15: You're invited to the Barbary Coast exhibit launching shindig we call GALA! Tickets are $150 a piece, and for the second year, we invite our budding philanthropists (aged 21-35) to join us for a $95 rate. Join us!

Wednesday, December 5: Get your tickets for a special after hours. Jill Tracy returns to perform new songs from her haunting holiday album, Silver Smoke, Star of Night. Any visitor to the Conservatory appreciates the transformational quality of scent; we'll explore the process of fragrance, perfume and tour the night blooming plants in our tropical collection. With special guest lecturer Emerson Hart, of Nocturne Alchemy, who has crafted two limited edition fragrances specifically for Jill Tracy's album, and featured sponsors Magnolia Pub & Brewery, and Vice Chocolates.  

Saturday, December 15: Bring a sweet tooth for the third annual Frosting the Conservatory! $10 materials fee for Graham Cracker foundation, tasty icing and edible  candy decor to build the gingerbread greenhouse of your dreams! Read the coverage of last year's event in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Get on board! You are invited to revisit San Francisco's Barbary Coast and gold rush days in Boomtown at the Conservatory of Flowers. Each of the Conservatory's five tropical galleries will lead you through time to a different era in San Francisco's Barbary Coast history. Then, find yourself in our Orchid Gallery event pavilion, which will transport you to the days of wagon wheels and moonshine, where you'll encounter Burlesque ladies and wily medicine men. Sip our stimulating cocktails, discover the eccentric world of Emperor Norton I, delight in the bawdy tales of Maiden Lane, and dance the night away to the sounds of Swing Fever: all while supporting our year-round youth education program. This year's silent auction boasts a vast selection, too - so don't forget to bid!  Get your tickets, plan your costume, see the auction items, and learn more about our Youth Education cause now! And a very special thank you to our Event Sponsors:

Click here for a full list of our generous supporters.

Our newly designed online shop carries all the same items as our on-site shop!  You can search through our past exhibit banners and tees which will be available at the beginning of each new exhibit. This month check out our new "Boomtown" merchandise. Emperor Norton makes a cameo on his very own t-shirt! Don't know who Emperor Norton is? Than a visit to our newest exhibit Boomtown: Barbary Coast at the Conservatory, will answer all your questions about San Francisco's own royal pretender. Buy Posters, plant kits, postcards and more!  Visit conservatoryofflowers.org and click Shop. Remember all proceeds support the Conservatory. Support your favorite local non-profit: Us!

As the devastation from Hurricane Sandy becomes clear, we are grateful most of all for our health, our safety and the generosity that pours from our community whenever disaster strikes. As a community far from the devastation, but aware of our own vulnerability, we send our warmest wishes to those affected by the storms, and their families. Click here for resources we compiled to learn more about the threatening climate change and what journalists, photographers, filmmakers and public officials have to say in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

 

Thank you for voting! We're in the TOP THREE! Vote for us on Red Tricycle's TOTALLY AWESOME AWARDS. Polls close on November 30. Come visit and see for yourself how Totally Awesome we are! 

The Conservatory of Flowers relies on memberships and donations from you to fund our workshops and find relevant instructors, to keep our doors open six days a week to visitors from local schools, to folks on first dates, to those who are experiencing San Francisco's enchanting offerings from around the globe. Thank you for your support, and please visit our website to find out the many ways you can contribute!

          

Hours: Tuesday - Sunday: 10am - 4:30pm (last entry is at 4:00pm)
DINONITE EXTENDED THURSDAY HOURS! For the run of Plantosaurus Rex, the COF will be open until 7:00 pm on Thursdays! Last entry is at 6:30 pm.

Please note that on Sundays and holidays,
Golden Gate Park closes many of its roads to all vehicle traffic.

Admission: $7.00 for Adults; $5.00 for Youth; 12-17, Seniors age 65 & over, and College Students with ID; $2.00 for Children 5-11; Free for Children 4 and under

Discounts available to all SF City and County residents with proof of residency. 

The Conservatory is free to all visitors on the first Tuesday of every month.

Accessibility: The Conservatory of Flowers is wheelchair accessible for both motorized and non motorized chairs. Handicap permit parking is located at the east side of the building and also on JFK Drive in front of the Conservatory. 

Strollers are not allowed in the Conservatory.

Information line: 415-831-2090