The Conservatory Chronicles

Issue 108
November 2016

A monthly newsletter for our growing Conservatory Community
 in the Victorian Greenhouse 
ButterfliesThe Butterflies Have Arrived!

 After a refreshing slumber in their cozy chrysalis, the butterflies have now emerged. Greet the butterflies in our new special exhibit
  
Our popular exhibit returns Thursday, November 17
to San Francisco's beloved Victorian greenhouse by overwhelming demand, transforming the Special Exhibit Gallery into a beautiful and intimate cottage garden aflutter with hundreds of butterflies on the wing.
  
Come and see a dazzling array of more than 20 species of colorful and familiar North American butterflies including magnificent monarchs, western swallowtails, painted ladies, and more.
 
Check our website for more information about the butterflies that await you. Follow us on Facebook for updates at the Conservatory of Flowers.

 MembershipJoin the Conservatory Community TODAY! 

 

Get access to all the exclusive benefits Conservatory members enjoy year-round!

   

Update your member status to ensure your free daily admission to 
 
CirqueCirque du Soleil and the Conservatory of Flowers Partner for Butterflies
Celebrate your admiration for butterflies with an exclusive TWO-WAY discount! 

Join the Conservatory RIGHT NOW to be entered into a drawing* to 
WIN a four-pack of tickets to see Luzia: A Waking Dream of Mexico.

We are pleased to announce a limited-time 15% discount  offer on tickets to see Cirque du Soleil's Luzia: A Waking Dream of Mexico to all current and new Conservatory members. Luzia features a beautiful Monarch Butterfly lady while the show stops in San Francisco from November 17-January 29 and San Jose from February 9 to March 19.
Become a New Member TODAY to earn exclusive access to Conservatory perks just like this! 

Please contact Membership Associate, May Slen at mslen@sfcof.org or call (415) 577-2584 for more information.

*Drawing to be held December 31 at 3:00 p.m.
GivingTuesdayMake This #GivingTuesday a Success
The Conservatory of Flowers returns this gift giving season calling for YOU to help us build a bridge across the Aquatics Ponds! 
 
Enhance your visitor experience by strolling through the flowing waterways up close to tropical aquatic plants.


Make this campaign successful on November 29:

Donate Online: A fast, easy and convenient way to put in your support
Make a Tribute: Gift your donation in honor or in memory of a loved one on 
A Match Made in Giving: Check with your place of employment to participate in a matching gifts program at your organization to DOUBLE your support
Call us: Contact Jane Scurich, Director of Development at (415) 831-2093
Admire Butterflies? Docents
Discover the Delight of Being a Butterfly Docent!

Butterflies & Blooms exhibit docents will educate intrigued visitors about the plants and butterflies that fill the Special Exhibit Gallery. In November, the Conservatory will offer training on butterfly pollination, migration, and metamorphosis, so you can help visitors leave the exhibit with an even deeper sense of wonder over these fascinating creatures. 

Volunteers are asked to commit to two shifts per month through the run of the exhibit. Shifts are 10:00-1:00 or 1:00-4:00, Tuesday-Sunday. In return for your time, the Conservatory offers free admission, volunteer-only lectures and social events, and a discount in the gift shop. To join the volunteer program, contact Director of Volunteers and Education, Erika Frank at efrank@sfcof.org or call (415) 637-4326.
PopUpGSPop-up Gift Shop Opens Through the Holidays
We are pleased to announce to our Conservatory community and plant admirers that the freestanding kiosk on the Palm Terrace is stocked with great holiday gifts! Select items related to past exhibits are deeply discounted. The pop-up gift shop is open Friday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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HolidayHoursThanksgiving and Holiday Hours
The holidays are approaching fast; start planning your next visit to the Conservatory of Flowers right now to see the butterflies with your family and visiting loved ones.
Photo Credit: Melissa Mellor

A friendly reminder of our greenhouse hours this season:
 
November 17th (Thursday)

Exhibit Opens 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

November 24th (Thursday)
Closed
November 25th (Friday)
Open 10:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m.
December 24th (Saturday)
Open 10:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
December 25th (Sunday)
Closed
December 31st (Saturday)
Open 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
January 1st (Sunday)
Closed
AllensClippingThank You for Your Many Years of Service
Local business Allen's Press Clipping Bureau has been a fundamental seeker/collector of the Conservatory's media footprint in newspapers all over San Francisco Bay Area. The Conservatory of Flowers appreciate the many years of archival service that have been provided.

Allen's Press Clipping Bureau was originally founded in San Francisco by Mark Twain and his cousin twenty-three years after the end of the Civil War in 1888. Today Allen's newspaper clipping coverage extends out to 9,000 dailies and weeklies throughout the United States that is tailored to each of their client's needs.
BloomWhat's in Bloom?
Punica granatum 'Nana'
Common name: dwarf pomegranate

Location: Southwest corridor of the Aquatics Gallery

The pomegranate has been cultivated over millennia throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East, tropical Africa, and southeast Asia. Introduced into Latin America and California by Spanish settlers in 1769, pomegranate is also cultivated in parts of California and Arizona.
 
The pomegranate has been mentioned in many ancient texts, notably in Babylonian texts, the Book of Exodus, the Homeric Hymns and the Quran. 
 
Pomegranates are used in cooking, baking, juices, smoothies and alcoholic beverages, such as martinis and wine. In recent years, it has become more common in the commercial markets of North America and the Western Hemisphere. Manufacturers of pomegranate juice have liberally used evolving research results for product promotion, especially for apparent antioxidant health benefits.
 
The French term "grenade" for pomegranate has given its name to the military grenade. Soldiers commented on the similar shape of early grenades and the name entered common usage.

Visit the What's in Bloom page to see what other beauties are blooming in the Aquatics Gallery.
Visit Us Today!

Hours: Tuesday - Sunday: 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (last entry is at 4:00 p.m.)

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

Admission: $8.00 for Adults; 
$6.00 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.
RPD logo
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