Visitor Notices
Display Room and Exhibit Feature Closures
- Butterfly Forest will be closed for the 2026 spring and summer season as we transition the Conservatory’s west wing from steam to hot-water heat, the next step in our campus-wide decarbonization project. Butterflies will return to Phipps in 2027. To learn more about how to support butterflies and pollinators in your landscape, check out the butterfly garden and pollinator houses in our Children's Discovery Garden when you visit.
Some areas of the public garden occasionally close during normal business hours for private events and other activities, as follows:
- Sat., Aug. 8: Outdoor Garden, 3 – 5 p.m.
- Sat., Aug. 8: Tropical Forest, 3:30 – 5 p.m.
- Tues., Aug. 11: Broderie Room, noon – 2 p.m.
- Thurs., Aug. 13: Tropical Forest, 3:30 – 5 p.m.
- Fri., Aug. 14: Outdoor Garden, noon – 3 p.m.
- Sat., Aug. 15: Outdoor Garden, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Sat., Aug. 15: Tropical Forest, 4:30 – 5 p.m.
- Sun., Aug. 16: Outdoor Garden, 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Mon., Aug. 17: Broderie Room, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
- Fri., Aug. 21: Broderie Room, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
- Thurs., Aug. 27: Full Conservatory, 9:30 – 10 a.m.
Traffic Alerts and Road Closures
- On Sun., Sept. 27, Schenley Drive will not be accessible to vehicles until 12:30 p.m. due to a road closure from Carnegie Mellon University's Donut Dash race. The Conservatory will be open for regular business hours of 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.; guests arriving prior to 12:30 p.m. are encouraged to find off-site parking via our Directions and Parking page. Tickets purchased for this day will be honored for arrival during the entire business day.
- Please note that the nearby Panther Hollow Bridge and Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge are presently closed to vehicular traffic, but it's still easy to visit by following posted detour signs. For Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge information, please visit the City of Pittsburgh website. A Panther Hollow Bridge detour can be achieved by utilizing Hobart Street, Beacon Street, Wightman Street and Schenley Drive; click here for an image.
Summer Weather Advisory
As you plan your trip, please note that while many areas of the Conservatory are naturally ventilated, they are not air conditioned. We encourage you to plan ahead by:
- Bringing a refillable water bottle or purchasing water during your visit.
- Dressing in lightweight, comfortable clothing and wearing comfortable shoes.
- Taking breaks as needed throughout your visit.
Our Guest Service team will be happy to point you toward water refill stations, places to rest and other resources to help you stay comfortable and cool while exploring the Conservatory.
