2003 – MBG Desert House

The original Cactus House was constructed at Missouri Botanical Garden in 1904. Click to view the online Illustrated History of the Missouri Botanical Garden for photos of that basic facility. The Desert House was then built in 1914 to house over 80 varieties and species of plants from the Sonoran and Chihuahua Deserts, and desert regions of South America and Africa. Several specimens carried over from exhibits at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. A deteriorating roof and declining mechanical systems helped lead to the conservatory’s 1994 closure and eventual demolition. HSCSS supports MBG’s current efforts to display its collections of arid plants in the Shoenberg Temperate House.

File Photos