August 21st, 2025

Over a dozen CCA members had a wonderful time visiting the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance (partner member) as part of CCA’s Archives Crawl series. Although the Garfield Park Conservatory first opened in 1908, the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance did not form until nearly a century later, in 1998. Formed by a group of people in the Garfield Park community, the Alliance is a non-profit organization that works closely with the Chicago Park District to provide educational programming, events and resources to Conservatory visitors. During our Archives Crawl tour, CCA members were treated to a ‘behind the scenes’ adventure throughout the Conservatory’s various spaces where urban conservation efforts, community harvests, composting, resource sharing, and environmental justice programs for teens take place. GPCA is on track to harvest and package over 2,000 pounds of Conservatory grown produce this year. In addition to the Conservatory’s vast number of habitats dedicated to palm trees, ferns, and horticulture — at any given time, there are new exhibits and a must see permanent collection open to the public. Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance’s deep commitment to community building and environmental education brings a unique layer of knowledge and support to CCA members who are interested in creating community gardens at their own museums and centers of cultural heritage.

For more information on the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, please visit their website at: https://garfieldconservatory.org/

Photography M. Scott