Garden of the Phoenix – Chicago, Illinois - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

AO Edited

Garden of the Phoenix

Chicago, Illinois

Also known as the Osaka Garden, this garden was originally built in 1893 as part of the World's Columbian Exposition. 

View all photos
Picnickers and the Garden MarlaRose (Atlas Obscura User)
51
159
Top Places in Chicago
St. John Cantius Church
First-Class Relic of Padre Pio
Chicago, Illinois
Dusty Groove
Chicago, Illinois
Hidden Egyptian Temple in Field Museum Break Room
Chicago, Illinois
 See All

A fabulous respite for nature lovers and an excellent spot for birders, the Garden of the Phoenix, originally a gift from Chicago’s sister city of Osaka, Japan, to coincide with the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, which was centered around Jackson Park and what is now the Museum of Science and Industry. (The Palace of Fine Arts of the Exposition remains as part of today’s museum.) 

The Garden of the Phoenix is a peaceful, quiet, lovely spot tucked away in a bustling city. Found on Jackson Park’s Wooded Island, there are stone paths, a small wooden bridge, flowering bushes and trees aplenty. You can even find some gorgeously blossoming cherry trees in a little window in late April/early May. The trilling of red-wing blackbirds, honking geese, and assorted woodpeckers filling the air with sound heightens the experience. 

Take a little time and check out one of the Chicago Park District’s jewels. You’ll be happy for it. 

sister cities world's fair flora gardens plants
Nearby
The World's Columbian Exhibition of 1893
0.27 miles
U-505
0.83 miles
Great Train Story Diorama
0.85 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
July 2023
Chicago, Illinois

The World's Columbian Exhibition of 1893

What's left of the ruins of the 1893 Columbian Exhibition, or World's Fair, also known as the White City.
U-505
Chicago, Illinois

U-505

The unluckiest U-boat in the entire German fleet is now on display in a Chicago museum.
Aerial view of the Rockies, Plaines and Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Great Train Story Diorama

This $3 million model train takes you through Chicago, Seattle, and the thousands of miles in between.
Chicago, Illinois

Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures

This surprising gem is a world-class archeological museum hidden at the University of Chicago.
Related Places
Chipping Campden, England

Ernest Wilson Memorial Garden

A small and tranquil hidden garden in commemoration of one of the great Victorian plant collectors.
Kodaira, Japan

Tokyo Metropolitan Medicinal Botanical Garden

Home to a garden of poisonous plants and the only legal cannabis and opium farms in Tokyo.
Naboutini, Fiji

Garden of the Sleeping Giant

This garden boasts a magnificent collection of orchids and a spectacular view of the surrounding valley.
Newark, Ohio

Dawes Arboretum Hedge Letters

One of the world's largest hedge letterings spells out this arboretum's name over 2,040 feet.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web