United States Botanic Garden

The United States Botanic Garden features a massive, tiered glass conservatory that rises above the surrounding gardens like a crystalline wedding cake. Established by Congress in eighteen twenty, this collection holds thousands of tropical and temperate plants inside a climate-controlled environment. During the mid-nineteenth century, the garden sat at the base of Capitol Hill, where it served as a repository for exotic species collected by the United States Exploring Expedition. Charles Wilkes, who led that voyage, returned with crates of live plants.