The Plant Sciences Laboratory at the University of Illinois is one of Urbana’s best-kept secrets
On a chilly winter day, when you’re desperate to feel the sun and see any kind of life, it’s the perfect place to spend an hour
You can find the Plant Sciences Laboratory at 1201 S. Dorner Drive in Urbana, off of Pennsylvania. The facility supports the wide variety of teaching and research activities in the Department of Plant Biology (School of Integrative Biology, College of LAS); in the Department of Crop Sciences and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (College of ACES). The Greenhouse and Conservatory/Collections are free to visit and open to the public Monday thru Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Find metered parking on Dorner or on the surrounding streets. Parking is usually pretty easy, even during the day. Be sure to download the Mobile Meter app as most on-campus metered parking is now completely cashless.
When you enter the building, turn left toward the greenhouse. The greenhouse and the row of rooms after, the plant collections, are open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays when the university is in session. However, scheduled class tours, special events and some work activities may limit access to the facility. Just be sure to check their Instagram page, which is kept up-to-date with closings.
The conservatory is warm, humid, and packed full of lush flora. There is no front desk or entry fee; you just walk in. A small bench also sits by the entrance. It provides seating over the water feature. On a recent visit, there were toy dinosaurs hidden throughout the greenhouse, which made a fun adventure for our toddler tag-along!
The entire room has a small stone path encircling it. An island of thick, mostly tropical, foliage sits in the middle. The room is small and dense, but very tall, peaking at 37 feet. Some of the plants reach to the ceiling, too! Each plant is tagged for identification. Our recent visit included a cacao pod, banana tree, orchids, and a plant marked “sensitive,” with a small sign encouraging us to touch it and see how the leaves reacted; be sure to only touch plants if you see a sign permitting you to do so.
After you peruse the large greenhouse, be sure to head down the hallway to visit the other collection rooms. These small rooms hold specialized plants like cacti, succulents, ferns, and more. These are “working” rooms. Students are cataloging and monitoring different variables.
Remember that this is a working teaching and research facility, so be sure to prep kiddos: don’t touch plants, watch for slippery spots, stay on the walkways, and use your inside voice.
Keep up with the Plant Sciences Laboratory on Instagram, and be sure to check out our Reel!
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