Balboa Park Botanical Building

​​The striking Botanical Building is one of the most photographed attractions in San Diego's Balboa Park. 

The Balboa Park Botanical Building was constructed for the 1915 Panama-California Exhibition, and is FREE to visit. 

This enchanting setting is offset by a reflecting pool in the foreground, with koi and lily pads.

There are mini-waterfalls, tranquil pools, and 2,100 permanent tropical plants inside the Botanical Building, including orchids, camellias, begonias, palms and giant tree ferns. It also hosts seasonal flower displays.

5 best things about Balboa Park Botanical Building

1. It's free to visit!

2. This picture-perfect building with the lily pond in the foreground, is one of the most photographed settings in Balboa Park.

3. The central dome in the Balboa Park Botanical Building is the biggest lath structure in the world. It's constructed from slats of wood, instead of the glass usually used in botanical buildings. Sunlight streams through the slats enriching the plants.

4. There are 45 minute walking tours of the Balboa Park Botanical Building.  Check times.

5. The Balboa Park Botanical Building is one of only four structures in Balboa Park still standing from the 1915 Panama-California Exhibition. The only other original structures are the Museum of Man, Cabrillo Bridge, and Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

Know before you go

• Address: 1549 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 (Balboa Park).
• Hours: check here. 
• Admission:  free
• Parking:  Free Organ Pavilion Lot (Presidents Way).

Other fun things to do at Balboa Park

Explore other attractions at Balboa Park, including the San Diego Museum of Art,  Museum of Us,  Natural History Museum, and San Diego Zoo.