Historic Landmarks of San Francisco

The Conservatory is Golden Gate Park's oldest building, and one of the City's most beautiful structures. Modelled after the conservatory at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England, the building originally belonged to millionaire philanthropist James Lick and was intended for his San Jose farm. It remained unassembled during his lifetime, and was inherited by the Society of California Pioneers upon his death in 1876. The disassembled structure was bought from the Society by 27 prominent citizens and presented to Golden Gate Park, where it was erected in 1879.

The Conservatory was the first municipal greenhouse in California, and was the center of the Park in the latter decades of the last century. A fire did extensive damage to the building in 1883, but railroad mogul Charles Crocker provided funds for reconstruction. It is 250-feet long and 75-feet wide, with an area of 15,000 square feet. The wood and iron framework contains 33 tons of glass held in place by three tons of putty.

The Conservatory is located at the eastern end of Golden Gate Park, north of John F. Kennedy Drive and east of Conservatory Drive. The bronze California marker, mounted on a boulder, stands to the right of the entrance. It was dedicated November 19, 1970, by the State Department of Parks and Recreation, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission, and the California Historical Society.