Hours:
FRIDAY 4 - 9PM | SATURDAY TBD | SUNDAY TBD
About:
The Horticulture Center, a modern exhibition hall and greenhouse, is located in beautiful West Fairmount Park. The Center was built in 1979 and sits on the site of the former Horticultural Hall and the 1876 Centennial Exposition building. The grounds and greenhouses are open daily and the venue can host private parties
Fairmount Park’s Horticulture Center is also home to many interesting pieces of art. There are fountains and sculpture displayed throughout the grounds to accent the plants. Prominently displayed indoors, is the Seaweed Girl Fountain by Beatrice Fenton. In the outdoor display, Gambol II by Robert David Lasus can be seen behind the Cherry Allée and from Belmont Avenue. Whether you are here for a stroll through the Arboretum, a picnic under the trees, or to look at the brilliant horticultural displays, the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center and Centennial Arboretum is sure to offer a day you’ll enjoy..
The Shofuso Japanese House and Garden is also on the grounds of the Horticulture Center is a must see attraction. This location offers a traditional-style Japanese house and nationally-ranked garden in Philadelphia’s West Fairmount Park that reflects the history of Japanese culture in Philadelphia, from the 1876 Centennial Exposition to present day.
The garden offers a koi pond, teahouse garden, and courtyard garden as well as the Sakura Pavilion which hosts various events. The Japanese House and Garden was conceived as part of an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Designed by Japanese mid-century modernist architect Junzo Yoshimura in 1953, the house was built in Nagoya, Japan using traditional materials and techniques. The house was part of “The House in the Museum Garden” series, which exhibited three different types of structures that influenced mid-century modern American architecture. Shofuso was the last structure in the exhibit and was moved to Philadelphia at its conclusion in 1954. Shofuso was reassembled at the current site in 1957-58, where there has been a continuous Japanese presence since the 1876 Centennial Exposition when the first Japanese garden in North America was installed behind a small Japanese bazaar.
WALKING AND BIKING
BIKE: Bike parking is available on site.
Public Transportation:
RIDE SEPTA: Accessible from SEPTA bus routes, 38 and 40 and the 15 trolley.
