Glass in the Garden

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, a great steel and glass Victorian greenhouse, has been inviting visitors to explore the beauty and mysteries of plants since 1893. Set amidst one of Pittsburgh's largest greenspaces, Schenley Park, Phipps Conservatory stands as a cultural and architectural centerpiece of the city of Pittsburgh.

In recent decades, Phipps has evolved into one of the region's most vibrant, thriving cultural attractions, bringing fresh perspectives and artists into our historic glasshouse environment. Phipps has also become a strong advocate for advanced green-building practices, sustainable gardening and a new environmental awareness.

During a recent visit to the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, the Glass and Ceramics class of Cabell County, WV were able to explore the works of several glass artists including Dale Chihuly in this setting of fantastic flora.  Watch the video below to see some of the images that stood out to one of the visiting teachers and answer the questions that follow.

Phipps Conservatory from Wendy Chapman on Vimeo.


1. Would the glass pieces be more pleasing to the eye in a traditional museum setting or do you feel that the combination of the glass and the plants worked well?  Why or why not?

2. Were you able to pick out all of the glass works easily?

3.  Do you have any sense of what inspired the glass artists to create the pieces shown?

4. Watching the video do you have any favorites or standouts amongst the pieces shown?

Proceed to a website of  possible Chihuly art projects.  Which of the projects looks the most interesting to you?  What materials would be needed for this project?  Have you seen any of Chihuly's work that may have inspired these crafts?