The Chicago Botanic Garden has grown into an internationally recognized living museum that extols the values of horticultural education and conservation. The 27 gardens, four natural areas, and nine islands brim with approximately 2.6 million plants, including various annuals and perennials. Each area showcases a specialized selection of picturesque flora that can include anything from native prairie plants to Japanese bonsai trees.

Three indoor greenhouses display tropical, semi-tropical, and arid plants. Apart from presenting visitors with a representative swath of the plant kingdom, Chicago Botanic Garden also strives to protect that kingdom for future generations. The research laboratories work to build seed banks while studying ways to mitigate the effects of climate change.