This summer, the Missouri Botanical Garden has a special exhibit in the Climatron…Garden of Glass by Craig Mitchell Smith. The members’ preview night was Saturday, and we were very eager to attend! On the advice of the woman at the membership desk, we made sure our ticketed entry time was after dark, and we were definitely not disappointed!

Most of the glass works are in the Climatron, but there are displays in the Visitors’ Center, above the fountain outside it, in the Linnean House, and near the tram shelter. The pieces in the Climatron are beautifully lit, with the lights frequently changing colors. There are flowers, dragonflies, butterflies…even a phoenix! Some of them look unbelievably lifelike, and it’s hard to tell what in the Climatron is glass and what is actual plants!

You have to stop and really look closely at the flowers to appreciate all the details:

The fountain in front of the Visitors’ Center is lit up in a rainbow of colors:

The Garden is always beautiful, of course, but there is something special about seeing it lit up at night!

Garden of Glass will be on display through August 13. Tickets are available for both day and evening viewing, but from what we saw while we were there, I definitely think it’s best viewed after dark (evening admissions are available Thursdays-Saturdays). Make sure to take your time and really take in the show…way too many people were rushing through it the night we were there, and missing things! Like the Garden Glow, and every other special exhibit we’ve visited at the Garden over the last few years, I highly recommend it…they always put on a great show!