Mother Nature finally blessed the Midwest with a lovely day this weekend, and mr_chelledun and I were lucky enough to spend part of it at Milwaukee's Mitchell Park Conservatory, aka The Domes.  As soon as we pulled up, the reason for the nickname became readily apparent as three giant bee hive-shaped dooms loomed large on the horizon.  Each of these domes houses a different botanical biome and the three combined make up the bulk of Mitchell Park Conservatory.

Admission to the Domes costs $5.50 for adults, $4 for children and students. This includes admission to any special event that happens to be going on.  In our case, it was Bird Day, which allowed us the opportunity to view and pet assorted feathered friends.  Hours for the Domes are typically 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  However, there are some evening hours for special light shows and concerts, mostly on Thursdays.  Parking is free, plentiful, and located directly outside the conservatory entrance.

The Domes
The conservatory's main attraction, the Floral Show Dome, is the indisputable highlight of a visit to Mitchell Park.  This seasonally-changing display area reminded me very much of the conservatory at the Bellagio in terms of its elaborate scope.  The theme during our visit was "Spring in Yorkshire: An English Garden".  Other recent themes include a Lego Land train theme, Good Jul Scandinavian Holiday Show, and "Enchanted Autumn."  Between the English garden, the cottage, and the assorted squawking birds strewn throughout, this area was somewhat sensory overload but overall I loved it.
 
The quietest and least crowded of the three Mitchell Park Domes is the Arid Dome, devoted to desert plant life worldwide.  This is also probably the most boring of the three domes thanks to its lack of colorful flowers.  Expect lots and lots of cacti and their relatives with a few birds flying overhead.  Perhaps a few more interesting posters would have compelled us to linger longer in this area.  We did enjoy sitting and relaxing in a charming pavilion near the dome's entrance. 
 
Finally, park visitors can make a stop in the rainforest at the Tropical Dome, which houses hundreds of species of flowers and plants.  Signage designates plants of particular importance for food or household purposes.  The Tropical Dome also boasts plenty of brightly colored flowers and a lake/river area with some incredibly fat koi.  The water could have been a little cleaner, but maybe they are going for the natural look.

The domes feed neatly into each other and can be visited in any sequence.  We visited them in the order above but I would recommend starting in the Arid Dome and hitting the Floral Show Dome last since it is the best.

Other Public Facilities
The Domes are connected by a central atrium area which hosts special events and exhibits.  Obviously during our visit this space was dominated by bird stuff, including a friendly owl and a video which seemed to be about the dangers of outdoor cats.  We visited some of the booths and met some local people who were quite friendly and generally enthusiastic about the domes.

There is a small gift shop located off of the main atrium which sells plant-related merchandise, post cards, candy bars, and the like.

Overall . . .
We really dug Mitchell Park Conservatory and its domes.  This attraction is manageable enough to tour in an hour or so but also intricate enough to occupy a full morning or afternoon.  The plants and flowers are well-maintained and neatly labeled for a pleasant visitor experience.  Overall, this a place that Milwaukee residents should be proud of and Milwaukee tourists should be sure to visit.

Recommended: Yes

Recommended for: Familes