Conservatory of FlowersStop on Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, a free self-guided tour.The Conservatory of Flowers is one of the most enchanting buildings in San Francisco - a magnificent Victorian greenhouse completed in 1879 and one of the oldest surviving wood and glass conservatories in the United States. The building's gleaming white exterior and graceful Victorian architecture make it one of the park's most photographed landmarks. Inside, five distinct galleries hold extraordinary collections: a lowland tropics room with ancient palms and cycads, a highland tropics cloud forest room, an aquatic plants room with giant Victoria water lilies, and the remarkable Potted Plants section. The surrounding Dahlia Garden and formal flower beds are spectacular in summer. The conservatory was badly damaged by a severe storm in 1995 and underwent a painstaking restoration completed in 2003, emerging more beautiful than ever. Admission fees apply.Stops on this tourMcLaren Lodge and Sharon MeadowConservatory of FlowersRhododendron DellMusic Concourse and Spreckels Temple of Musicde Young MuseumCalifornia Academy of SciencesJapanese Tea GardenSan Francisco Botanical GardenStow Lake and Strawberry HillSpreckels Lake and Model Yacht ClubPolo Fields and Speedway MeadowBuffalo Paddock - American Bison HerdRainbow Falls and Chain of LakesDutch Windmill and Queen Wilhelmina Tulip GardenOcean Beach - Western Gateway