With 26 spectacular gardens on 385 acres, the Chicago Botanic Garden is a place of ever-changing beauty with nearly 1 million visitors per year. Opened more than 40 years ago, the Garden began as a picturesque place to visit and has matured into one of the world’s great living museums and conservation science centers. The mission of the Garden is to promote the enjoyment, understanding and conservation of plants in the natural world. It is a place where classrooms have no desks or walls, and where students discover the ways and wonders of plants, inside and outdoors.