Rio Grande Botanic Garden - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Address:2601 Central Ave. NW
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Tel: (505) 768-2000

Covering over 10,000-square feet and housed in a striking glass-walled building, these botanical gardens contain an impressive array of plant life native to New Mexico. The outdoor conservatory surrounds a placid fish-pond and focuses on the desert plant life of New Mexico. The indoor conservatory features plant life from temperate climates throughout the world. The largest cottonwood tree gallery in the world is another highlight of the inside conservatory, as is the butterfly pavilion, home to hundreds of North American butterflies. This amazing botanical garden is housed within the Albuquerque Biological Park, which is also home to the Albuquerque Aquarium, the Rio Grande Zoo, and Tingley Beach.

Located across the plaza from the Albuquerque Aquarium and bordered on the west by the famed Rio Grande and the largest cottonwood gallery forest in the world, the lush and peaceful Rio Grande Botanic Garden is an oasis in the desert. The Garden currently encompasses 36 developed acres, including a 10,000 square foot glass conservatory housing native and exotic plants from desert and Mediterranean climate zones and the seasonal PNM Butterfly Pavilion featuring hundreds of free-flying North American butterflies and moths. (The butterfly pavilion is closed for the winter.)