Plan a Visit

Address: 125 W Fullerton Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614

Hours for 2022: 7:30am to the earlier of sunset or 7:30pm April 16 through October 31st, weather permitting. The Lily Pool is closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday the weekend of the Chicago Air and Water Show.

Daytime Phone: (773) 883-7275

Chicago Park District 24-Hour Security: (312) 747-2193

Handicap Accessibility: The Lily Pool is handicapped accessible, except for a section of the main walkway adjacent to the waterfall. Wheelchair entrance and adjacent parking can be accessed on Cannon Dr. just south of Fullerton Pkwy before entering the Lincoln Park Zoo parking kiosks.

Docent Tours: Volunteer docents are on-site mid-May to October, Fridays from 1pm-4pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-2pm. Limited Private and Group tours are available by appointment with at least seven days advance notice. Please contact Amelia Pollock for more information.

Permits: Events, professional photography, and filming require a permit in advance – contact us at (773) 883-7275.

Visitor Etiquette: While visiting the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, please:

• Stay on the public paths – do not climb on the waterfall, rock ledges, or trees.
• Wildlife depend on flowers for food, please do not pick flowers.
• Food and beverages can attract unwanted pests, do not bring food or beverages (except water) into the Lily Pool.
• Pets, even on leash, can disrupt native species; dog are not allowed in the Lily Pool.
• Skateboards and bicycles can be dangerous to other visitors, do not ride bicycles or skateboards in the Lily Pool.
• Coins are harmful to aquatic wildlife, do not throw coins into the pond.
• Supervise children and refrain from playing music so everyone may enjoy the quiet of a Lily Pool visit.

Photography Guidelines: To ensure a positive experience for all, please:

• Help us protect our plants: Remain on the public paths. 
• Our paths are narrow: Please stay to one side so that other visitors, staff, and volunteers may pass. 
• Please keep paths clear of tripods and cameras. 
• Any props or décor must be pre-approved. 
• There are no changing or storage facilities.
• Staff and Volunteers cannot watch materials. 

Visitors are welcome to take photos for personal use.  

Permits are required for posed and commercial uses: 

• Weddings; engagements; family and individual portraits; and other significant events.  
• Photos taken by individuals intending to sell them now, or in the future.  
• Permit holders have priority in these situations but must share all parts of the Lily Pool with general visitors.  

To obtain a photography permit, email us at: 

info@LincolnParkConservancy.org 

Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in you being asked to leave the Lily Pool. 

Handicap Accessibility: Two wheelchairs are available for your convenience while visiting the Conservatory, but must remain within the building. Wheelchairs are free and may be borrowed on a first-come, first-served basis, with a credit card or driver’s license, which will be held for deposit until the wheelchair is returned.  

Docent Tours: Docents are available and willing to share their knowledge of Chicago, the Conservatory, and the Plants in the Conservator with all interested visitors. 

Visitor Etiquette: While visiting the Conservatory & Gardens, please:  

• Follow Covid-19 safety protocols  
• Stay on the public paths.  
• Leave all flowers and fruits where you find them for others to enjoy. Do not pick flowers or touch the plants.  
• Food and beverages can attract pests that damage plants, please do not eat or bring food into the conservatory.  
• The fish and turtles are on a controlled diet, please don’t feed them. 
• The metal in coins can be harmful to the fish, please don’t throw coins into their pools.  
• Supervise your children so everyone may enjoy their Conservatory visit. 

Photography Guidelines:  

To ensure a positive experience for all, please:   

• Help us protect our plants for the enjoyment of all visitors: Remain on the public paths.  
• Our paths are narrow: Please stay to one side so that other visitors, staff, and volunteers may pass.  
• There are no changing or storage facilities.   
• Staff and Volunteers cannot be responsible for left materials.  
• This is a public space: Individuals with a photo permit must share the space with all visitors.  

Visitors are welcome to take photos for personal use. Please don’t use tripods, lighting, reflectors, or props. 

Permits are required for:   

• Engagement photos, Wedding photos, and Cotillion photos, etc.  
• Commercial (Advertising, Catalogs, Publications), Documentary photos, and Web-based media.  

Obtain a permit from the Chicago Park District:  

https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/permits-rentals/filming-photography  

Read more Frequently Asked Questions about visiting the Conservatory.

To learn more about the Conservatory visit our Conservatory project page. 

COVID-19 Self Check

All visitors are encouraged to complete this self check before visiting the Conservatory.

• Have you, or anyone in your household, had any of the following symptoms because of an unknown cause in the last 14 days: Fever (temperature over 100.3 F), Cough, Sore Throat, Shortness of Breath, a Loss of Smell or Taste.

• Have you, anyone in your household, or anyone you have been in close contact with, been diagnosed with COVID-19, or been placed on quarantine for possible contact with COVID-19 in the past 14 days?

• Have you or anyone in your household traveled to a high transmission area outside of Illinois or the country in the past 14 days?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, please schedule your visit for another date. We look forward to welcoming you then.

Address: The 15-acre sanctuary is located in Lincoln Park between Fullerton and Diversey Parkways, and Stockton and Cannon Drives.

Hours: 6 am to 11 pm every day

Daytime Phone: (773) 883-7275

Handicapped Accessibility: The North Pond Nature Sanctuary is handicapped accessible, except for certain mulched shoreline paths and the fly-casting pier.

Visitor Etiquette: While visiting North Pond Nature Sanctuary, please:

• No fishing — the pier is for fly-casting practice only.
• Protect habitat by staying on the paths.
• Do not pick flowers or remove natural elements.
• Dogs and bicycle-riding are not allowed on the shoreline nature trails.
• For their own safety, please keep dogs leashed and out of the water.
• No swimming or boating allowed.
• Keep off ice in winter

Why We Ask You Not to Feed Wildlife:

• Feeding birds at the Pond is a fun interaction, but harmful in the long run. Human food is not meant for their digestion, and leftovers attract rodents.
• Feeding waterfowl can disrupt natural migratory behavior.
• Feeding ducks and geese increases their numbers and alters the ecosystem. Huge flocks of these birds pollute the water and litter the lawn with their droppings. When birds are crowded, diseases spread more quickly.
• Birds need natural nutrients from a diet of plants, seeds, and insects. Bread and human food are like junk food, filling their stomachs with unhealthy food that can make them sick. It also discourages birds from foraging for natural food.
• Feeding causes dependency on people and make birds susceptible to human abuse or harm when they become trusting of everyone they approach.
• Feeding wildlife makes them bold. When animals lose their natural fear of humans, it causes uncomfortable, even fearful, encounters with park visitors who do not trust or like such close encounters with wild animals.

Location: In Lincoln Park at North Avenue and Dearborn Parkway

New Monument and Garden Refurbishing: Planning in Progress

Original Monument Restoration Status: Completed in 1989

Original Restoration Project Credits: The Chicago Park District, the Lincoln Park Conservancy, Buss Landscaping, Rudnick Contracting, and Downstate Restoration.

Rededication Ceremony: July 13, 1989

Project Awards:

• Monument designated a Chicago Historic Landmark in 2001
• American Society of Landscape Architects, Illinois Chapter – 1990 Public Recognition Award (Garden)
• Illinois Landscape Contractors Association – 1992 Gold Award for Commercial Landscape Construction (Garden)

Our appreciation to Adopt-A-Monument donor Sara Lee Corporation for making the monument conservation possible, and to Credit Agricole for their leadership gift to the Garden.