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Visit the Conservatory

— ,Conservatory
Photo of concrete flytower surrounded by trees and plants in the Barbican Conservatory

Visit the second biggest Conservatory in London and explore our hidden tropical oasis.

Please click 'Check Dates and Book' to view the dates that the Conservatory is open. The Conservatory is closed for public visits on any dates which are not listed.

Admission is free. Tickets for the Conservatory are released one month in advance online. A limited number of day tickets are released for online booking from 9:30am each day that the Conservatory is open.

Please check dates of public opening to book tickets. Join the waiting list.

 

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Access

The Conservatory entrance, for ticket and bag checks, can be found on Level 4. 

With the exception of guide dogs, dogs are not permitted inside the Conservatory. 

For more access information, please visit our Accessibility section or contact the Box Office at [email protected] with any access related enquiries.

 

Be the first to hear

Join our Conservatory waiting list and we'll email you with notice of any new tickets going on sale
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When are tickets released?

Tickets for Friday evenings and Sundays in the Conservatory are released every week, up to one month in advance.

Admission to the Conservatory is ticketed and free. Select the Check Dates and Book button for the latest opening dates and times.

If you're unable to attend, you can return your free tickets through Orders and Tickets section in your account. 

Join our waiting list to find out when new tickets are available.

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Admission to our Conservatory is free. Please help us keep our programme and public spaces accessible to everyone by making a donation today.
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Conservatory facts

  • The Conservatory was designed by the Barbican’s architects Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, and surrounds the Barbican Theatre’s fly tower, from which scenery for productions taking place on the stage six stories below is lowered into place.
  • The roof is constructed of steel and glass and covers 23,000 square feet, providing cover for over 1600 cubic metres of soil, all of which was hand mixed to a specific requirement.
  • Two of the three pools accommodate koi, ghost, and grass carp from Japan and America, as well as other cold water fish such as roach, rudd, and tench, whilst the other smaller pool (located outside the Arid House) provides a safe haven for terrapins.
  • Planted between 1980 and 1981, and opened in 1984, the Conservatory now houses around 1,500 species of plants and trees, some of which are rare and endangered in their native habitat. The species are a vibrant mix of temperate and arid types ranging from areas as diverse as the rocky deserts and bushland of South Africa to the coastline of Brazil.
  • A varied assortment of the extraordinary flora from around the world includes the iconic tree fern, date palm, the Swiss cheese plant, and coffee and ginger plants all under one roof. 

Hire enquiries

The Conservatory is available to hire for events, conferences, photoshoots, weddings and more. 

Conservatory