The Botanical Garden's geodesic dome — opened in 1979 and reinvented after a 2014 renovation — is the most distinctive piece of architecture on the east riverfront and the city's go-to escape from a Midwestern February. Inside, a tropical conservatory holds more than 1,200 species, including an unusually good orchid collection and a stand of mature palms tall enough to clear the dome's lower ribs.
Outside, the gardens run down to the river: rose beds, an edible garden, a Japanese-influenced contemplative garden, and a small bonsai pavilion. Allow ninety minutes; longer in summer when the outdoor gardens are at their peak. The cafe is decent, and the garden hosts a weekly summer farmers' market on Saturday mornings that draws a more local crowd than the downtown one.