Chicago Botanic Garden: Winter Wonderland Express

Where: Chicago Botanic Garden

Start Date & Time: November 28, 2008 at 10:00 AM
End Date & Time: January 04, 2009 at 07:00 PM

Event Details:

Take a magical trip this holiday season to a wonderland of twinkling lights, garden-scale trains, miniature Chicago landmarks, beautiful horticulture displays and indoor snowfall.

This popular holiday exhibition in the Regenstein Center features garden-scale trains winding their way over bridges, under trestles and alongside waterfalls, passing 80 miniature versions of Chicago’s favorite landmarks along the way.

Buildings, tunnels and bridges have been intricately hand-crafted using natural materials. Landmarks include the original Soldier Field, with accents of eucalyptus pods; Old St. Patrick's Church, with stained glass windows made with dried flowers; the Marshall Field's clock, made with cinnamon sticks and grapevine tendrils; the Museum of Science and Industry, incorporating a calabash gourd; and the Chicago Botanic Garden's Shoin House, with walls made with corn husks. Interpretive signs sprinkled throughout the exhibition give fun facts about Chicago's history and architecture. Realistic snow falls throughout the exhibit.

The experience starts outdoors, where the Garden grounds have been  strung with over 750,000 LED lights. The esplanade features a 40-foot tree, also lit with multi-colored lights.

Indoors, the Regenstein Center is a magical wonderland of trains, plants and architecture. The Greenhouses are specially lit, including the palm tree trunks in the South Greenhouse, and decorated with beautiful holiday plants. Gracing the walls of the Greenhouse Galleries are wreaths designed by area florists, shops and the Garden's own talented horticulturists. Decking the Joutras Gallery are holiday trees decorated by local designers and a gingerbread train depot.

The Krehbiel Gallery features an English country train platform with an old-world feel, including more trains and landmarks found on Chicago's North Shore.

Wonderland Express hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Nov. 28 through Jan. 4, 2009 (closed at 3 p.m. on Dec. 4 and 24 and all day Dec. 25). Exhibition tickets are available for the general public on October 22 onsite at the information desk in the visitor center and online at www.chicagobotanic.org/wonderland. Cost is $10 for adults and $8 for children (ages 3-12) and seniors (62+). Members pay $8 for adults and $6 for children (ages 3-12) and seniors (62+). Admission to Wonderland Express on Tuesdays through Dec. 23 is free. All ticket purchases are timed for entry. Parking is $15 per car; free for Garden members.