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Botanical Building and Lily Pond

Part of Downtown, Balboa Park & Central, our guide to downtown San Diego, Balboa Park and the central neighborhoods.

The Botanical Building is free and open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., except City holidays. Built for the 1915–16 exposition beside the Lily Pond, it holds more than 2,100 permanent plants, including cycads, ferns, orchids and palms, under one of the largest lath structures in the world.Checked October 22, 2026.

Freeno admission
10–4daily, except City holidays
2,100+permanent plants
1915built for the exposition
The Botanical Building and Lily Pond in Balboa Park with red flowers in front
The Botanical Building and Lily Pond. Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Address1550 El Prado, on the walkway next to the Timken Museum of Art.
HoursDaily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., except City holidays.
PriceFree. The restoration site says it will remain free and open to the public.

Visiting With Kids

It is a short, easy stop between the museums on El Prado, and the Lily Pond is just outside. Pair it with the Alcazar Garden and the Timken, which are both close by.

Restoration

The restoration site says Phase 1 began in January 2022 and is complete. Phase 2, which covers the pergola and garden areas, is still under way.

Botanical Building and Lily Pond Open the map. © OpenStreetMap contributors.

What We Could Not Verify

  • Phase 2 restoration progress was not confirmed beyond “in progress.”
  • The restoration site lists better pathways and ramps as design goals; we did not confirm they are finished.

More in Downtown, Balboa Park & Central

FAQ

Is the Botanical Building free?

Yes. Both balboapark.org and the restoration site say it is free.

Sources

  1. Botanical Building (balboapark.org)
  2. Botanical Building restoration

Checked October 22, 2026 by It’s San Diego. Cite this page: It’s San Diego (itssandiego.com), checked October 22, 2026. Free to quote with a link to this page; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.