Bloedel Conservatory

Funded by the Bloedel Foundation and the City of Vancouver, this structure opened in 1969 atop Queen Elizabeth Park, the highest point in the city. Its triodetic dome, made up of 1,490 plexiglass bubbles and 2,324 pieces of extruded aluminum tubing, follows in the tradition of the Buckminster Fuller geodesic dome built for Montreal's Expo 67. Inside, three distinct climate zones — rainforest, subtropical forest, and desert — shelter around 500 plant species and more than 200 free-flying birds. Within its first year, the conservatory drew more than 500,000 visitors, confirming its status as one of Vancouver's iconic attractions.