With its lush lawns and calming fountains, San Diego’s Balboa Park is a green oasis that bustles with people. One weekends, tourists crowd the gardens amongst the noisy musicians, quacking ducks, and the building’s rushing fountains.
Near the center of the action is the Botanical Building, which has stood in the park since 1914. It provides locals and tourists alike an escape from reality amid its lush greenery.
Three years ago, that escape was temporarily taken away as the city began its first phase of renovations to the building. But since its highly anticipated reopening in December 2024, a steady stream of spectators have circulated the gardens enclosed within the building’s famed dome.
On a holiday weekend earlier this year, Orange County resident Anjoy Bolivar took in the surroundings.
“I work nine to five, so I don’t really appreciate the beauty of nature in front of the computer,” Bolivar said. “So getting to see it in spaces like this are really like, ‘Oh, like, it’s there,’ like, I could breathe fresh air.”
Bolivar had been to the botanical garden both before and after its renovation. This time, she brought along her aunt, who was visiting from the Philippines, to see the new and improved building. Bolivar was glad to be back.
“I get to see some species of plants that are not really common in the United States, that I think they survive more in like, humid areas,” she said. “So it was nice seeing them.”
Visitors and volunteers alike shared their enthusiasm for the building’s unique wood-domed architecture.
“Most people say, you know, it’s beautiful,” said Dawn Isbell, who has been volunteering at Balboa Park since 2020.
Isbell got involved with the botanical garden shortly before it closed. She noted that a few last touches are still in process.
“The plants are not as lush as they were. A few more things need to be brought back in, and some things need to grow in,” she said. “So the look of the plants is a little different. But everybody says the building’s beautiful.”
Isbell understands how much the botanical garden means to people. She also has her own personal connection to the park.
“I have pictures, baby pictures of my kids in the Rose Garden, actually, all dressed up,” Isbell said. “And it’s always kind of been a special spot.”
For Isbell and many others who frequent the park, the three-year period of renovation made for a tough goodbye, even if just temporary. The garden is a shared community space that hosts a variety of events and gatherings.
“We have over a dozen different botanical organizations, they have plant shows,” Isbell said. “We’ve got children’s music lessons, children’s dance lessons, orchestra, a lot of different community groups use the space.”
Balboa Park carries a lot of history, starting in the late 1800s, when the city set aside the land to plant trees. It rose to prominence when it hosted the Panama-California Exposition between 1915 and 1916; many of the parks buildings were constructed for this event.
The idea of the Botanical Building’s renovation was to preserve a bit of this history, and to make the building look closer to its original form, Isbell said.
“We do have quite a number of community groups that are very active in terms of the park history and art and architecture, and very big on when possible to keep the historical look or restore things to their original appearance,” she said.
The restoration includes wood paneling, new windows, and an anticipated exterior garden.
Karla Murillo, a visitor from Los Angeles, has been to the park multiple times. She said she likes the atmosphere created by the new wood paneling, and that the new space has more sunlight.
“I think just especially living in the more urban area, just being able to be in a different environment with more greenery is actually good for our mental health, and just a different way to disconnect,” Murillo said.
Murillo, Isbell and others see Balboa Park as many of its fans do: As a relaxing environment that allows for a break from the bustle of city life, and which is free to visit.
“It really is a park for the people,” Isbell said.
A park for the people where the community can come together and share a treasured space that has been restored.