New Ways to Learn and Explore in the Gardens
At Nicholas Conservatory we say you learn something new every time you set foot in the gardens! We learn from our volunteers, fellow staff, and from our visitors. We want to make sure we give visitors a variety of ways to engage with the gardens, whether talking with a volunteer, learning from a program, or utilizing new digital resources.
Cuseum Mobile Tours
Thanks to a generous donation from a Nicholas Conservatory member and volunteer, there is a new way to learn in the garden. Cuseum is a mobile tour web page that debuted at Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens in December, 2021. Using the easy to navigate mobile website, guests can see images, read or listen to information as part of their chosen tour topic, or even browse the smart map to find plants and art pieces tagged throughout the gardens.
Some tour options are available only during seasonal exhibits or displays. Other tours are available year-round, featuring permanent pieces from our collection of plants, art, and more. Our first year-round tour available is “Paleo Plants.” Inspired by our friends at Burpee Museum’s Paleofest, this mobile tour showcases our most ancient plants! We are in the process of adding more tours highlighting NCG’s sustainability, sculptures, palms, fruits, spices, and more!
You can access the tours from anywhere in the world! Simply visit www.nicholasconservatory.com, click “Features,” then “Mobile Tours.” At NCG, you will see a sign advertising the mobile tours. Simply use your phone’s camera to hover over the QR code, and you will be directed to the mobile tour site.
¿Prefiere usted Español? The entire Cuseum website, text and audio, is easy to switch from English to Spanish using the “Settings” button on the website. Thank you to the students in Spanish classes at Jefferson High School for their voice talent in the Spanish audio portions of the tour!
Instagram In Bloom
Want to see what is currently in bloom from home, or from your dentist's office waiting room? Visit our Instagram page and click the “In Bloom” story highlight. Here you will find pictures and names of plants currently in bloom, updated weekly.
NCG Staff & Volunteers
Whether it is through our team members who work exhibits, the Curiosity Cart, horticulture, or docents giving tours, our favorite way to engage is in person with you! Do you like talking to people and learning new things? We are always looking for curious people who love to learn and share! Join us as staff or as a volunteer. Visit www. nichoalsconservatory.com/volunteer or www.rockfordparkdistrict.org/careers to learn more about joining our team.