Lurie Garden

What Lurie Garden does

Lurie Garden is a 2.5-acre naturalistic public garden occupying the southeast corner of Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois, opened in 2004 and operated as a free public attraction under the stewardship of the Millennium Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The garden is the signature built work of landscape architecture firm Gustafson Guthrie Nichol (Kathryn Gustafson, Shannon Nichol, Jennifer Guthrie) with perennial plantings by Dutch plantsman Piet Oudolf and a spring bulb display scheme designed by Jacqueline van der Kloet, who personally returned in 2006 and again in fall 2019 to add more than 65,000 bulbs to the existing 100,000+ bulb base. The site is organized into two planting zones (the "Light Plate" and "Dark Plate") separated by the Seam boardwalk and water feature, and is enclosed on two sides by a 15-foot-tall "Shoulder Hedge" referencing Carl Sandburg's Chicago; the entire garden sits as an engineered rooftop over underground parking garages, pedways, and commuter rail lines, constraining agronomic options.

The garden contains approximately 350 plant types (28 grasses/sedges, 43 trees/shrubs, 55 bulbs, 193 perennial herbaceous species) managed under an ecological regime that includes reduced cut-back for insect habitat, retained seed heads for wildlife, and organic mulch from pulverized plant material. It is certified as a Wildlife Habitat (National Wildlife Federation), Butterfly Garden (North American Butterfly Association), and Monarch Waystation (Monarch Watch), and supports over 100 bird species and a diverse pollinator population. The organization runs free public lectures, pollinator walks, family programming, a volunteer program (20-hour annual minimum), and an educational partnership with Columbia College Chicago that repurposes plant stems for papermaking courses.

Lurie Garden has no commercial revenue model: there is no admission fee and no disclosed paid products. It is funded primarily through a $10 million endowment gift from the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Foundation to the Millennium Park Foundation, supplemented by in-kind and financial support from at least six recurring horticulture industry sponsors (Midwest Ground Covers, Intrinsic Perennial Gardens, Bartlett Tree Experts, Midwest Trading, Mariani Landscape, NorthWind Perennial Farm) and ongoing design oversight from GGN. The asset is currently in a March–September 2026 closure for major repairs to the water feature and Seam boardwalk.

Name

Lurie Garden

Legal name

Lurie Garden

Website

https://luriegarden.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lurie Garden is a 2.5-acre free public naturalistic garden in Millennium Park, Chicago, operated by the Millennium Park Foundation with 350+ plant types, 100,000+ bulbs, and educational programming for visitors, students, and landscape professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Garden / Urban Horticulture

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH)

Keywords

• Public garden operations
• Urban horticulture
• Naturalistic planting design
• Ecological landscaping
• Garden education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lurie Garden is a 2.5-acre naturalistic urban public garden in Millennium Park, Chicago, featuring approximately 350 types of plants organized into the Light Plate, Dark Plate, Seam boardwalk, and a 15-foot Shoulder Hedge. It provides free public access year-round for nature appreciation, photography, and wildlife observation, anchored by a signature Spring Bulb Display of more than 165,000 bulbs designed by Jacqueline van der Kloet. The garden also delivers free educational programming including lectures, pollinator walks, family workshops, and guided tours on horticultural, landscape architecture, and ecological topics.

Product overview

Lurie Garden is a physical public garden (not a technology product company) offering a naturalistic urban garden experience in Millennium Park, Chicago. The garden features a 2.5-acre footprint with approximately 350 plant types, organized into distinct design areas including the Light Plate, Dark Plate, and Seam. Seasonal offerings include a renowned Spring Bulb Display with over 165,000 bulbs. The organization provides educational programming, tours, and workshops rather than software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lurie Garden Public Garden Experience A 2.5-acre naturalistic urban public garden in Millennium Park, Chicago, offering free daily access (6am–11pm) to approximately 350 plant types across the Light Plate, Dark Plate, Seam boardwalk, and 15-foot Shoulder Hedge. Designed for individual visitors, families, and tourists seeking nature, photography, and respite in an urban setting.
• Spring Bulb Display A seasonal spring bulb planting scheme featuring over 165,000 bulbs including daffodils, tulips, glory of the snow, crocus, and other spring-flowering species designed by Jacqueline van der Kloet using her signature naturalistic bulb tossing technique. Offered free to public garden visitors each spring.
• Garden Tours and Educational Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Supports 100+ species of birds and diverse pollinators year-round
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Millennium Park FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Millennium Park Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the stewardship of Millennium Park. It has responsibility for the horticultural management and operations of Lurie Garden. The garden is part of Millennium Park and receives operational support through this partnership.
• GGN (Gustafson Guthrie Nichol)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGGN is the landscape architecture firm that designed Lurie Garden. The firm, founded by Kathryn Gustafson, Shannon Nichol, and Jennifer Guthrie, continues to be involved in the garden's ongoing design assessments and updates.
• Midwest Ground CoversminorOthersLandscape industry partner providing plant materials and horticultural support to the garden through sponsorship and donations.
• Intrinsic Perennial GardensminorOthersPerennial plant supplier and horticulture industry partner providing plant materials and expert knowledge through sponsorship and donations.
• Bartlett Tree ExpertsminorOthersTree care and arboricultural services provider partnering with the garden through industry sponsorship and donations.
• Midwest TradingminorOthersHorticulture industry partner providing materials and support through sponsorship and donations.
• Mariani LandscapeminorOthersLandscape contractor and industry partner that has collaborated on garden projects including cut-back operations. Provides equipment, labor, and expert program instructors.
• NorthWind Perennial FarmminorOthersPerennial plant nursery and horticulture industry partner providing plant materials through sponsorship and donations.
• Columbia College ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership where garden plant materials are collected for papermaking explorations and courses. Plant stems are provided for undergraduate and graduate papermaking programs, extending the life of garden plants and bringing nature into educational experiences.
• American Society of Landscape Architects, Illinois Chapter (ILASLA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the annual Cultivating Connections event to promote horticulture, landscape architecture, construction, urban agriculture and other professions in the Green Industry to students and young professionals.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Missouri Botanical Garden: Historic public botanical garden in St. Louis with extensive plant collections, research, and education programs — comparable Midwestern urban-garden scale and nonprofit stewardship model.
• Longwood Gardens: Large-scale public garden in Kennett Square, PA operating extensive plant collections, horticultural displays, and year-round public programming — comparable operational scope and educational mission.
• New York Botanical Garden: Iconic public botanical garden in the Bronx operating large-scale plant collections, education, and conservation programs — comparable institutional scale, mission, and visitor-garden model.
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Urban public botanical garden in NYC offering curated plant collections, education, and free/low-cost public access — closely comparable urban-garden positioning and visitor-mix to Lurie Garden.
• Wave Hill: Public naturalistic garden in the Bronx, NYC featuring curated plant collections and ecological horticulture — directly comparable naturalistic-design philosophy and free public-garden model.
• United States Botanic Garden: Public botanical institution in Washington, D.C. operating curated plant collections, exhibits, and educational programming under a stewardship mission — directly comparable institutional and operational model.
• Morton Arboretum: Public tree-focused botanical institution in Lisle, IL operating plant collections, conservation research, and educational programs in the Chicago region — comparable regional public-garden footprint and mission.
• Denver Botanic Gardens: Urban public botanical garden in Denver operating curated plant collections across multiple sites with conservation and educational programming — closely comparable public-garden and stewardship model.
• Chicago Botanic Garden: Major public botanical garden in Glencoe, IL — directly comparable operating model (free/low-cost public garden, plant collections, educational programming) serving the same Chicago metro audience as Lurie Garden.

Broad incumbents

• The High Line: Elevated public park in NYC designed with Piet Oudolf plantings and integrated urban-infrastructure design — overlapping urban park + naturalistic planting concept, but broader civic-park scope rather than dedicated botanical garden.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/luriegarden
• Facebookfacebook.com/theluriegarden
• Instagraminstagram.com/luriegarden
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/millennium-park

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lurie Garden