Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

What Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden does

The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 42-0540765) operating a year-round public garden attraction in downtown Des Moines, Iowa's East Village along the Des Moines River. Its core product is a 12+ acre outdoor garden complex anchored by a 1979 geodesic dome conservatory (80 feet tall, 150 feet wide, 665 molded Plexiglas panels housing over 1,000 tropical and desert taxa), plus specialized spaces including a half-acre Water Garden (700,000+ gallons), the Robert D. Ray Asian Garden, the Koehn Garden, the Conifer Garden, and production greenhouses. The Garden serves general public visitors (~140,000 annually), school and youth groups, wedding and private-event clients, wellness-focused adults, and horticulture enthusiasts, supported by a 650+ volunteer community contributing 19,000+ hours per year.

The organization monetizes through a diversified revenue stack: paid admissions, annual memberships (recurring), private events and weddings (venue rental), Flora Café (on-site farm-to-table dining launched December 2024), Garden Shop retail, adult and youth educational classes and workshops, and contributed income from individual donations, corporate sponsors (MidAmerican Energy, Willis Automotive, Principal Financial, GuideOne Foundation, John Ruan Foundation), and grants (Iowa Economic Development Authority, Bravo Greater Des Moines, Variety-the Children's Charity of Iowa). Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via walk-up admissions, an annual $9.6M capital campaign completed in 2025 (Welcome, Gather, Grow) is funding an ongoing Campus Expansion Project, and marketing is delivered through the website, multi-platform social media, email newsletters, Bloom magazine, earned media (Travel Iowa Guide, Catch DSM), and a year-round calendar of seasonal events including Music in the Garden (summer concert series), Dome for the Holidays (winter light display), BOOtanical Halloween, Dome After Dark, and the Spring Garden Market.

Name

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Legal name

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Website

https://dmbotanicalgarden.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a 12+ acre public garden in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, anchored by a 1979 geodesic dome conservatory, serving ~140,000 annual visitors through admissions, memberships, weddings, dining, education, and seasonal events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Gardens & Botanical Attractions

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL), Educational & Edutainment Parks (Science/Discovery/Children’s Parks) (THAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Botanical garden attraction
• Public garden education
• Event venue rental
• Horticulture programming
• Membership-based nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: General admission fees for visitors to access the conservatory and outdoor gardens. Pricing varies for adults, seniors, children, and families.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership subscriptions offering complimentary general admission, discounts on programs, exclusive member events, and other benefits. Core recurring revenue stream with year-round value proposition.
3. Private Events & Weddings: Venue rental for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations. Ranges from intimate gatherings to large-scale events, utilizing indoor and outdoor garden spaces.
4. Dining (Flora Café): On-site café restaurant offering farm-to-table menu with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Operates during regular hours and special events including Friday Night Dinners during Dome After Dark.
5. Garden Shop/Retail: On-site retail shop selling natural moisturizers, unique houseplants, kids' toys, mugs, tea towels, teas, and botanically-inspired products.
6. Educational Programs & Classes: Adult and group classes, workshops, Learn on Saturdays winter series, youth programs, school programs, and specialty workshops (e.g., beeswax wraps, book club).
7. Donations & Charitable Support: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and foundation grants. Garden Giving Club and corporate partnership programs. Tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with EIN #42-0540765.
8. Grants: Annual grants from organizations including Iowa Economic Development Authority, Bravo Capital, Variety-the Children's Charity of Iowa, and GuideOne Foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden operates a public botanical garden attraction combining a geodesic dome conservatory with 12+ acres of outdoor display gardens. It sells admissions and memberships, hosts recurring signature events (Music in the Garden, Dome for the Holidays, Dome After Dark, BOOtanical), runs adult and youth horticulture education programs, operates the Flora Café and Garden Shop, and rents the campus for weddings and private events.

Product overview

The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden operates as a unified visitor experience organization offering multiple interconnected services. The core product is the botanical garden attraction itself—a 12+ acre urban oasis featuring a geodesic dome conservatory, outdoor gardens, and diverse plant collections. Supporting the visitor experience are ancillary services including Flora Café (farm-to-table dining), the Garden Shop (retail), and membership subscriptions. The organization also operates educational programs (classes, workshops, youth programs, Learn on Saturdays, Botany Book Club), wellness activities (Yoga in the Garden), and seasonal events (Music in the Garden concerts, Dome for the Holidays, Dome After Dark, BOOtanical Garden, Champagne & Chocolate galas). Venue rental services for weddings and private events utilize the garden spaces as event venues. The portfolio functions as a single unified experience organization rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Flora: On-site restaurant and café offering farm-to-table dining experiences
• Dome Grown

Products and services

• Annual Membership Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 140,000 visitors annually experience the gardens
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 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.

• American Public Gardens Association (APGA)coreOthersProud member of APGA, the primary professional organization for public gardens in North America. Membership provides networking, best practices sharing, and industry recognition including the Dorothy E. Hansell Marketing Award.
• MidAmerican EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenting sponsor of Dome for the Holidays annual winter light display. Supports the signature holiday experience at the Botanical Garden.
• Willis AutomotivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenting sponsor of Dome for the Holidays annual winter light display.
• Security National BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting sponsor of Dome for the Holidays along with Iowa State Bank and RDG Planning & Design.
• RDG Planning & DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting sponsor and design partner for Dome for the Holidays experience.
• Polk County Master GardenerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal volunteer-led effort that began the Gardeners Show House, designed to rejuvenate the former Botanical Center experience with ideas and inspiration.
• Iowa Asian AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization related to the Robert D. Ray Asian Garden celebrating Asian American contributions in Iowa. One of the cultural initiatives founded to preserve Iowa's humanitarian heritage.
• Blank Park ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoar & Explore cross-promotional partnership featuring the Blank Park Zoo lion sculpture by Lauren Pesta at the Botanical Garden.
• Lao American Association of IowaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization connected to the Robert D. Ray Asian Garden, teaching about Laotian culture and performing dances for the community.
• Iowa Bonsai AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts the Iowa Bonsai Association Spring Show & Sale at the Botanical Garden with displays of miniature trees and interaction with experienced growers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens: Pittsburgh-based conservatory and botanical gardens with comparable indoor/outdoor exhibits, education programs, and event programming. Operates at slightly larger scale but with similar operational scope and nonprofit funding model.
• Olbrich Botanical Gardens: Wisconsin-based public botanical garden of similar scale and community-supported nonprofit model. Comparable product mix (gardens, conservatory, education, weddings, events) and similar reliance on memberships and admissions.
• Garfield Park Conservatory: Chicago-based historic glass conservatory offering tropical and desert plant collections similar to the Des Moines dome's 1,000+ taxa. Comparable education, events, and volunteer-driven community engagement models.
• Como Park Zoo & Conservatory: Minnesota-based combined zoo and conservatory offering year-round indoor botanical exhibits comparable to the Des Moines geodesic dome, plus seasonal outdoor gardens and family programming—very close peer in product and market.
• Mitchell Park Domes (Milwaukee County): Three iconic geodesic dome conservatories featuring tropical, arid, and floral biomes. The closest structural analog to Des Moines' single-dome conservatory concept with comparable visitor experience and Midwest market context.

Broad incumbents

• Missouri Botanical Garden: Larger, more established Midwestern botanical garden with similar geodesic Climatron conservatory concept (direct inspiration for Des Moines). Comparable attractions, education, and event-driven business model, but at significantly greater scale and tourism draw.
• Longwood Gardens: World-class Pennsylvania botanical garden with conservatory, extensive outdoor gardens, and signature seasonal light displays (model for Dome for the Holidays). Operates at much larger scale but represents the aspirational benchmark for ticketed attraction revenue.
• Chicago Botanic Garden: Major Midwest botanical garden with extensive outdoor gardens, conservatory, and educational programming. Operates in a much larger market but with comparable product mix (admissions, memberships, classes, events) and revenue model.

Regional players

• Blank Park Zoo: Des Moines' other major family attraction and cross-promotional partner (Roar & Explore lion sculpture). Competes for the same regional family entertainment dollars and visitor mindshare, with overlapping education/outdoor programming.
• Reiman Gardens (Iowa State University): Iowa-based public garden affiliated with Iowa State University in Ames. Directly comparable in geographic market (Iowa), operating model (nonprofit/university-affiliated), and product offering (gardens, events, education), but located ~35 miles north.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@greaterdesmoinesbotanicalg8356
• Facebookfacebook.com/dmbotanicalgarden
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/greater-des-moines-botanical-garden
• Instagraminstagram.com/dmbotanicalgarden

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden