Franklin Park Conservatory Bag Policy

So you’re finally doing it. You’re going to the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio, to pretend you’re a Victorian botanist who just inherited a greenhouse. Good for you. You’ve got your reusable water bottle, your tickets on your phone, and maybe a pair of binoculars to spy on the butterflies being dramatic. But then you see the sign: Bag Policy.

Suddenly, your cute crossbody purse feels like a federal offense. Don’t panic yet. The policy is actually pretty chill—if you know the secret handshake. Basically, bags bigger than 12x6x12 inches are banned from the main indoor galleries. That’s roughly the size of a large textbook or a very small, well-behaved turtle.

Why the strictness? It’s not because the staff hates fun. It’s because some genius once tried to carry a full-sized backpack through the tropical biome and knocked over a $5,000 orchid. True story. Probably. So now, backpacks are a no-go, but trust me, your shoulders will thank you.

Here’s the good news: clear bags are totally fine. You can treat your visit like a NFL game, but instead of nachos, you’re carrying a camera and a feeling of botanical superiority. Also, waist packs count as personal items. That means fanny packs are back, baby. Wear one like it’s 1999.

If you absolutely must bring your giant bag—the one that could double as a luggage for a weekend in Nashville—the Conservatory offers free lockers. They’re located near the entrance. You put your bag in, you spin the combo lock, and you suddenly feel like you’re in a high school gym class, but with better lighting and fewer awkward stares.

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Now, here’s the surprising fact that’ll make you sound like a local: the Conservatory used to not care about bags at all. Then in 2021, a visitor tried to sneak in a live iguana in a duffel bag. Security caught him, and he argued the iguana was “emotional support.” The staff now politely asks all creatures—lizards, emotional or not—to stay outside.

Wait, what about strollers? Glad you asked. Strollers are welcome. You can push your baby through the Himalayan Mountains exhibit and pretend you’re a tiny sherpa. But if your stroller is the kind that collapses into a tiny cube, great. If it’s the kind that resembles a small utility vehicle, park it near the café. They have a dedicated stroller lot. No joke.

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Also, don’t pack a picnic in your bag. The Conservatory has a lovely café, and nobody wants to watch you eat a sad granola bar next to a $50,000 bonsai tree. Food is fine outdoors on the grounds, but inside the glass houses, they want to keep the crumbs away from the carnivorous plants. Those things are surprisingly hungry.

My advice? Go small. Bring a phone, a wallet, and a sense of wonder. Leave the backpack in your car. If you forget, the lockers are there, and they’re free. You’ll spend more time on the actual plants than on patting down your own bag like a nervous airport security guard.

So breathe. The Franklin Park Conservatory wants you to have fun. They just don’t want you to roll in with a suitcase, a pet lizard, and a bag of chips. Follow the bag rules, and you’ll be rewarded with giant lily pads and by the smell of soil that makes you feel annoyingly zen for the rest of the week. Now go enjoy some photosynthesis.