The Muttart Conservatory has four pyramids, each with unique environmental conditions. Three of the pyramids represent three different world biomes: arid, temperate, and tropical. The fourth pyramid is the feature pyramid which completely changes five times a year and displays floral themes such as poinsettias. The Feature Pyramid covers an area of 381 square meters and a height of 18 meters at the apex. The temperature ranges from 7°-18°C depending on the requirements of exhibit.
The Arid Pyramid features plants from locations where moisture is the limiting factor such as many cacti and succulents adapted to survive the dry, hot or cold areas in which they are found. The unpredictable water availability, extreme variations in temperature, and sandy or rocky soil make arid regions a harsh environment for plants. The two major biomes of the arid regions include deserts and xeric shrublands and Mediterranean forests, woodland, and scrub. The Arid Pyramid covers an area of 381 square meters and a height of 18 meters at the apex. You may be surprised to learn that the temperature inside the pyramid for a winter night falls as low as 12°C.
The Temperate Pyramid features plants from locations with distinct seasonal temperature variations. Plants in these areas become dormant in the winter months and blossom in the spring. The major factors limiting growth in temperate regions are temperature and hours of daylight. Many trees used for timber and paper products grow in temperate forests. The five major temperate biomes are temperate broadleaf and mixed forest, temperate coniferous forests, boreal forests/taiga, temperate grasslands, savannahs, and shrublands, and tundra. The Temperate Pyramid is 660 square meters and 24 meters tall at the apex. The natural cycle of dormancy and active growth that the plants undergo is obtained through careful manipulation of the environmental conditions. During the dormant period in the winter, the temperature is carefully maintained between 7-10°C for several months.
The Tropical Pyramid features plants from regions that have warm temperatures that are constant from month to month such as orchids and hibiscus. The major limiting factor in the tropics is light availability as only 10% of light reaches the ground. Tropical forests also have distinct layers and the plants have many unique adaptations to help them survive the challenges associated with that layer. Tropical rainforests contain up to 50% of the world’s species, are the home to plants that produce medicine for diseases like malaria, Hodgkin’s disease, and leukemia, sequester greenhouse gases, and support many endangered species. The five major tropical biomes are tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands, and mangroves. The Tropical Pyramid is 660 square metres and 24 metres tall at the apex. The temperature is kept constant year round at 21°C during the day and 18°C during the night.
The Muttart Conservatory was opened on September 3, 1976 by Mayor T.J. “Terry” Cavanagh and M. Edmund Muttart as a memorial to Gladys and Merrill Muttart. Initial funding for the project came from the Muttart Foundation which was established by Gladys and Merrill in 1953. Merrill Muttart (1903-1970) and Gladys Bowling were married in Edmonton in 1927 and established the M.D. Muttart Lumber Ltd. which soon became a Canada-wide enterprise for prefabricated homes and building product companies. Most of these companies were sold to employees and proceeds formed the capital base of the Gladys and Merrill Muttart Foundation.
The Muttart Conservatory was designed by architect Peter Hemingway combining the practical requirement for plant height with a visual effect that contrasts the softness of the Edmonton river valley. Though Hemingway is most well known for the Muttart pyramids, he also designed the Central Pentecostal Tabernacle, the Yellowknife Court House, and won Massey medals for Coronation Swimming Pool and the Stanley Engineering Building.
Cost of entry: $10.50 for an adult, $8.00 for a youth/senior, $5.25 for a child, $31.50 for a family. Annual and multi-facility passes can also be purchased.
Open daily except Christmas day
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
See the Muttary Conservatory's self posted waymark - (
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