The Oak Park Conservatory is truly a Chicagoland hidden gem. It’s a great escape especially in the winter time. I drove by this conservatory for years on highway I-290 heading to Chicago. It always looked so interesting to me and was on my bucket list for years. I cannot believe how unique this place truly is. They have three showcase rooms: the Mediterranean Room, Tropical Room and the Desert, the level of detail put into every space here is incredible.

Nature photographs from the Prairie by Lauren Lakeberg. You can really see just how much magic a 60mm fixed lens can capture detail here: closeup and the whole scene. Nature prints are available here.