Before midtown Manhattan became the heart of the ‘concrete jungle,’ it was home to nearly 2,000 different plant species. Rockefeller Center’s towering commercial skyscrapers sit on a plot of land that was once Elgin Botanical Garden. The first American garden of this kind was founded in 1801 by Dr. David Hosack to experiment pharmaceutically and educate a new generation of doctors, scientists, and botanists.
As New York City grew rapidly, however, the garden became trapped amongst buildings. Further, Elgin left Dr. Hosack’s care and it slipped into a decrepit state. By the early 20th century, all naturality was lost to construction—namely Rockefeller Center and its surrounding buildings. Every trace of Elgin’s natural beauty disintegrated into hundreds of feet of concrete.
A garden once nicknamed ‘America’s Eden’ is gone, but HERO by MATTE Projects has created an immersive experience that brings the beauty and naturality of Elgin Botanical Garden back to life—digitally nonetheless.
BLOOM: The Secret Wonders of New York’s Forgotten Eden is an experience that explores midtown’s natural past. “The mission is to be both incredibly fun and educational at the same time,” said Hannah Duran, one of BLOOM’s immersive performers. “We want to offer a place to revisit the botanical history and experience.” And what better place to put it then at the Rink at Rockefeller Center where it once was?
The executive producer of MATTE Projects, Max Pollack says BLOOM is like “digging up a secret history of New York right beneath our very feet.” Pollack wants the experience to inspire everyone, and encourage them to “learn more and engage with the wonders of nature.”
Walking into the installation, visitors are instantly met by a vast screen that shows a landscape without a single skyscraper. One walks along a patch of turf and feels as if they’re prancing through a peaceful park flowing with flora. Not to mention, the space’s aroma is similar to the naturality it highlights—not like the smelly city sidewalks that replaced it.
The immersion appeals to all ages—there is a mushroom-themed bounce house for children (and children at heart), a flowery ball pit situated beneath a digital blue sky, and a bar called The Conservatory that serves bubbly, signature Chandon beverages. As adults sip on spritzy drinks, children can snack on cotton candy spun on flowers while drawing or crafting a crown of fresh flowers.
There are eight unique, interactive rooms throughout the experience that offer different perspectives about how the land under visitors’ feet was utilized over 200 years ago.
BLOOM is open all summer Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.. Admission is $35 for weekdays, $40 for weeknights and $45 on Saturdays. Each Saturday is classified as Seedling Saturdays and offers free flower-spun cotton candy and face painting for children.
As visitors leave the experience, they are gifted seedlings of plants that once populated Elgin Botanical Garden with the purpose to reseed the world of a lost garden’s lost beauty.
