News
Garden Stories
Tram Trivia
Dinosaur snacks and other Garden trivia you should know
We love our Grand Tram Tour drivers—they’ll tell you things that most people (and even Google) don’t know about the Chicago Botanic Garden. Take this quick quiz on just a few of the factoids that the drivers share. We know you’ll ace this (except for maybe the "Making waves..." question; there’s something a bit fishy about it). Need a refresher? Grand Tram Tours are scheduled to run daily through October 11.
Take the tram trivia challenge
Click on each question below to reveal the correct answer.
Hint: We have a big birthday coming up in 2022
The Garden is the same age as…
- Shakira
- Bugs Bunny
- Dwayne Johnson (“The Rock”)
Photo by Eva Rinaldi via Wikimedia Commons
Dwayne Johnson (“The Rock”)
The Garden opened in 1972. We’re 48, the same age as The Rock. We’re a bit older than Shakira (43) and a baby compared to Bugs Bunny (80).
Speaking of rocks…
Rock steps lead to our lovely Waterfall Garden. Where did we get the stones and boulders for the steps?
- Wisconsin
- Stonehenge
- Lake Michigan
Wisconsin
We hauled stones and boulders from Wisconsin to make the rock steps. (Tram drivers’ tip: The east-facing slope of the waterfall is the first place to catch the sun’s light every morning.)
You can’t jingle this bell
We have 48 bronze carillon bells, cast in Holland. The heaviest bell weighs about the same as a...
- T. rex
- blue whale’s heart
- big pickup truck
Big Pickup Truck
The heaviest bell of the Theodore C. Butz Memorial Carillon weighs 5,000 pounds. That’s about the same as a big pickup truck, less than a slim-ish T. Rex (11,000 pounds), and more than a blue whale’s heart (about 400 pounds).
Name that bridge
Remember when the tram driver pointed out the Arch Bridge, which connects to Evening Island? Which one is the Arch Bridge?
The Arch Bridge
This grand bridge is most striking at sunset, when it’s illuminated by the sinking sun.
The Serpentine Bridge
This was a bit of a trick question. This is the Serpentine Bridge, which also connects to Evening Island.
Making waves at the Garden
What kind of fish do we have in our lakes?
- largemouth bass and bluegills
- yellow perch and rock bass
- red snapper and king mackerel
Largemouth Bass and Bluegills
We have largemouth bass and bluegills in our lakes. But fishing is not allowed at the Garden. So don’t let us "catch" you.
In case you were wondering, you can find yellow perch and rock bass in Lake Michigan.
Dinosaur snacks
Your tram driver probably pointed out some of our signature trees. Dinosaurs ate the leaves of which of these trees?
- beech
- Ohio buckeyes
- ginkgos
Ginkgos
Archaeologists have found fossils of ginkgo leaves in dinosaur stomachs. Ginkgo trees are among the oldest in the world.
Game over; thanks for playing! Come take the tram tour, and you’ll soon be rattling off Garden facts like an expert.