The round glass house at Mitchell Park Horticulture Conservatory was built in the 1960s as a respite from the harsh winter of Wisconsin

Growing up in the 1990s, after graduating from high school, I would sit in front of the TV and watch "Totally Pauly" every day. I watched all Pauly Shore movies and even listed his other self, "Weasel" as my hero in the photo captions of my eighth grade yearbook. (As an adult, I met Shaw at the comedy store on Sunset Boulevard, and he signed the same yearbook.) So, when I first saw the circle of Mitchell Park College of Horticulture in Milwaukee, Wisconsin When the glass house-also known as the dome-Shore's 1996 fanatical classic Bio-Dome immediately came to mind. 

The curly-haired actor is known for irreverent comedies, such as in the army, the Encino, and of course the Bio-Dome. In the movie, friends Bud (played by Shaw) and Doyle (played by Stephen Baldwin) are accidentally trapped in a biological experiment in the middle of the desert. The film is roughly based on real life: in 1991, scientists carried out two similar missions in the Arizona desert. The results of the first Biosphere 2 mission were mixed (and the second mission was even less successful), but today, the site is located on the outskirts of Tucson and is used by the University of Arizona and can be visited.

Located 1,800 miles northeast of the Arizona Desert, the Dome Museum is a living museum composed of three glass hemispheres, each of which reproduces ecosystems from different regions of the world. Each dome sits on an acre of land, about half the width of a football field. They are the only conical glass houses in the world (the others are geodesic). To design these structures, Mitchell Park College of Horticulture hosted a competition. Milwaukee architect Donald L. Grie's space age form won, defeating 33 other world-renowned architects. 

The first dome was completed in 1964, and the third dome was completed three years later. The million-dollar design includes 2,200 triangular panels made of quarter-inch thick glass embedded with wire. The all-glass ceiling is seven stories high, allowing natural sunlight to penetrate the interior landscape. Employees manually water indoor plants every day. In 2008, the greenhouse raised funds to improve the lobby and bathroom; restoration work also included an LED lighting system installed between the glass panels, which showed the intricate dome of the building. At night, they will emit different colors.

The Flower Show dome hosts seasonally-themed rotating exhibitions throughout the year, displaying plants grown in the on-site greenhouse. During my visit, various brightly colored miniature evergreen trees, small pruned trees, violas and petunias were exhibited. The annual winter show is popular with families, and its feature is that model trains move throughout the floral arrangement. The Wisconsin Garden Railroad Association installs tracks, and volunteers supply trains from their private collections. Based on the real coal-fired machine that was once ubiquitous in the United States as a model, the remote-controlled version is perfectly built to scale. 

When I left the colorful world of the flower show dome and stepped into the tropical dome, I was immediately taken into the humid tropical rainforest surrounded by more than 1,200 plants. I came across trees that produce common foods such as cocoa, bananas, and coffee beans, and spices such as turmeric, cardamom, and pepper. More familiar plants, such as ferns and tree-loving plants, are filled with winding jungle-like paths. 

I am particularly interested in the sausage tree. It gets its name from its fruit, which resembles a chain of sausages hanging from a branch. Fruit casings can weigh up to 10 pounds and are toxic to humans. The colorful orchids and the waterfall flowing into the koi pond add to the tranquil atmosphere. A wide variety of tropical birds, fish and frogs help the ecosystem to flourish. 

Next, I will explore the arid climate similar to the domes of arid deserts in Africa and South America. In the rocks and succulents on the sand, there are live rocks in camouflage everywhere. Tall cacti appear in this oasis, creating an excellent background for the photos. I studied different edible cactus types, peppers and tuna fruits that thrive in desert climates. Two types of agave grow side by side; the core of the plant can be roasted and fermented to make mezcal or tequila. Flowering Euphorbia from Madagascar is the rarest plant in the greenhouse collection. 

The desert dome is not only the home of the flora, but also the home of some fauna, including Steve, the rescue of a bearded dragon. Since the greenhouse does not use pesticides on its plants, bugs and small animals like Steve help to eliminate harmful pests. 

In addition to the three domes, a glass house named The Annex is known as the only greenhouse in Milwaukee that doubles as an event venue. The 15,000 square foot glass house can be used for weddings and special events; the sunny room is also home to the Saturday Winter Market, where local farmers sell ready-made mushroom kits, miniature vegetables, small batches of cheese, soaked popcorn, and goat milk Soap and various products from local elk farms.

In the afternoon I spent time exploring the dome, and the challenges I encountered were not comparable to the challenges faced by researchers (or actors) locked in a similar, highly controlled environment. In fact, the glass ball is nothing more than a warm, warm oasis—especially when the winter temperature in southern Wisconsin can stay in the single digits. The connection between Domes and Bio-Dome may only exist in my mind, driven by pre-adolescent nostalgia—the actual film was shot at the Tillman Water Recycling Plant in Van Nuys, California. But I know that if I find myself trapped in The Domes, the first thing I do is turn the tequila into a delicious margarita. I think Shore and Steve will agree.

Mitchell Park Domes is open from Wednesday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, and from 9 am to 4 pm on weekends and holidays. Tickets need to be booked in advance, and parking is free.

Julie Grace Immink is a photojournalist based in Milwaukee. She works on documentary projects about the human condition. You can also see her kayaking in the wilderness of the Midwest or talking with strangers (the stranger the better).

Use the Roadtrippers mobile app to continue exploring.

Anything you plan or save will be automatically synced with the app and will be ready for you when you are on the road!

Contact us and click #keepexploring

Legends, travel guides, and the weirdness and beauty of the world.

Use our app to plan your journey, find amazing places, and take detours.

Soon, you will need to log in to your Roadtrippers account with Roadpass. Understand why.

Your account is connected to Roadpass. To move on, please log in to Roadtrippers with your Roadpass.

We could not find an existing Roadtrippers account to use the service. Please try to log in with other options or create a new account with Roadpass.

We need your email address to send you itinerary and other updates.