Polar Vortex Part Deux is swooping down on us, so if you are looking for some indoor fun this week, might we suggest a visit to the fabulous Franklin Park Conservatory? You can explore the beauty of the outdoor world inside the warm, cozy and downright gorgeous glass greenhouses, including The John F. Wolfe Palm House and Dorothy M Davis Showhouse, which were built in 1895. You will find more than 400 species of plants, including 43 species of palms in the Palm House. And now through April 13, you can take in the Orchids! Exhibit which features a display of hundreds of stunning orchids.

Or plan to stop by during the night hours and take in Bruce Munro: Light, an installation of Munro’s imaginative light-based art which will make your evening glow. There are 10 installations in the Conservatory’s indoor gardens and outdoor courtyards. The exhibit is open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and select Saturday evenings until 11 p.m. now through March 30. And this week, on Wednesday, January 22 from 6:30  -  8 p.m. you can come meet the artist himself at a public appearance and book signing (no additional cost with admission).

And if your visit makes you really yearn for the summer months, take a minute to sign up your kids for the Conservatory’s summer camp program. Registration is now open for these outstanding programs that allow children to explore the natural world through the lens of science and the arts. There are half-day programs for preschool and kindergarten students and full-day camps for kids in grades one through six. Summer will make it here eventually, leaving the polar vortex a deep, dark memory.