The Adolphus Busch Space Frame was the park’s first major aviary, located in the Bird Gardens section near the former Anheuser-Busch Brewery.
Fast Facts:
Official Open Date: March 22, 1960
Also known as: Geodesic Dome
History
The Adolphus Busch Space Frame, home to a number of exotic birds including storks, pelicans, and cranes, formally opened to guests on March 22, 1960. It was named in memory of the first president of the Anheuser-Busch company, Adolphus Busch, and upon opening was dedicated by the current company president August A. Busch Jr. and his son, Adolphus Busch IV. It was reported that Busch Jr. saw a new architectural innovation while on a trip to Rome – the geodesic dome – and wanted to have one built at the gardens.
Located in the northwest corner of the original 15-acre Bird Gardens area, the structure measured 99 feet in diameter, was 22 1/2 feet tall in the center, and covered approximately 7,700 square feet. The geodesic dome was built at a cost of $75,000 and made of gold anodized aluminum. It was designed, fabricated, and erected by Graver Tank and Manufacturing Company, with the aluminum supplied by the Aluminum Company of America. Over a dozen different sizes of screens were used giving the structure its unique appearance, all with two-inch mesh wire to allow light and air into the dome.
Inside, a bubbling water feature was installed, providing a pool for the aviary’s birds to enjoy, with the runoff draining into the nearby Flamingo Island lagoon. Landscaping in and around the Space Frame was designed by Charles R. Wedding, the same landscape architect who designed the rest of the gardens. Rare plants and suspended stork nests in the shape of “crushed derby hats” were among the features.
The structure continued to be listed as the Adolphus Busch Space Frame in advertisements, which according to a late 1960s brochure, housed the larger and rarer birds in the park’s collection. A 1974 brochure lists its collection including scarlet ibis, storks, and other large birds. In later years, the structure was named Geodesic Dome or left unlabeled on park maps.
Images
Additional details on the Geodesic Dome may be added in the future.
Sources:
Chicago Tribune | Sep 13 1964 – accessed 11/13/2016
Park Brochure – Late 1960s (Author’s Collection)
Park Map – 1974 (Author’s Collection)
Tampa Times | Mar 18 1960 – accessed 1/22/2025
Tampa Tribune | Mar 20 1960 – accessed 2/15/2025
Tampa Tribune | Jun 12 1960 – accessed 2/16/2025
Last update: February 16, 2025