ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A longtime favorite at the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden is getting a major transformation.
City leaders broke ground Tuesday on renovations to the Children’s Fantasy Garden, launching a project that will reimagine the attraction as “Dreamlands: Exploring a Mythical World.”
The Children’s Fantasy Garden has been a popular destination for Albuquerque families since opening in 2001. The renovation is designed to preserve the imaginative feel of the original attraction while modernizing the space with new interactive features, improved accessibility, and updated infrastructure.
The redesign was heavily influenced by community feedback. City officials say more than 1,500 survey responses were collected from families, along with additional input gathered through BioPark events, camps, and activities created specifically for children.
The new Dreamlands experience will be centered around a mythical world connected by a colorful Rainbow Path. Planned attractions include a Sensory Garden and Butterfly Canopy, Troll Forest, Treasure Trail, Aspen Maze, Kinetic Garden, and a walk-through Crystal Geode that will replace the garden’s former pumpkin structure.
Officials say the project will also add more shade, gathering areas, sensory features, climbing elements, interactive sculptures, and musical experiences designed to encourage outdoor exploration and play.
Mayor Tim Keller said the goal was to create a space shaped by the ideas of Albuquerque families while preserving the memories generations of residents have made at the garden.
Construction is expected to take approximately 13 months. The renovation is being funded in part through Albuquerque’s one-eighth cent gross receipts tax, which supports improvements throughout the ABQ BioPark.
When complete, Dreamlands is expected to provide a new generation of visitors with an imaginative and nature-focused play experience while keeping the spirit of the original Children’s Fantasy Garden alive.
