The mission of the Chicago Botanic Garden is to promote the enjoyment, understanding and conservation of plants and the natural world. The 385-acre Garden features 23 display gardens and three native habitats, uniquely situated on nine islands surrounded by lakes. With the groundbreaking for the Garden in 1965 and its opening in 1972, a permanent site on which to carry out its mission was created. The mission encompasses three important components: collections, education and research. The Chicago Botanic Garden, with its world-renowned plant collections and displays, is one of the country's most visited public gardens and a preeminent center for learning and scientific research.