The Fort Worth Water Gardens Put a Public Water Feature Downtown

The Fort Worth Water Gardens give downtown a place that feels nothing like a regular lawn park. The City of Fort Worth places the site at 1502 Commerce Street, next to the convention center, on a few acres between Houston and Commerce streets.

Architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee designed it, and the Amon G. Carter Foundation gave it to the city in 1974. It is built around three pools — a quiet meditation pool, an aerating pool, and an active pool where water cascades down terraces and steps to a basin at the bottom. It is outdoors, but it is made of concrete, water, shade, and sound, and it has become one of downtown's landmarks.

Admission is free and it is open year-round. Check the city page for hours, safety rules around the active pool, event limits, and current access.