Entry No. 12 — the Portland file — filed under: oddity-making
Roosevelt's Terrariums
One of the largest terrarium shops around, Roosevelt's runs build-your-own classes where, on the larger sizes, you can add a live dart frog (sourced from a local pet shop) to the sealed glass world you're building.
The story
Tucked away off SE 44th Avenue in the Richmond neighborhood, Roosevelt's Terrariums takes its name from an owner with an unironic obsession with Theodore Roosevelt—an enthusiast who has been known to suit up in full TR attire for local history talks. But the real spectacle inside isn't historical reenactment; it's the creation of sealed, self-sustaining glass worlds.
You aren't just browsing potted foliage here. Roosevelt's operates on a strict promise—'we won't let you fail'—guiding visitors through the mechanics of soil stratification, drainage layers, and humidity control. The venue's crowning feature happens in their build-your-own workshops: if you assemble a large enough glass ecosystem, you can crown it with a live dart frog sourced from a local pet shop, turning a simple jar of moss into a fully functioning, inhabited micro-jungle.
What it's like
Stepping inside feels like walking into a humid glass laboratory overflowing with moss mounds, glass cloches, and terrarium jars in every shape imaginable. During a class, you'll be elbows-deep in gravel, charcoal, and tropical roots while staff hover to troubleshoot your layering technique. It's hands-on, slightly dirty, and intensely focused. Just keep an eye on the calendar before showing up—the shop is strictly closed on Sundays and Mondays.
The move: Take the terrarium-building class as a pair and each add a dart frog to your own miniature ecosystem — you leave with a living, sealed jungle you built by hand.
- 📍 Richmond / Southeast Portland
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1510 SE 44th Ave, Unit 101, Portland, OR 97215
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- The Zymoglyphic Museum — Keep the natural history curiosities going by traveling less than a mile east to a converted garage housing a surrealist collection of artificial flora and fauna.
- Artemisia: Collage with Nature — Double down on hands-on botanical crafts by heading over to SE 28th to blend your own natural perfumes from raw essences.
- Scotch Lodge — After spending the afternoon crafting miniature biospheres, hide out behind an unmarked barred door for whisky in a room designed like an exiled Romanov's study.
Good to know
Can you really put a live frog in your terrarium?
Yes. If you build one of the larger-sized terrariums during their hands-on classes, you can introduce a live dart frog (sourced from a local pet shop) directly into your newly constructed ecosystem.
Do I need any plant care experience to take a class?
No prior experience is necessary. The instructors guide you through every layer of substrate and plant placement, backing it up with their core policy that they won't let your build fail.
Where is the shop located and when is it open?
You'll find them at 1510 SE 44th Ave, Unit 101, in Southeast Portland. The shop is closed on Sundays and Mondays, so you'll need to schedule workshops between Tuesday and Saturday.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · travelportland.com · Yelp · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-20