[2] The park was named in honor of Charles Barstow Wright, who had donated the land for the project.

Several artworks are installed in the park, including a bust of Henrik Ibsen, the Greek maidens nicknamed "Annie" and "Fannie", Fisherman's Daughter, Trilogy, and a pair of lions.

Six sculptures created by former conservator Clarence Deming rest among the plants and reflect African, Māori, and Aztec traditions.

The conservatory contains more than 550 plant species in its permanent collection, including agapanthus, azaleas, bromeliads, cacti, clivias, cymbidium, epiphyllum, ferns, figs, more than 200 orchids, palms, and rhododendrons.

The conservatory was featured in several scenes in the 1992 film The Hand that Rocks the Cradle,[4] starring Annabella Sciorra and Rebecca De Mornay and directed by Curtis Hanson.