The garden was privately paid for and built by the architect Heinrich Siesmayer. Work was done in 1871 and the garden opened to the public. One special visit was from the American entertainer Buffalo Bill. Buffalo Bill performed his Western show at the garden in 1890. In 1931, it was placed in the care of the city of Frankfurt. Control of the garden was later moved to the American occupation authorities after World War II. When the Palmengarten was returned to the city's control in the 1960s, a major rebuilding started. The halls that were destroyed in the war were redeveloped and expanded. In 1992, the reconstruction finished and the Palmengarten showed in its new form.