Butterfly Pavilion
A stand-alone invertebrate zoo makes butterflies, spiders, marine invertebrates, and conservation work the main event rather than a side gallery. Begin with local invertebrate exhibits before entering the tropical conservatory so native and imported life cycles do not blur together.
Artwork inspired by Emilio Lobato
Butterfly Pavilion is a butterfly house located in Westminster, Colorado. It opened on July 15, 1995, and was the first stand-alone non-profit insect zoo in the United States. The 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) facility is situated on 11 acres (4.
Begin with local invertebrate exhibits before entering the tropical conservatory so native and imported life cycles do not blur together. Watch feeding, courtship, basking, and host-plant use; a butterfly landing on a visitor is incidental, not the measure of a good visit.
- Focus
- Free-flying tropical butterfly habitat
- Experience
- Warm, humid sensory environment
- Allow
- 1½–2 hours
Quick guide
- Route question
- A stand-alone invertebrate zoo makes butterflies
- Final evidence
- animal choice, habitat design, and repeated observation
Butterfly Pavilion: choose and watch
- Choose
- Move slowly through the conservatory
- Watch
- Look beyond butterflies to invertebrates
- Observe
- Watch feeding, courtship, basking, and host-plant use.
- Prepare
- Timed entry, humidity, and lens fog reward deliberate pacing.
Good to know
Timed entry and warm humid conservatory conditions reward layers, lens acclimation, and a slower pace.
Notice these
- A stand-alone invertebrate zoo makes butterflies, spiders, marine invertebrates, and conservation work the main event rather than a side gallery.
- Watch feeding, courtship, basking, and host-plant use; a butterfly landing on a visitor is incidental, not the measure of a good visit.