Have you ever wished you could go on a Tropical Odyssey? Now you can! Travel through the tropical rain forests of South America and learn about where butterflies come from. You can see some of the most astounding butterfly species on the planet and interact in the world of these wonderful insects. You will learn about the life cycle of a butterfly, and follow the butterfly’s journey from its start in South America to its home in the Butterfly Pavilion.

The Butterfly Pavilion is located close to Denver, in Westminster, Colorado and was created by the Rocky Mountain Butterfly Consortium. It was founded in July of 1995 “as the first stand-alone non-profit insect zoo in the nation.” The facility consists of 30,000 square feet of space on an 11-acre campus provided by the City of Westminster. The learning doesn’t stop with butterflies, because there are so many creatures to see and touch. “Horseshoe crabs, sea stars and sea urchins are invertebrate animals that live in ocean tide pools. You can touch them at the Butterfly Pavilion’s Water’s Edge! Arthropods are a type of invertebrate animal characterized by a hard exoskeleton, segmented body and jointed legs. They include spiders, insects, millipedes, centipedes, horseshoe crabs and crustaceans. In the Crawl-A-See-Em, you can hold one of our most popular arthropods, Rosie the tarantula! At the Butterfly Pavilion, you’ll meet a handful of vertebrates like fish, turtles, birds and reptiles. Compare the differences between these two very distinct types of animals!”

If you still get excited when a butterfly lands on you, then the tropical conservatory is for you! There are over 1,200 free-flying butterflies from around the world to interact with. Children are welcome and encouraged to experience this unique environment. Education for all ages is a good tool for understanding more about the world we live in and how we individually play a role in helping or harming our environment. If you want to learn more about how important the rainforest is to our planet Earth, this is a good place to go. Find out about how we can take better care of our home, the air we breathe and the creatures that share the planet! If you just want a wonderful experience that will make you feel the thrill of discovery, this is the place to visit. Try to find the Colorado State Insect – the Hairstreak Butterfly while you are there!

Butterfly Pavilion Photo Gallery

Winter Hours

The Butterfly Pavilion is open daily during the winter months from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm but the doors close at 4:15 to give the last group a chance to see things. They are closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.  If you want to visit and avoid large school groups, your best opportunity is after 1:30 pm Monday through Friday (Sept. – May).  The cost is: children 2 -12 years old $4.95  – Seniors over 65 are $5.95 and Adults are $7.95 . Group rates of 10 or more people are available and children under two years old are free with paying adult.

How do I get to the Butterfly Pavilion?

Location
6252 West 104th Ave.
Westminster, CO 80020

Directions
The Butterfly Pavilion is located just 12 miles northwest of Downtown Denver at Hwy 36 and 104th Avenue in Westminster. We are located on the SE corner of 104th Ave. and Westminster Blvd.

If traveling from the south, take I-25 north to Hwy 36 west, exit 104th Avenue north and take a right at Westminster Blvd.

If traveling from the north, take I-25 south to 104th Avenue exit west, and take a left at Westminster Blvd.

If traveling from the west, take Hwy 36 east and exit 104th Avenue north (left) to Westminster Blvd, turn right.

If traveling from the east, you can take 104th or Hwy 36 East