Best $15 I've ever spent! If you're a newbie like me and want to up your photography game, you have to check out this hidden gem at the Butterfly Pavilion. I used my iPhone and the tips I learned were such a game changer! Atmosphere & Service: Early birds get the best shots! Since it starts at 8:30 AM, it was a small, quiet group of three. The instructor is one of the official Pavilion photographers his knowledge of bugs and cameras is next level. Pro-Tip: If you aren't a morning person, grab a coffee on the way! You'll want that caffeine kick to stay sharp for the classroom portion. The Experience: The first hour is a classroom deep dive into tips. Everything from high end Canons to iPhone hacks. Then, you head into the Pavilion to put it all into practice! Bonus: They have a dedicated Photo Hour so you can keep shooting after class ends. Price: $15 Parking: Free and easy. Overall: A 10/10 budget-friendly experience for hobbyists or beginner photographers. It's fun and educational. read more

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We really enjoyed this experience. You can't hold the tarantula anymore, but the butterflies are SO worth it. There are other interactive things and this would be awesome for kids of all ages. Please WATCH your step!! The butterflies do land on the ground!!! read more

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The Butterfly Pavilion was such a delight even for two adults! It was self guided and we easily spent an hour just wandering around even though the space wasn't that large. There were SO MANY butterflies of different colors and shapes flying around you. Such a cool experience. Near the entrance of the greenhouse there are chrysalises and we got to witness a partial emergence! The staff were also so cheerful and chockfull of knowledge. I had some great conversations with a staff member that really elevated my experience. Don't forget the gift shop! It had a lot of unique and beautiful gifts. Tip: wear light, colorful colors to increase the chances of the butterflies landing on you. read more

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Great place for kids and adults. A weekday morning in October wasn't crowded. Enjoyed the insect and coral aquariums, butterflies and spiders and bright flowers and lush vegetation. read more

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It's always fun to take the littles to the Butterfly Pavilion and this was no exception. I like that they change some of the exhibits but keep the most popular where they are. The free flying butterfly area is always a favorite but it does get pretty hot in there as the day goes on. Fortunately we went in fist thing before the heat and crowds and we all really enjoyed it. As usual, the staff was friendly and informative. There's plenty of parking and the gift shop is fun. The garden trail around the outside of the building is a great place to wander and relax. What a fun morning! read more

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We had a nice visit to at the Butterfly Pavilion today. The employees were very pleasant and helpful and seemed like they really enjoyed their jobs. There is also a very nice playroom for the kids and an outside xeriscape. It was smaller than I had expected as I had this huge menagerie in mind. Nonetheless it was pleasant in its small form. *** They accepted EBT cards for a substantial discount so it made the trip worthwhile. read more

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The butterfly chamber is packed with butterflies! At certain times each day, they release butterflies from a mesh cage with a very brief talk. There are also a lot of insects, a beehive exhibit, tarantulas. There are also some aquatic exhibits, including upside down jellyfish and sexy shrimp! The gift shop is packed with great gifts, books, souvenirs, home decor. read more

Lovely experience for all ages! Went with a group of coworkers on a summer Monday afternoon. The parking lot was almost completely full as this seems a popular spot for kids and families during the summer. The front desk staff was polite. We waited in line to hold Goldie, a tarantula, and pet some horseshoe crabs as well! The staff assisting with creature holding and petting were friendly and knowledgeable. And then the actual Butterfly Pavilion part was just delightful. 1500+ butterflies inside. There were a number of benches to enjoy sitting while inside. Next time, I'll be sure to bring my water bottle with me because the heat and humidity in there was pretty intense after a while, and it's easy to spend a lot of time looking at all the butterflies (and plants)! There is a kids play area that we did not visit, but looked fun. And then the shop had lots of fun gifts including some locally made items. One critique is that I did not see any gender-neutral restrooms, which was a bummer especially since they did have a Pride Progress sticker on the door outside. If there is one and I missed it, I'm happy to give a full, five-star rating. read more

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Oct 2024 Incredible ! Walking around with butterflies whizzing past you :) The colors, the beauty, the collection is mesmerizing The spider collection is fascinating Wish we could spend more time with the butterflies read more

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What a fun place! Kids loved holding the spider and the indoor play area was a hit. Even with the chilly day kids loved the outdoor trail too. Will go again! Staff were great read more

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A great place to bring littles! (I brought my 2 year old son and he loved it.) I have been to two other butterfly pavilions and this one is my favorite! The actual butterfly pavilion has so many butterflies inside of it. Not to mention a wide variety of different species! Besides the butterflies I enjoyed the plant life growing inside of the pavilion. This is the first time that I have seen angels trumpets! They are so cool and the flower hangs upside-down! Make sure to check out the chrysalises and cocoons near the exit and entrance of the pavilion. You may get to see a butterfly emerge for the first time! Besides butterfly when you first come in they have a section just for other insects. Here you can hold a tarantella if you dare and as long as you are over 3 years old. They have many other spiders and even multiple species of tarantellas. There are beetles too and even a hive of bees. One thing I thought was nice about this section is that they have a special platform so that shorter kids could go up steps and be able to see into all the glass tanks the bugs are kept. They have an aquatic section with a touch tank and coral. They also have an indoor playground that is great for kids of all ages. Here they even have a play section for those under the age of three and they have a very nice nursing room. Equipped with a very comfy reclining chair. Lastly they have an outdoor garden area that is pretty peaceful to walk through. Tips: -If you bring food they have a cover area near the entrance with picnic tables. -Come later in the day if you can. It is pretty packed in the early morning with children and the morning timeframe is when all the field trips come here. -Anyone under 2 years old is free. -I was able to get a pass free through my local library! read more

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Visiting Colorado, definitely make a stop here! It's a wonderful indoor activity for all ages! I haven't been here since I was a kid, and im so happy to see it hasn't changed! You can hold Rosie, when I was a kid, I was too scared, so it was fun finally getting to hold her! She was much lighter than expected. The butterfly room is so beautiful and I was in awe the whole time! Be dressed for humidity because that room is hot and humid but breathtaking! There were so many different types of butterflies and moths. Basically, keeping your head on a swivel, you can see them all. There were plenty of benches to rest and take in the beauty. We spent just about two hours here. They have a very basic bag policy and do allow outside food and drink so bring some water because it's hot. read more

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First visit, three adults, and we enjoyed the experience a lot. One of us even held Rosie the tarantula. We loved seeing the interpreter release new butterflies, and he was very informative. The garden is as entrancing as the butterflies - so many tropical flowers! Mornings are when groups of children take over, so consider your entry time accordingly. read more

Butterfly Pavilion - This is not a brooch! - Museums Near Me - Westminster, Colorado

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Butterflies everywhere!! It's so beautiful there! My favorite place I visited during our trip with a 6 year old. She loved it!! One even landed on her and stayed for a long time! read more

It was smaller than I remembered, but still pretty darn cool. We brought our family here, the kids' first time. It did not disappoint. Holding Rosie, the tarantula, was a highlight for my daughter who is afraid of spiders/arachnids. She overcame a huge fear and that was very exciting to see. I am still a chicken. The variety of bugs was neat, and their fish tanks were clean and a little less depressing than the aquarium in downtown Denver (still not our favorite). The best part is definitely the butterfly room in the greenhouse. The variety of butterflies is decent. We did see a lot of the same butterfly, but some of them are gorgeous and unique. We wanted to see more of our favorites like the blue morpho. A white morpho actually landed on my daughter! And we got to see a butterfly release of newly hatched butterflies! It was a lovely experience. read more

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Beautiful, fun,relaxing trip here with my school aged kids. So many different varieties of butterflies. 2 times a day they do a butterfly release of the hatched butterflies. You can also sit and watch100's of cocoons hatch in a glass viewing area. Opportunities to hold a tarantula after waiting in line and view many other spiders, bees, snakes. A small area of fish and ocean things to touch. An indoor play area. The whole place is quite small but great for a couple hours. read more

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We absolutely love visiting the butterfly pavilion. When we visited this week, there were the most butterflies we have ever seen there. The staff is always very helpful and knowledgeable. The environment is clean and their play area is very popular with the kids-would recommend. read more

Butterfly Pavilion - Museums Near Me - Westminster, Colorado

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I have never been to the Butterfly Pavilion and I grew up in Denver! I assumed it would be bigger. But it has just a few rooms. And outdoors. Best part about this was the butterfly area. I could just sit in that area forever. Hundreds of butterflies flying everywhere! Not sure I would pay full price for this place again. B it I love butterflies and just might return for that alone! read more

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Fun place for all ages! They have added a couple new things over the years such as more invertebrates, and virtual reality experiences. They also have a small aquarium area. read more

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My husband and I visited the Butterly Pavilion when we were in Westminster, CO. It was such a beautiful experience. There was a variety of other exhibits that ranged from spiders to bees and starfishes. The butterfly room was our favorite. read more

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Spend most of your time here with the butterflies. There are countless flying around and some will even land on you. We had two landings. Some pictures were hard to capture but just watching them is a great experience. Other parts of the exhibit features bugs and coral and other underwater creatures. Visit time was 1.5 hrs. 2 would have been better. Check them out! read more

Butterfly Pavilion - Tarantula - Museums Near Me - Westminster, Colorado

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Fun, interesting and educational exhibits. Yes, they have much more than just butterflies, although they are certainly the main attraction. Living coral reefs and an exhibits on spiders, tarantulas, and roaches. Kids of all ages will enjoy it here. The butterfly garden was the highlight for me -- walk around this lush tropical jungle and there are 1000s of butterflies, feasting on rotten fruit or just flittering around. Young kids will love the indoor playground. Warning: it is loud in there, with so many kids scurrying about. read more

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My boyfriend and I had a date here and it was a lot of fun. Each employee we interacted with was welcoming, friendly, and informative. The butterfly experience was great as well! We both had butterflies land on us and we also enjoyed all of the beautiful plants in the room. read more

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Unique experience that makes this place worth a visit - at least once. It is very family and kid-friendly and gets really crowded during peak times so keep that in mind when booking tickets. I loved the tarantula and think it's cool that they let you hold her for a few (ages 3 & up). She won't bite so even if you're freaked out by spiders, give i a try! The butterfly exhibit is just amazing. I've never seen so many butterflies in my life. A very majestic experience. read more

The place had some great displays and a walk-through butterfly house. They had some really interesting insects on the one side, including views into an active beehive and a chance to hold a tarantula. On the other end was a small aquarium, but they did a really great job showing off the animals and had a section for kids to touch some horseshoe crabs and starfish. Finally, the butterfly section was awesome. It's a good size area for the butterflies and they were very active when we were there (I actually think it was mating time due to some of the shows the butterflies were putting on: following each other and tapping each other). There were tons of vibrant colors on their wings. The only negatives I have were that the place was about 1/3 size overall that I was expecting and I felt the price was a bit much for the total experience. I think we walked through the whole place twice in about 1.5 hours. read more

Butterfly Pavilion - Museums Near Me - Westminster, Colorado

Six years ago! That's the last time I was here. Not much has changed except the price. Its now $14+ From $11 each. Not complaining but informing. Show them your purchase receipt when you get there. Or just tell them your name and they will look you up on their list and you're set! The butterflies are still very much happy in their surroundings. A few landed on my person. All sizes, all colors and friendliness. You see them mating, sleeping or just hanging. It's pretty calming. I went with a friend who's afraid of insects. She managed beautifully! There's a swarm of kids around my 11am appt ( it's a timed entry) By about 1pm they're gone! Awesome foliage with flowers for the butterflies to feed on. They also have food strategically placed everywhere for them on snack on. The amount of time is limited to 1.5 . hours per party. Be conscious of that. There's scattered benches to rest all throughout but they're very few. There's a petting area where you can play with sea creatures and such. Tons of aquariums in the main building when you walk in. If you're there just for the butterflies then head out through a different door from the inside. Just remember it's very humid because it's the best temp/environment for the beautiful There's other attractions too such as holding Rosie the Tarantula. You get a sticker if you do! Oh this happens on your way out. Rosie is the last entertainment. read more

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The Butterfly Pavilion is one of my favorite things to do with my toddler- in fact, we've been going since he was a little baby. They are SO kid/family friendly- it's awesome!! (I'd also gone a few times without kids and it was fun then too.) First of all, they open early, so you can go, have fun, and still be home in time for the nap- super important in our lives right now. Secondly, the exhibits are all set up to engage small people- and accommodations have been made do they can see everything by themselves without you having to endlessly pick them up. Thirdly, they have a membership option. Fourth, they have a beautiful outdoor space that we always take advantage of in the summer, but most of their space is indoor (including a super cool playground) so it's perfect for chilly weather. read more

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I love this place! It's a must stop when I'm in town and gives me a dose of humidity in an otherwise DRY area. I love the simplicity of the layout, but so many varieties of butterflies and plants. read more

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Went with a group, and used their online system to make reservations. We waited in line for a short 5 minutes. The facility has a spectrum of insects, and some aquatic life as well. The butterfly atrium is amazing! There countless butterflies everywhere! We had a lot of fun and we're thankful such an exhibit/habitat exists and is available to tour. read more

Butterfly Pavilion - Museums Near Me - Westminster, Colorado

Visited with my family. Unfortunately my grand daughter has autism and the woman handling Rosie the tarantula was impatient with her. Before her turn the employee let the family before us and mother step inside with her child but with my granddaughter... the woman handling Rosie did not let my step daughter stand inside with her child that has autism. The employee was aggressive in the way she communicated it in a rude manner obviously being frustrated. We probably won't ever attend again. It was a very uncomfortable situation. She should not be in that position. Let's be honest its not a very great experience. After all these years they should do better and grow the facility and train their employees better. This is partially the owners fault for not understanding you need bigger space so that your employees aren't frustrated because of the line to see Rosie the tarantula. Who would pile up so much visitors in such a small corner? Do better. We didn't deserve to experience that. We paid our entrance fees. We paid for the experience. read more

Awesome experience every time I come here. From holding Rosie, to seeing different stages of butterfly life, I have so much fun every visit!

Always a delight and a learning experience when I visit the Butterfly Pavilion and this time was especially awesome because the adorable and necessary invertebrates were so active! I took a student I'm working with as an end of summer field trip and she was excited at the number of insects out and about, eating leaves and fruit, and engaging with each other. Rosie, of course, was a hit and it was her first time to hold this beautiful creature. She was also fascinated by the coral and hearing about how they came from Florida. The butterflies were everywhere and so many different kinds made it a real treat. One even landed on my student's head and she was thrilled. This is not just a place for children, this is a place for everyone and helps you see up close the importance of taking care of our planet and it's flora and fauna. read more

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I love the butterfly pavilion! It is an amazing space to learn and enjoy the beautiful nature!

Great way to spend a few hours in a tranquil setting in the suburbs of Denver. The staff was very pleasant and the displays engaging and relaxing. They have a very nice gift shop and they let you wander in and out of the museum at your own pace. It makes a great addition to a night out before dinner or lunch. The surrounding area offers lots of options for both. read more

Hold a tarantula! You can see everyone here loves their job. Very clean, has a play area and there are a couple options for snacks to purchase. Don't forget to walk in the garden before you leave and spot some prairie dogs. read more

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Beautiful place with the best animals! Spent most of my time looking at coral and butterflies. They were putting up a new exhibit while I was there. Hope to see it when I come back next! Must see! read more

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It's not every day that I'm up north, but in spending the morning with my sister and nephew, we decided a stop at the Butterfly Pavilion was in order. As cool as this place was, I was expecting more. Here goes - PRO's: ++ Free admission is available through your local library! We reserved our passes through the Jefferson County's website, reserved the day we wanted and boom - two free passes! ++ The outdoor garden is gorgeous and full of lush greenery, pretty flowers and so many butterflies! Despite the humid space, it was our favorite part spot! ++ The space is well laid out and each wing features a different exhibit, both interesting and interactive! ++ Staff is friendly, super knowledgeable and allowed guests to interact with a variety of insects - like the famous Rosie! CON's: -- The space is extremely small and in under 45 minutes had seen it all, twice! -- Price is a bit steep for what you get at $12/adult and $8/kid. Not sure we would have paid that amount if we didn't have the free passes. --Parking is limited and fills up fast. Pays to get there early! While my nephew totally enjoyed this experience and it was worth it to see the smile on his face, not sure I'd venture all the way north for another trip. read more

Butterfly Pavilion - Museums Near Me - Westminster, Colorado

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I was pleasantly surprised when I visited the Butterfly Pavilion when my mom was in town. Honestly, I was expecting a "ooh, look. A butterfly. And another one" type of experience but I had a great time! I was pleased to discover there's more to do than see butterflies. They had a "survival" exhibit, featuring spiders from around the world. Some of those suckers were huge and you could hold one of them, under supervision of course. I wasn't about that experience, so I admired them from their enclosures. They also had an active bee hive, aquarium with a couple spots where you can touch marine life, an invertebrates exhibit with interesting beetles, ants, and other insects. The butterfly section itself was awesome, humid, but awesome. You're not supposed to touch the butterflies, but I swear some of them will try to dive bomb you -- those little guys totally do it on purpose to test your might or make you look ridiculous as you begin to swat them away, but remember you can't so you're stuck in an awkward pose. Nonetheless, there are plenty of beautiful photo ops and some butterflies are super chill, enabling you to get respectfully close to get a spectacular shot. Another thing to note is that the folks who work there clearly like what they do. Everyone we encountered was friendly and informative. The guy in the invertebrates exhibit was super cool and gave us the impossible challenge of finding the queen ant among her many minions. He also took time to chat and give us fun facts about the various creatures in that part of the facility. read more

We ha d the best time! Great for a two year old and 10 month old. The kids loved the exit with the spiders and beetles! Then onto the butterflies. We walked through three times. read more

I love this place! It's clean and welcoming. The butterfly habitat is well taken care of and there are MANY butterflies. There are walking paths that let you get up close and personal to these little creatures. We also loved the tarantula habitat and some of the water creatures. However that area is small in nature so it's a good add on but wouldn't come here just for that. The play area is definitely worth staying for. It's big and clean! Can't wait to come back! read more

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