This place is super fun for all ages! The butterfly pavilion is definitely the main attraction they have butterflies the size of hummingbirds. Lol.... if you want more they offer garden trails outside the property super relaxing and pretty. Worth a visit for sure! read more

The kids love going here and our 7 year old is excited to be going on a field trip here this year. They like Rosie up front and of course the butterfly's. It's especially neat to be able to see the butterfly's as they emerge from their cocoon. read more

Great place with a great variety of butterflies and other insects and many not native to the state of Colorado. They have some spiders as well. You can observe them in the cab on stage and walk amongst the butterflies. Great opportunities if you're into macro or regular photography. read more

See all

My girlfriends and I stopped on the way back to the mountains. Mind you, we are 30 but we had such a great time. It is a little small but overall a great experience. It wont take too long either. The gift shop was insanely pricey. They do sell food, like grab and go for an ARM and a LEG. But the hot dog stand out front is so reasonable and well worth the 6 bucks for a hotdog, chips and a drink. Every one we had an interaction with was extremely friendly! read more

Loved taking my 4 & 2 year old nieces here. They enjoyed seeing all the different butterflies but I could have done without the spiders although my nieces loved them. read more

One tip for visitors to the Butterfly Pavilion: don't bring any of your friends who may be deathly afraid of 1) bugs in general 2) tarantulas 3) water creatures or 4) butterflies. If you don't believe me about #4, let me introduce you to one of my old roommates. If you don't believe me about #3, meet Tyra Banks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQp3c1o7rGw At face value, The Butterfly Pavilion is definitely very kids-oriented and heavy on educational exhibits. But definitely worth a visit. Don't miss what I call the creepy-crawly room, with plenty of spiders, scorpions, and shudder-inducing insects to keep you entertained. My fave part of this exhibit was watching the bees crawl into their hive with pollen all over their little legs. I mean, how can you not like bees? They make honey and pollinate our flowers for us. I have never held Rosie the tarantula, and nor will I. I know 'they' say you should face your biggest fears, but I'm telling you right now - I will never hang with either a) Jaws or b) anything with eight legs. As expected, the gem of this place is the butterfly conservatory, where if you sit still long enough, one of these beauties may land on your head, or some other part of you. It's hot and humid in here, so expect to get very sweaty especially if you visit during the summer. Bring your camera! I'm not sure where else you'd have the opportunity to snap such awesome shots. Just go there! Seriously. At $8.50, it's cheaper than movie night and you might learn something too. read more

I can't recommend this place highly enough! Super friendly and knowledgable staff that promote a hands on learning experience. Beautiful selection of tarantulas, scorpions etc but the real gem is the butterfly pavilion. The vegetation was amazing, the environment was tranquil, and the selection of butterflies and animals was amazing. I would love to come back with a book when I have a few hours to find a bench and read. I especially recommend it on a cold, snowy day like when we visited as it is like stepping into a whole different world. read more

The Butterfly Pavilion is much smaller than you might imagine looking at it from the outside, but it's definitely worth a visit. They essentially have three sections - one with various kinds of insects/bugs, one with water creatures like starfish, and of course the big butterfly house. There is also a section with giant plastic ants and such called "shrunk" but there aren't any live creatures there. The butterfly area is the most interesting, as you might expect. Walk around, butterflies everywhere, landing on you occasionally. A pretty educational and experience, but I wouldn't allocate more than three hours to the entire thing. Make sure you are there for the 12:30 or 3:30 release of just-hatched butterflies. All in all, a decent way to kill a few hours. Discount available for Westminster residents. read more

If I ever get really stressed out, this is the place to go. One of the more peaceful and serene places I have been to. The exhibits are very cool. I especially like the butterfly area. I can sit in there for hours and just relax and commune with nature. The chrysalsis exhibit is especially fun if you get to see butterflies emerging! I highly recommend being there for the butterfly release at 12:30 or 3:30. I love the beehive. A chance to see how a beehive actually works! The other exhibits are nice but it would be nice to have more of them. Rosie is pretty cool. The gift shop has some really nice things. I love the shadow boxes with the butterflies in them. You can pretty much see everything in about 30 min, but why rush. Take your time, relax and enjoy some quiet peaceful interaction with nature. read more

How freakin' cool is this place?! I thought we were going for the purpose of entertaining my 3.5 year old nephew... I was wrong. Evan and I were far more delighted! The insect room is suuuuuper cool and there is a large tarantula named Rosie that you or the kids can hold! The aquarium adds a nice touch of something different.. and the butterfly rain forest... O.M.G. That was one of the coolest things ever! Sooooooooooo many butterflies and flowers. They landed right on us. And this sounds terrible, but there are butterflies that have died, still sitting on leaves and trees and it makes for a stunning photo-op. (Sorry, kinda morbid) Westminster residents get a discount and overall it was fairly affordable anyways. read more

How often do you get a chance to hold a tarantula named Rosie? Small, but very cool place to check out loads of butterflies and other insects including spiders, scorpions, bees, and roaches (YUCK!). The butterflies came in many different varieties and were beautiful. We went during a weekday so it wasn't overly crowded. Both my girls loved it. Funny thing is my 2 year old held the tarantula, but the 10 year old wouldn't go anywhere near it. If you get a chance to hold Rosie, DO IT! I'm scared of hairy ugly spiders and it was one of the coolest things I've ever done. read more

I had a great time here and my 3 year old loved it! He loved the the not so nice bugs as well. Personally I could only take so much of that before my skin was crawling and I had to get the heck out of there. The butterfly room was amazing though! I had been there once before for a wedding, but it was at night so not quite the same experience. I will be back for sure. I was in awe of such beautiful butterflies AND the amazing flowers and plants they have. It is a small botanical garden in there. Oh, also it was great to visit a gift shop that you can actually afford to buy your kid a souvenir. read more

If you're patient and don't mind profuse sweating, this is definitely a place to check out. The butterfly room is a great place to sit and observe; the right opportunity can snag you a killer picture, too. There are cases on display filled with chrysalises, and if you're lucky, you can catch a butterfly hatching and being released into the room. Butterflies aside, they have bugs. Personally, a girl can only look at so many cockroaches and spiders. It threw me back to the days of scary apartments in midtown Kansas City and made me want to curl into fetal position and rock back and forth. They do have some sea life in aquariums, but again, not much movement there. Starfish and sea coral are pretty, yes, but not real fun to stare at for more than, say, 15 seconds. Animals that just sit there and don't move aren't very interesting to babies. Just sayin'. The gift shop is sizable and they have some very pretty light catchers. Plus, they have a bazillion different trinkets with names written on them (think Stuckey's and souvenir spoons - that sort of thing). My husband and I were wildly entertained when we found a flower pot with "They don't have your name" written in loopy calligraphy across the front. Overall, I think this would be a great place for a field trip (the folks that worked there were very informative), or for the independent burgeoning photographer. As far as family outings go, though, I'd say you have better options around town. read more

Wasps!!!! There is a massive wasps nest right behind the sign by the garden next to the main entrance and picnic area. My 18-month old son was stung 6 times on our way out and when we went to tell the staff we were informed that they were already aware of the nest. Really?!?! I'm sorry but put up a sign. Heaven forbid another family has a loved one stung. We will NEVER be returning. read more

Butterfly Pavilion - Wasps nest right behind the main entrance sign Be careful!!! - Museums Near Me - Westminster, Colorado

See all

If creepy crawlies are your thing, then this is the place to be! I mainly come here for the spiders, snakes, and butterflies. They've managed to jam a lot of critters into a small space. The butterfly room is takes up the most space and is the major attraction for me. I especially love when they start doing the releases and watching the butterflies frolic amongst the tropical and carnivorous plants. You can also watch butterflies hatch from their cocoons in this room. The only things that creep me out here are the cockroaches and beetles. Blech! read more

I cannot see how this place got so many 5 stars. It's way over priced, small and the day we went, there were maybe a few dozen butterflies, not"thousands" as the website boasts. There are 3 small rooms of exhibits. Each has maybe 6 tanks to look at, with a few insects or spiders (in the first room) and a couple fish, starfish and horseshoe crabs (room 2). You can't "touch all sorts of things," as others have posted. You can touch 3 things: the tarantula, a horseshoe crab and a starfish. Yes, if you have never experienced this, you might be blown away, but for anyone who likes or appreciates exhibits, you'll be disappointed. This place is small and the night show cost extra for the "spectacular" lights.don't come in the day and stay for the night! It's the same rooms, with dimmer lighting for night and they charge you twice. you get charged if you come before 5:30 and extra to stay after. Highlights: for my twins, the playroom, which has a pretend suspended bridge and canvas maze, was the most engaging. It is small, however, and did not warrant a day trip.plan to leave after an hour or so.my kids were begging me to leave but we stayed because we paid so much for the night extravaganza! The outside lights were very pretty, but not worth the hype and price. We have experienced the butterfly pavilion and that will be enough. We will not be going back. read more

Beautiful! This place has a small rain forest inside of it where hundreds of butterflies roam freely. My daughter and I had a blast walking through and spotting the different kinds of butterflies. We watched another little girl as two landed on her, one right on top of her head. So cool. And they don't just have butterflies, they have other invertebrate animals, also. We held Rosie the Chilean tarantula, and in another room we touched a horseshoe crab and a bat star fish. We also learned that just by paying for admission, you're helping support rain forests around the world. We will definitely be back! read more

Wonderful. Dare yourself to hold the tarantula! Oh my tingly friend...Take photos of awesome butterflies. I didn't really like looking at some of the insects but I really liked looking at most of the others. Giant free roaming butterfly pavilion was so cool. There was even a sea life exhibit. Take your kids or treat yourself as a kid and have fun. Nothing takes the fear of insects away more than learning about them and maybe interacting with them. read more

See all

Went here on a date and it was fun but didn't take long to go through. WEAR BRIGHT COLORS! The butterflies love bright colors and are more prone to land on you. Really cool holding Rosie the tarantula. The lady helping was very patient and made it a fun experience. The different kind of bugs were cool to see. Not as big of a place as I was expecting. Took us about 30 minutes to go through. Definitely a must do if you live in CO and haven't been yet! Feel like I would have been completely thrilled if I was a kid going through everything! read more

Staff were able to answer all of my butterfly questions. Also, I found it EXTREMELY HILARIOUS that the third item on their posted list of rules was, "NO NUDITY ALLOWED IN BUTTERFLY AREA." Seriously, this was listed before things like "No food or drink." I expressed my disappointed to the staff at not being able to experience butterflies in the nude. read more

Super fun! Educational, not expensive. Warm, even in cold weather. Went on a whim, watched the child friendly releasing of the butterflies and learned a few new things read more

See all

I decided earlier this year that iwanted to take pictures of giant Americana things. So picture number one was of the giant praying mantis outside the Butterfly Pavillion. The insect room was cool, lots of live exhibits to go with the pinned down displays. Don't worry, the only walk through exhibit is the butterflies, but could you imagine a walk through with insects and spiders? Would YOU go? Rosie the Tarantula was out. I was the first to let her sit on my hand for a spell. Very interesting, you can feel each individual leg a lot more than I imagined. Rosie's wrangler held onto my hand while I held Rosie, I'm sure to prevent any surprise movements that would fling her across the room. Another interactive exhibit had horseshoe crabs and.....um...forgot. The butterfly atrium is small, but you'd never know it. The well-laid path winds around, and there are so many lively butterflies, it doesn't feel small. I was fascinated! Everyone seemed fascinated and entranced!, Except my peculiar step-daughter who didn't let her 2 y/o son watch the baby butterfly release. What's up with that? (I keep my mouth zipped!) This is a great place for everyone! read more

I brought my one year old. I was bored out of my mind. They have had the same routine going for 20 years ( Rosie etc). My son couldn't see anything sitting in his stroller so I had to hold him up to see until we got to the butterfly exhibit. There is a play area that has a sign stating for 5 and under, but we only lasted a few minutes due to older kids playing around. Overall it killed some time and though less expensive than other places I feel like my time/ money was wasted. Narrow walk areas made it difficult to navigate a stroller amongst the crowd. Even though my son can walk he still would need to be held to see fish and insects. There is too much information to read thus good luck capturing a toddler's attention. The reading is fine for older kids and adults. I do not see myself coming back to visit. It is a very clean facility which is a plus. read more

I've been spoiled with Seattle, Chicago and San Diego. We came here today and went through each exhibit. The front desk lady made it seem that the exhibit was larger than it is. A little pricy for how small it is and the bee exhibit and tarantula is a selling point that they try to sell you on, on top of the butterfly's. It was so small I was looking for the rest of it. Once we arrived at the butterfly exhibit we were able to sit down and enjoy it. Annoyed by the people not respecting the no food/no drink policy and staff not enforcing. Watched a lady kill a butterfly. The butterfly exhibit is tiny and beautiful compared to others I've been to. It's great for small kids. Suggest that the staff crack down and follow through on their rules. However what I'm learning from ppl in Denver is that rules don't apply to them. Etiquette no longer exists. read more

How utterly cute is this place. Forget taking your kids here, this is a place where you would get lost in the wonders. Can't for get the kids? There is so much for them to see and learn and be thrilled about. It is a special place to go to and teach kids about nature. Even those who shriek at the sight of a spider will be more acceptable of them when they learn more about them. Oh.. I yearn to go back and will write about it then.. read more

We love butterflies and this is a great place here in Colorado so Help full to have our kids to know more about about them read more

What a great place to take your kids or grandkids! A haven from the cold weather in the winter. Pet a tarantula! Let a Madagascar cockroach crawl on your hand! If you are patient a butterfly will land on you. Very educational and fun. read more

A one time event IF you're hosting adolescent or senior people who have a desire to see butterflies in larger than normal quantities.

So in love! I'm 30 and I enjoyed the experience of it all! Lady and I came on a Tuesday afternoon after what seemed like a field trip of kids had time to explore. Fortunately, they were eating their lunch when we arrived so the whole place was nearly empty leaving us time and space to explore anywhere. The exhibits of all the critters were fascinating! I got to hold "Rosie" the rose haired tarantula and spent time not having to worry about someone waiting behind me! The space with the butterflies were magickal! Definitely coming back! Not going to forget my gopro this time! read more

Butterfly Pavilion - So many kinds of butterflies! All size, shape, and colors! - Museums Near Me - Westminster, Colorado

Came here today with my boyfriend for our 4 year anniversary and we had a blast!! I'm normally an arachnophobe but I mustered up my courage and held Rosie the tarantuala. So glad I did, she's a beautiful and sweet spider. I definitely want to come back again. BEST ANNIVERSARY EVER!! read more

See all

Coolest place eeevvvvveer! Stopped here while traveling through. I would recommend this for anyone even if you don't have kids. We spent about 2 1/2 hours here. I could have just sit in there with all the butterflies all day long if I didn't have my kids and husband wanting to see other things lol. I would return if in the area. read more

I took my boys to the Butterfly Pavilion many years ago, and was happy to see that it was still in operation. I was so much more able to enjoy my recent visit since I went just for my own enjoyment! It's just such a wonderful and magical environment, so educational and fun, and a great way to spend an afternoon! The staff genuinely cares for the butterflies and you can tell that everyone who works there really enjoys their job. read more

We went on an overcast DPS spring break day, so that was a mother fail right there. However, despite the test of the crazy number of children that can fit inside of one location, it was still a pretty impressive place. The first thing to note, with all the bugs and education on the bugs, is that it really isn't just butterflies. It's actually more an entomology lab than anything else. My 3 year old was scared to hold Rosie the tarantula, but she loved seeing the honey bee display and the lady bugs in the bugs of our Colorado backyards. In the actual Butterfly Pavilion, I learned from another mom that I should have dressed her in green if I wanted butterflies to land on us. However, we had so much fun just getting up close to so many different varieties! She keeps asking to go back. The gift store was also very impressive and not crazy expensive. In fact, I've been eyeing the Eric Carle Lady Bug growing kit on Amazon, and it was the same price in the store. The only thing worth noting is that admission is a bit steep. I think if you buy online it might be a bit cheaper, but it's still close to $30 for an adult and child. Also, the play area got so packed my kid wouldn't even play in it. She's not sensory impaired, but any kid with issues would be so scared off! read more

See all

Colorado is beautiful but it is SO DRY and as an East coast transplant, I really feel it. Especially as winter approaches and the skin on my hands start cracking! So that's why I love, love, love the humidity in the beautiful butterfly section of the Butterfly Pavilion. Beyond seeing gorgeous butterflies, tropical flora and the odd turtle here and there my skin gets a big drink of water! And my kid gets to hold Rosie the tarantula and run through a maze. It's a win-win for everyone! They have fun events here - we went to the halloween one recently and it was super fun. The staff is usually fantastic and can answer almost any question you might have about insects and the like, but I did have a really surly person "greet" me at the entrance recently and argue with me about my membership card. Not exactly what you expect when you come to visit butterflies, but a manager quickly smoothed things over. Definitely worth a visit! read more

I love the Butterfly Pavillion. There are a lot of things to do, see, and learn. My son enjoyed touching the hissing cockroach. Now he's old enough to hold Rosie if he wants to. The area with the butterflies is nice and well done. There are tons of plants and things to attract the butterflies. If you wear bright colored clothing, there is a greater chance they will land on you. There is also a turtle in the little pond. Picture opportunities are abundant, too. read more

See all

This is a lovely place but the price of admission is high for how short it is. This was my first visit and I thought the staff was friendly and organized. We started off in the creepy crawlers exhibit where as you may have read you have the opportunity to hold Rosie the tarantula! I did not choose to do this but saw many children and adults taking their turn. I'm not a big fan of creepy crawlers and these sure made my skin crawl! But it was very interesting none the less. Then we headed to the "water's edge" portion. Here they feature tanks with invertebrates like starfish, jellyfish, and crabs. This was a beautiful exhibit! You could touch a crab or a starfish if you like! Onto the butterfly exhibit. Wow! It's set in a tropical environment with beautiful plants and flowers. Butterflies and moths of all kinds are flying around you. I couldn't help but smile the entire time. The staff walk around with gloves to help those that land on the ground or maybe even on you! They will help move them to another spot so you aren't touching them with your oily fingers. We missed the butterfly release demonstration but based on the signs I think this happens often. There was a little play and explore area for older kids on the way out. There seemed to be a lot of hands on activities here for kids a little older than the one I was with. There is also a gift shop and shaded outdoor seating area as you leave. I agree with other reviews that there really is nothing like it, but we were in and out before 30 minutes. Granted the child I was with is under a year or she may have been interested in spending a little more time here but I think it's overpriced for what it is. $9.50 for adults and $6.50 for children above 2. Under 2 is free. read more

This was a fun place to visit and learn about butterflies, bugs, and spiders. My 2 young boys enjoyed walking around the big "tent" looking for butterflies. There is also a room to view and learn about all types of bugs and spiders. We even got a chance to hold Rosy the Tarantula. The place is very relaxing and the employees are very friendly and knowledgeable. Watching butterflies as they hatch was amazing. I will be posting a picture of that. So, if you get a chance to go to the Butterfly Pavilion, this is certainly worth the trip. read more

Took my first trip to the Butterfly Pavilion today and I guess my expectations were too high. It's a great place with interactive exhibits in each of the four areas and some fun eye candy for kids. The butterfly portion is certainly exciting for the little ones but I just felt like the whole place was small. We went with three kids all under 5 and were done in less than an hour. I wouldn't care except the drive to get there took longer than that. This place is worth a visit or two if you have little kids. The portion with butterflies was great, just very small. read more

See all

Came here on a trip with my mom and we both loved it so much. Some parts were a little lackluster but Overall the butterflies were beautiful and it was one of my favorite experiences read more

Butterfly Pavilion - Museums Near Me - Westminster, Colorado

See all

Great place to take pics of butterflies! The butterfly area was very, very humid but worth it to see the winged creatures. I loved the honey bee hive that allows visitors to see a live hive close up. All kinds of insects from cute to scary. I even held Rosie the tarantula - not an easy feat for someone with arachnophobia! The $11/ea ticket is a decent price for admission. read more

See all