The Butterfly Pavilion sits on an 11-acre campus in Westminster, Colorado, about 15 minutes from downtown Denver. When it opened on July 15, 1995, it became the first stand-alone nonprofit insect zoo in the United States, built to introduce visitors to the world of invertebrates through hands-on, up-close exhibits rather than glass-case displays.
The centerpiece is Wings of the Tropics, a 7,200-square-foot indoor rainforest conservatory kept at 80 degrees and 80% humidity year-round, where more than 1,800 free-flying butterflies representing over 200 species drift among tropical plants. The conservatory sits inside the Pavilion’s larger 30,000-square-foot building, and the AZA-accredited facility also features a rotating lineup of invertebrate-focused spaces, from a crawling-critter exhibit to outdoor gardens, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors a year.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Westminster, Colorado
- Opened: July 15, 1995
- Size: 11-acre campus; 30,000-sq-ft facility; 7,200-sq-ft Wings of the Tropics conservatory
- Species: 200+ butterfly species (1,800+ individuals)
- Annual visitors: Hundreds of thousands
- Famous for: First stand-alone nonprofit insect zoo in the U.S.
Inside the Tropical Conservatory
Wings of the Tropics is designed to feel like a walk through an actual rainforest, with warm, humid air, a flowing waterfall, winding paths, and free-flying butterflies landing on plants and, occasionally, visitors. The Pavilion sources roughly 500 butterfly chrysalides each week from farms around the world to keep the exhibit stocked with fresh emergences.
Beyond the main conservatory, the campus includes exhibits like Crawl-A-See-Em for invertebrates such as tarantulas and insects, Water’s Edge, and outdoor garden trails, giving visitors a broader look at invertebrate life beyond butterflies.
Conservation and Education Mission
As an AZA-accredited institution, the Butterfly Pavilion frames its work around invertebrate conservation research and public education about threatened habitats. Its Bugmobile outreach program has brought live invertebrate programming to tens of thousands of students across the region.
The organization traces its roots to the Rocky Mountain Butterfly Consortium, founded in 1990, and by 1997 was recognized as the fastest-growing cultural attraction in the Denver area, reflecting steady growth in the years after it opened.
Explore more: Explore more zoos and aquariums.
Butterfly Pavilion FAQs
Where is the Butterfly Pavilion located?
It’s located in Westminster, Colorado, roughly 15 minutes from downtown Denver.
How big is the Wings of the Tropics conservatory?
The conservatory itself covers 7,200 square feet and is kept at a warm, humid 80 degrees and 80% humidity, inside the Pavilion’s larger 30,000-square-foot facility.
When did the Butterfly Pavilion open?
It opened on July 15, 1995, becoming the first stand-alone nonprofit insect zoo in the United States.
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Photo: Jared Winkler / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.