Community Impact From the Butterfly House

One of the major ways we connect with the families in our community is through our Butterfly House and the activities scheduled therein.  The Botanica Butterfly House is one of our most spectacular displays. Open May 31st through October 31st, over 50,000 people come specifically to see the butterflies in a natural habitat.  Hundreds of butterflies fly throughout the netted house to the delight of both young and old with an up close and personal hatchery to watch the butterflies go from a chrysalis to emerging as a beautiful butterfly.    

Botanica also offers complimentary specific events in conjunction with the Butterfly House to the Boys and Girls Club and Big Brother’s Big Sisters so that they may experience this amazing display.  It is important for us to share this unique experience with all children regardless of their ability to be a member or pay the admission price. We work closely with the leaders of these other groups to create an appropriate event where the children can do a live butterfly release, receive some fun education on butterflies and have a beautiful memorable experience in the gardens.  We typically see over 8,000 children through these events.

Educational classes are offered to school groups and booked tour groups.  General educational activities are offered on a daily basis for the general public as well.  In addition, we are adding amazing interactive signs that will entice pre-schoolers through middle school children to learn more about butterflies – their habitat, their anatomy, their life cycle, their general way of living and of course their importance to our world.  These new educational interactive offerings will bring more families closer to appreciating butterflies and the habitats in which they survive and thrive.

There are three major community events that occur in the Butterfly House.  The first one is the Annual Grand Opening which is a part of the Wichita River Festival week.  Art projects, music, and children activities are done in celebration of the re-opening of our Butterfly House on May 31st with over 2,000 people in attendance.   The second event is Monarch Days. Our education staff puts on different activities celebrating the Monarch and ultimately the migration of the Monarchs with over 100 school classes participating in the education and the following of the migration of the Monarchs.  Finally, the Butterfly House’s last main community event is BOOtanica which is our Fall Family Festival that sees over 4,000 guests.