Our museums remain closed due to COVID-19. While LA County Public Health has entered Phase 3 of the Roadmap to Recovery, allowing for the reopening of museums on June 12, our museums are still slowly welcoming back staff and are in the process of planning for new health and safety protocols in our galleries and gardens. Therefore, we will not be reopening until later in the summer. Sign up here to be the first to know when we will safely re-open to the public and in the meantime, stay connected from home.

Butterfly Pavilion

Watch butterflies take flight around you in this seasonal exhibition.

Yellow and black malachite butterfly resting on purple flower

General Info

- In response to State and County directives about social distancing we have postponed the opening of our seasonal Butterfly Pavilion.
Check back soon for updated opening information.

Butterflies are taking flight at the museum! Walk among beautiful butterflies in our seasonal Butterfly Pavilion. This springtime exhibition features hundreds of butterflies, colorful native plants, and plenty of natural light to help you see these creatures shimmer. With lots of flight space and a variety of resting spots, come get one of the best views in Los Angeles of these amazing insects.

A man in yellow shirt with a malachite butterfly on one shoulder and zebra longwing on the other

A zebra longwing butterfly on one shoulder and a malachite butterfly on the other.

Two orange butterflies resting on orange flowers

Butterflies resting on flowers.

Family with child pointing at flowers and butterfly

Use a printed guide to identify the butterflies.

Yellow and black malachite butterfly resting on purple flower
Little girl and adult using a guide and looking at a butterfly on the ground

There's a lot to see up high and down low.

Person holding a magnifying glass up to a leaf to take a closer look at an insect

Borrow a magnifying glass to take a closer look.

1 of 1

A zebra longwing butterfly on one shoulder and a malachite butterfly on the other.

Butterflies resting on flowers.

Use a printed guide to identify the butterflies.

There's a lot to see up high and down low.

Borrow a magnifying glass to take a closer look.

ALONG THE WAY, YOU'LL:

  • Watch butterflies use their tubular mouthparts to obtain nectar.
  • See caterpillars feeding on leaves.
  • Count up to 30 different species, including California natives like the mourning cloak and buckeye.
  • Chat with museum educators and live animals keepers to find out what makes these animals so special.

This exhibition includes live animals. Did you know the museum has a team of professional animal keepers on site 365 days a year? They take excellent care of all animals on exhibit at the museum, utilizing the natural history expertise of our scientists as well as our veterinarian, who advises on any medical and nutritional needs. Because even a frog needs a doctor sometimes.

butterlfy on flower
A Multicolored Kaleidoscope
At NHM, every Spring, a kaleidoscope of butterflies from all over North America flutters in our Butterfly Pavilion.
Read more