Summer Butterfly House – Norfolk Botanical Garden

The Summer Butterfly House is now OPEN!

Please be mindful of the house guidelines
when visiting:

Maintain ONE-WAY traffic through the Butterfly House and walk only on pathways
Please do not apply aerosol sunscreen in the house
No dogs in the house at any time
Do not touch any specimens. We understand butterflies will land where they like, but please, for their safety, do not initiate contact
Please do not pick the flowers or plant materials
Do not collect any specimens from the exhibit
Mind your feet! Please be cautious of the living collection as you enter their habitat, and check benches and pathways for specimens

Summer Butterfly House

The Summer Butterfly House at Norfolk Botanical Garden was originally a temporary summer exhibit in 2009. Due to its popularity, it became a permanent annual exhibit and a regular destination for summer visitors. The house connects over 45,000 visitors each summer to the wonders of nature and the unique science of metamorphosis to the mystifying migration of the monarch butterfly. By hosting native butterflies and moth species along with the plants that support their life cycles, guests can learn how to protect these essential insects by creating habitat vital to their survival in the wild, all while seeing them up close and in action.

Maintaining the Summer Butterfly House and its inhabitants is an intensive and rewarding endeavor for our non-profit organization. In 2022, major renovations were completed that included an expanded accessible pathway, a new entrance and installation of new screens throughout the house. This year we are exciting to unveil our new paving and walkways! Learn more about our local butterflies

Monarch Tag and Release

Norfolk Botanical Garden tags monarchs in the Summer Butterfly House, along with wild monarchs, as they prepare for their migration to Mexico. Tags are provided by Monarch Watch, and NBG’s butterflies are sequence AEUR 225-724. Want to learn more about their migration? Check out this free program!

Become A Summer Butterfly House Volunteer

Volunteer this summer in the Butterfly House! Our ambassadors greet guests and answer questions about the native butterflies and caterpillars in the house, as well as the surrounding habitat.

Like being outdoors?
Want to share your excitement and passion for nature?
Want to learn more about butterflies and related plants?

Come and join the team! We’re currently looking to expand our Butterfly House volunteer family, and searching for outgoing and passionate individuals eager to help the Garden work towards it’s mission of Education Conservation!

Butterfly House Volunteer Training

In addition to standard volunteer training, butterfly house volunteers will undergo an extensive dive into the world of butterflies, moths, and caterpillars, ensuring that they are knowledgeable, confident, and ready to engage with the public.