Butterflies Are Blooming

Date: Tuesday, March 1, 2011- April 30, 2011
Start Time: 9:00 am End Time: 5:00 pm
(Time Zone: US/Eastern)

Location: Meijer Gardens

Category: West Michigan Coastal Surrounding Areas

Here are the details:

Butterflies Are Blooming is Meijer Gardens' most popular annual exhibition and the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibit in the nation. March 1–April 30, visitors can escape the Michigan winter and mingle with more than 6,000 tropical butterflies flying free in the 15,000-square-foot Lena Meijer Conservatory.

The exhibition boasts more than 40 different species from the Far East, Africa and Central America. Each week hundreds of chrysalises arrive at Meijer Gardens and are painstakingly sorted, inspected, labeled and pinned in our sealed Butterfly Bungalow. The chrysalises are then placed in a special emergence area of the Bungalow where visitors can witness through a window their magical transformation into butterflies!

Once ready to be released into the Conservatory, the butterflies are placed on plants where they acclimate to the environment and gain strength before taking to the air. It's a wonderful place for photos and just one of the opportunities for visitors to observe the butterflies up-close and personal. Throughout the tropical environment, butterflies can be viewed drinking nectar from the flowering plants and feeding stations, lighting on the odd nose or shoulder, and congregating along the stream beds, as well as in flight all around.

During the exhibition, the Lena Meijer Children's Garden offers special activities. Additionally, interactive displays are featured throughout.

Exhibit hours: Monday, Wednesday–Sunday, 9 am–5 pm; Tuesday, 9 am-9 pm

Children’s Activities
Ongoing during daytime hours in the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden Information Center.

Use a “magiscope” to take a closer look at Michigan butterflies and moths.
Admire yourself wearing butterfly wings.
Design a unique butterfly wing pattern out of colorful scales.
“Flutter” through the butterfly maze and identify Michigan butterflies on giant photos.
Assemble a 12-inch, 3-dimensional butterfly.
Put together wooden butterfly puzzles at the puzzle table.
Visit the butterfly book corner.

Location Details

Meijer Gardens
1000 E Beltline Ave NE
Grand Rapids Mi 49525

Location Contact: 616-957-1580