Live Butterflies Are Taking Flight in the Middle of Winter in Ottawa

Get out of the cold and into the warmth at the Canadian Museum of Nature to catch their special Butterflies in Flight exhibit. Butterflies in Flight – only here for a limited time – allows visitors to step into the warmth of a tropical environment where hundreds of live butterflies will be waiting. This immersive experience will give kids a firsthand opportunity to learn more about the role butterflies play in our environment and what we can do to help protect them.

We think they will be especially thrilled if one of the flying friends gets very close and lands on their shoulder, hand or head. You never know what may happen.

Tip: If your child wants to know more about butterflies and how you can create a garden to welcome butterfly varieties, the Canadian Museum of Nature’s website has helpful resources and tips that will get you started this spring!

Until April 2, you can experience this very unique opportunity. Tickets to attend (in addition to your museum entry) are required, and you need to book a specific time to attend. If you don’t secure your tickets in advance, you may find yourself disappointed when you arrive. If you have a museum membership, you will still need to purchase additional tickets to the butterfly exhibit. Tickets (for museum entry and this exhibit) can be purchased online to avoid a long wait when you arrive.

There’s more happening at the museum beyond the butterflies, too! Leave yourself enough time to fully explore old and new galleries.

You’ll want to see the Nature Live gallery with living creepy, crawlies – but don’t worry, they are in glass homes. That still doesn’t mean you likely won’t end up with some shivers along the way, especially when you see the millipedes or the furry tarantula. The Fossil gallery (with dinosaurs!) is always popular, and sure to delight your budding paleontologist. Don’t forget to visit the Water Gallery and learn about the depths of the big blue sea (and what lives inside) and stand in awe at the blue whale skeleton on display.

There are of course more areas to discover like the arctic and the rocks and minerals galleries. Or you and the family can take in a 3D movie. Tickets packages, including museum admission, 3D movie tickets, and entrance into the butterfly exhibit, are available.

Also, during Winterlude (February 2-19) there are even more special activities taking place. The Activity Zone is becoming a tropical exploration area where kids can snap a photo with the jeep cut out, read a book, or help the spider monkey go down the zipline!

What you’ll want to know before you go

There are a few things you’ll want to take note of before you go. The first is to go online and order your timed, advance purchase ticket for Butterflies in Flight to ensure you are able to take in the exhibit when you arrive at the museum.

Secondly, remember that the exhibit is only available until April 2, so you don’t want to miss it.

Lastly, the museum is open seven days a week, except on Mondays (unless it’s a holiday Monday) from 9 am until 5 pm. On Thursdays the museum is open from 9 am until 8 pm, with free museum admission being granted between 5 pm and 8 pm (tickets for Butterflies in Flight are still required). Also good to note: if you have children under the age of two, their admission to the museum is free.