If you’re looking to get out of the cold and experience something colourful, tropical butterflies are once again fluttering around the Canadian Museum of Nature’s Solarium.
‘Butterflies in Flight,’ an exhibition of live butterflies, is now open until January 2026 to visitors to roam through and experience the insects in a warm habitat.
“It’s quite a unique space because you can wander in and have the butterflies; wander around, they might even land on you or nearby,” said Katherine Day, program developer with the Canadian Museum of Nature.
The updated exhibition is back by popular demand at the museum. It was first presented in 2017 and 2019.
Dozens of butterfly species such as the large blue morpho, flutter around the solarium at any given time. There are also new interpretive panels in the adjacent Bugs Alive exhibition.
The butterflies are supplied from sustainable farms in Costa Rica and the Philippines. They’re transported to the museum during their pupal stage and raised by the museum’s animal care specialists.
“My favorite part is sharing this with the public. This is kind of a great experience. I always tell people, it’s kind of special because you’re going inside of the terrarium, said Stuart Baatnes, head of animal care at the museum.
“Normally, you get to look inside in the glass box to see the insects in there this time you’re going inside the terrarium and see butterflies in flight, it’s kind of unique.”
Entry into Butterflies in Flight is $6 in addition to the cost of general museum admission.
Until Dec. 16, visitors reserving online can take advantage of a 10 per cent discount on a bundled price of general admission plus the Butterflies in Flight exhibition.
The exhibition will end on Jan. 4, 2026.