Butterfly Biosphere

The Butterfly Biosphere is an amazing place for families and especially children. The Butterfly Biosphere is home to over 50 different species of real butterflies that actually live in the biosphere. Located at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah, the biosphere is part museum, and part biosphere. The museum part is very kid friendly. There are a variety of activities to do that are all bug related, such as climbing on giant caterpillars and butterflies, pushing pretend dung beetle dung around, and learning modules. The giant caterpillars and butterflies are absolutely huge and are shaped to be like a playground, just themed like bugs and insects. The giant dung beetle dung is an interactive software that informs kids of how strong animals and bugs are compared to the dung beetle which can push millions of pounds of dung.

There are several learning modules too like the learning center where kids can watch live bugs and listen as a voice explains what they are and what the bugs are doing. There is also a butterfly flight simulator which shows how wings work to make the butterflies fly, and how that differs from birds and other flying creatures. There’s a “baby section” for learning and playing for toddlers and babies which has appropriately sized cubbies and butterfly toys that are extra soft and allow for the imagination to take over.

On the far left corner, there is a gift shop to purchase toys, books, gifts, stuffed animals, and jewelry to remember your visit to the biosphere. There is also a corner for adults and other kids to see skeletons of bugs and read short plaques about the different bugs and their habitats. The moment everyone waits for, the final part of the museum, is the actual biosphere itself with the butterflies! This part of the museum is the largest portion which sits directly at the back of the museum. This is the most popular part of the museum and everyone’s favorite. Before you go in to actually see and touch the butterflies, everyone must attend a short training on handling the butterflies and being gently with them. It doesn’t take longer than about 5 minutes, but it does ensure everyone’s safety, including the butterflies.

The biosphere is huge. It takes about an hour to see everything and walk through. It is also very warm inside, to keep the plants and butterflies warm and happy. As you walk through, their are tour guides and staff members to inform on plants and butterflies behaviors and information. You can sit down and watch as they fly around, or you can walk around and try to pick up the butterflies or let them land on you. There are over 500 different butterflies in the biosphere, and definitely enough for everyone to hold a butterfly. I had several land on my arms and legs and a few on my head as I walked through. The more relaxed you are, the more the butterflies will land on you. There are beautiful indoor waterfalls and rivers which the butterflies are attracted to as well as food and sweets. At the end of the biosphere, there is a “birthing hatch” where all of the cocooning butterflies sit and eventually hatch out of and are then released into the biosphere.

Normally, the Butterfly Biosphere is about $20 per adult and I believe $10 or $15 for kids, but every Tuesday in August, all day until closing, there is a $2 deal for anyone to come and stay as long as they want into the biosphere. This deal applies to most of Thanksgiving Point activities as well.