Whatever the reason, we are flocking to these live exhibits in ever-increasing numbers, and more butterfly exhibits open every year. The first documented butterfly house, called Worldwide Butterflies, opened in Dorset, England, in 1978. A decade later, America s first two live butterfly exhibits opened, the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center at Callaway Gardens in Georgia, and Butterfly World in Florida. Most are less than 10 years old. Some are stand-alone, while many others are part of a larger garden, nature park, or museum.
Butterfly houses are more than just magical shrines to the fanciful insects.
Increasingly, educational centers are installing these structures to give visitors a glimpse of the beauty not only of butterflies as we know them, but also of their complex life cycle, and their habitats. The educational effort associated with butterfly houses goes beyond the traditional walls of a museum or zoo. In fact, this effort reaches into the tropical rainforests of developing countries, where local peoples are learning about habitat conservation. Curators have uprooted the age-old notion of the untouchable butterfly collection with its dried specimens mounted behind glass, by creating tranquil havens where visitors can immerse themselves in these beautiful creatures. Seeing so many butterflies, up close, alive, and flying freely makes quite an impression.