There is just over one week left to enjoy the immersive Butterfly Experience at the Botanical Gardens.

Buffalo, NY—The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens’ new Butterfly Experience will be open for just over one more week until August 3. The Butterfly Experience has been highly successful, bringing in thousands of visitors each week to see the hundreds of live butterflies take flight inside the conservatory. The live butterfly exhibit will be open daily until August 3 from 10:00am to 4:00pm, and tickets are on sale now at buffalogardens.com. The Butterfly Experience is presented by M&T Bank.

The Butterfly Experience, presented by M&T Bank, welcomes visitors to experience the winged world of butterflies inside the Botanical Gardens’ historic conservatory before they fly away on August 3. Western New Yorkers are encouraged to visit this special experience before it goes away for the season. This seasonal exhibit allows visitors to be surrounded by hundreds of butterflies that are native to the continental United States. Visitors can capture the beauty and magic of the butterflies with photos and can also learn about the important role that these pollinators play in their ecosystems with educational learning stations and trained butterfly experts.

The Butterfly Experience is fun for all ages and includes added activities such as a caterpillar scavenger hunt, life-size wings for photo opportunities and selfies, a butterfly craft in their new Playspace, and during the final two weeks of the exhibit, visitors will receive a free butterfly-themed sticker in the Botanical Gardens’ new memorable and whimsical brand style.

The Butterfly Experience has been a huge success already this summer, bringing in thousands of visitors each week to see the exhibit. Organizers say that their timed ticketing system ensures that there are no lines, providing plenty of time to see the butterflies and people can even choose to visit the butterflies more than once in a single visit. Organizers also recommend that visitors wear bright colors like yellow, orange, pink, red or florals if they are looking to excite the butterflies and have the chance for one to land on them. They also encourage people to come and see the butterflies even if they are uncertain or nervous around them. The number of butterflies does not feel overwhelming, and visitors can always opt to leave the exhibit and enjoy the additional eleven greenhouses filled with plants from around the world.

“We are thrilled with the success of our first annual Butterfly Experience! It’s been incredible to see how this exhibit helps people understand and appreciate butterflies and the plants that they pollinate in such an immersive environment. This exhibit offers our community a new annual tradition that fulfills our mission of deepening the connection between people and plants through beautiful gardens and extraordinary experiences. We couldn’t be happier with the positive response of this new adventure.” said President and CEO, Erin Grajek.

Visitors should arrive at the time listed on their ticket. Once checked in, visitors will be directed through the conservatory to enjoy twelve greenhouses. The overall visit time is expected to be between 1-1.5 hours. The expected time in the butterfly space will be approximately 15 minutes. This window provides plenty of time to see the butterflies and capture the magic of this special encounter with candid photos and selfies, and guests are permitted to re-enter the exhibit during their visit. While touching, holding, or picking up the butterflies is not permitted, there is a chance that they briefly land onto visitors making for an exciting photo opportunity. The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens also notes that their butterflies are sourced from USDA certified butterfly farms in Florida, Kentucky, and South Carolina. Their butterflies have been raised specifically for educational purposes. The Botanical Gardens has provided a full list of what visitors can expect, guidelines, policies and more at buffalogardens.com.

More updates have been, and will continue to be, shared with the public through the Botanical Gardens’ social media channels on Facebook and Instagram, and guests are encouraged to follow for updates, and post their own content and tagging @buffalobotanicalgardens and using the hashtag #FlutterbyBuffalo.

Pre-purchased e-tickets are required to attend the Botanical Gardens during this time as the Butterfly Experience is included with regular admission. Walk-ins or those that arrive late to their scheduled ticket time may be asked to wait or reschedule their tickets. Tickets are expected to sell quickly and are available to purchase now. The Butterfly Experience will be open daily through August 3, from 10:00am-4:00pm. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for students and seniors (62+), $9.50 for kids ages 3-12, and kids 2 and under and Botanical Gardens members are free but must have a ticket. The Butterfly Experience is proudly presented by M&T Bank.

About Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that welcomes all to enjoy its living plant collections, breathtaking conservatory, and educational programming. Opened in 1900, the Botanical Gardens is located within a park system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Support for the organization is provided by public funds from Erie County; the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; members; donors; and friends.