Butterfly House Closed Today

Due to smoke from the ongoing wildfires and in the interest of protecting the health and safety of our butterflies, guests, and staff, The Butterfly House is temporarily closed for the day.

We appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience. We will continue to monitor air quality and provide updates as conditions improve. Thank you for your patience, and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.

Welcome to The Butterfly House at Navy Pier!

We Are Open!

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An Immersive, Family-Friendly Haven: The Butterfly House Unveils Nature's Delicate Wonders for All

Walk through this immersive exhibit in a safe, family friendly environment with hundreds of live butterflies from all over the world. Get up close and personal with these amazing creatures and see their incredible colors and patterns – a few might even land on you!

The Butterfly House supports rainforest conservation projects around the world, and your support will help us achieve this for generations to come. Come visit us in beautiful Chicago, Illinois at Navy Pier and see this amazing exhibit in person!

Last admission to The Butterfly House is at 6:00PM

Weather notice: if it’s raining, we close temporarily until the rain passes. If you purchased a ticket online in advance, please wait until the rain passes to visit, your ticket will still be valid.

Large groups; planning a school field trip or other large group visit? Please email ahead so we can be sure to accommodate your needs! Learn More

Save money, buy at the door: Prices above are for tickets purchased in-person.

*$1 Navy Pier Facility fee is added to each ticket. A service charge of 3% will be applied to credit card purchases.

OR skip the lines, and buy your tickets online in advance!

*Online tickets include processing fees.

North Lawn of Navy Pier

600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

Are Strollers Allowed?

No, due to space concerns we cannot accommodate strollers inside The Butterfly House, but we have a monitored space for stroller parking at the entrance!

No Pets or Service Animals Allowed

Many family pets and service animals are treated with flea & tick products (e.g. Frontline, Nexguard, etc.), and exposure to these treatments can be fatal to our butterflies.

How long does it take to visit?

Most people spend about 30–60 minutes inside The Butterfly House, though photography lovers and families with kids often stay longer.

Is The Butterfly House good for kids?

Yes, it’s very family-friendly and popular with children because butterflies fly freely around visitors and often land nearby or right ON the guests!

Is The Butterfly House wheelchair accessible?

Yes, it is! The Butterfly House has at a flat entry point, with mulch covered pathways.

What’s the best time of day to visit The Butterfly House?

The best time to visit is usually late morning through early afternoon, when butterflies are most active and flying around. Butterflies tend to be slower and less visible early in the morning because they need warmth and sunlight to become active.

What should I wear to the Butterfly House?

The habitat is warm and humid to support tropical butterflies, so light and comfortable clothing is recommended.

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 141 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Mackenzie Lay 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great little place - spent over an hour in here alone after assuming it’d be a 20-30 minute experience. The butterflies themselves were very active and more willing to be close to human visitors than any other butterfly house I’ve been to
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   E S 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Kleines aber feines Schmetterlingshaus mit vielen Blumen und natürlich Schmetterlingen. Am frühen Nachmittag waren die Tiere sehr aktiv. Gut dass es darin einige Sitzmöglichkeiten gibt, sodass man die Tiere länger beobachten kann.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Chere Gibbs 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. That was amazing!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Doyle Cruce II 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. What a wonderful day.  The attendants were very helpful and  knowledgeable
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   astrida mcfarland 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This was amazing and well worth it! I loved butterflies as a little girl in California  and they used to fly on me. So this exhibit took me back a ways to those days.  There are hundreds of butterflies from all over the world here flying free in a family friendly environment and some may even land on you. I belive there were around 70 different varieties if I'm not mistaken. It was all very magical. The Butterfly House supports rainforest conservation projects around the world, and your support will help them  achieve their goals. The tickets are $17.60 for adults and $13.50 for children (2-11). Seniors, students, military are $15.50. Infants are free. The BigBus tour does a stop right in front of the Butterfly House. It is accessible without steps or stairs. I hope to visit again.

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Who We Support

Supporting both butterfly operations and the families dedicated to rainforest conservation is crucial for preserving wild rainforests and their native species. The butterflies you’ll see flying in our house come from families around the world who raise butterflies, and send us chrysalises or pupae that are timed to hatch within a few days of arrival. These families also help conserve rainforest environments where they are located, preventing deforestation and providing good jobs to local community members; initiatives that are very important to us. For more information, watch their videos below!

Dedicated to Conservation

El Bosque Nuevo Farm in Costa Rica

For the past 30 yrs, El Bosque Nuevo has used 100% of their profits to purchase old-growth rainforest habitat around their operation for conservation.

They currently own and protect over 1,000 acres of some of the most important and bio-diverse rainforest habitat in Central America. Watch to hear their story below.

Alas de Colombia

Alas de Colombia is a woman-owned business in Colombia that exists soly to help other women, and small struggling families in rural Colombia earn a livable wage through conservation and the propagation of butterflies. Watch their story here:

Want to join our team?

Please email us at: info@butterflyhousechicago.com with your resume!

Help Us Connect

We will be giving out a number of Butterfly House tickets to underprivilaged youth, free of charge, this summer. If you can help us connect with the right people to give these away please contact us at: info@butterflyhousechicago.com