About the Project
Butterfly Pavilion’s mission is to encourage an appreciation of invertebrates while educating the public about the importance of conservation around the world. Their exhibits encourage guest interaction and create sensory experiences key to fostering emotional connections.
After 20 years of creating memorable experiences, Butterfly Pavilion has embarked on a master planning process with the guidance of the zoo architect team at WDM. The team engaged a wide array of community leaders, environmental educators, executive stakeholders and staff in a collaborative investigation to establish a long-range framework for development. Their master plan attracted new partnerships and the opportunity to build a new, larger facility. The concept design for the new, re-imagined Butterfly Pavilion is a one-of-a-kind facility combining animal encounters, guest interactives and conservation research.
“Having a Master plan has been a really useful tool to help us move forward. When you can get that master plan in front of an investor or donor and really provide some clarity around our vision, that has been truly important for us to paint the picture of where we are going and why we need their support to get there.” — Mary Ann Colley, Chief Operation Officer, Butterfly Pavilion
Butterfly Pavilion’s plan includes distinct biomes representing: Ocean, Rainforest and Desert. A fourth biome, Colorado, will educate visitors about the diverse invertebrate life in the State that ranges from the alpine forests to the sweeping prairie grasslands. The facility will also have three state-of-the-art entomologist laboratory spaces and a stand-alone partnership lab for visiting University researchers. Each lab will be compliant with USDA containment guidelines for Lepidoptera.
The facility is a living example of best practices in fiscal management, environmental stewardship and invertebrate species conservation.
