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Connor Keenan
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The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens announced that its Butterfly Experience will return beginning this weekend from May 16 to July 19, 2026. Hundreds of live butterflies will take flight in the Tropical Orchard greenhouse. The live butterfly exhibit will be open daily from 10:00am to 4:00pm, and a new Butterfly Release encounter will be available at a separate ticket price on select Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets for the Butterfly Experience and the Butterfly Release are on sale now at buffalogardens.com. The Butterfly Experience is presented by M&T Bank.
The Butterfly Experience returns to welcome visitors near and far to immerse themselves into the winged world of butterflies inside the Botanical Gardens' historic conservatory. Visitors will be able to get up close and personal with a flock of live butterflies, flying high, low, here and there. The experience allows the public to be surrounded by hundreds of butterflies that are native to the continental United States to capture the beauty and magic of the butterflies while also learning about the important role that pollinators play in their ecosystems. The experience will open on Saturday, May 16 and will be open daily from 10:00am to 4:00pm through Sunday, July 19, 2026.
Hundreds of bold and brightly colored butterflies will fly through the exhibit with various species like swallowtails, monarchs, painted ladies, red admirals, and many more. The 1200 square foot Tropical Orchard greenhouse will be home to the butterflies as well as dozens of fruit-producing and nectar rich plants and flowers for them to feed on.
For those looking for an even more up-close encounter with the butterflies, a limited number of tickets will be available for their new Butterfly Release encounters. This exclusive event offers early-access to the Botanical Gardens before they open to the public, and participants will learn about the butterflies, including their life cycle, their behavior, and their role in the ecosystem, and will end with the opportunity to help release a new butterfly into the exhibit. The Butterfly Releases will take place on May 22-23, 29-30, June 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27, July 10-11 and July 17- 18 from 9:00am to 10:00am.
"We currently offer a program where our guests can feed our fish, and we thought it would be wonderful to give our guests the opportunity to get up close and personal with our butterflies too, which is why we're starting the Butterfly Release encounters this year. There is so much to learn about these incredibly beautiful and fascinating creatures, and our hope is to create a generation of learners who are excited about pollinators like our butterflies and bees," said Amanda Johnston, Director of Learning and Interpretation.
"We had such a positive experience last year with our butterflies, and we are so excited to welcome them back even sooner this year in the spring. We've learned so much about our butterflies and how they interact in their new home, and the community will be really pleased with what our experience has to offer again this year," said President and CEO, Erin Grajek.
“M&T Bank is proud to again partner with the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens to bring this extraordinary Butterfly Experience to life. Seeing our Western New York neighbors come together in such a unique and engaging way is something we value deeply – and we look forward to another season filled with moments that inspire connection and create lasting memories,” said Don Elick, M&T Charitable Foundation Regional Manager.
Pre-purchased tickets are highly recommended. The Butterfly Experience is free for Botanical Gardens members, but all attendees must have a ticket. 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 will provide plenty of time to see the butterflies and capture the magic of this special experience with candid photos and selfies. While touching and holding 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.
Guests are encouraged to follow the Botanical Gardens' social media channels on Facebook and Instagram for updates, news, and content. Guests are also encouraged to share their photos on social media and tag @buffalobotanicalgardens and use #FlutterByBuffalo when posting.
The Butterfly Experience is included with regular admission to the Botanical Gardens. Tickets are expected to sell quickly and are available to purchase now. The Butterfly Experience will be open daily from May 16 to July 19 from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Tickets are $21 for adults, $19 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 Release encounter is $27 for participants 13 and up, and is $18 for kids ages 3-12. Kids 2 and under are free but must have a ticket. Member discounts do not apply for the Butterfly Release encounter.