Facility Hours and Admission
The Facility in Encinitas, California, includes an outdoor butterfly house (Vivarium), greenhouse, and a large classroom with specimens, live displays of a butterfly’s life cycle, videos, educational materials, information about butterfly gardening, and an interpretive specialist when the public visits for a mini tour. The Vivarium is a wood structure with netting and plastic. It is 1,200 sq. ft. with redwood chip pathways, ponds, water falls, trees, and a variety of flowering nectar plants. During the spring through autumn months there are usually about 8 – 10 native butterfly species. The Vivarium was built in December of 1991 and has been developed and expanded through the years. Today, it serves as an eco-biosphere for native butterflies.
In our greenhouse, next to the Vivarium, we grow thousands of milkweed plants, as well as hundreds of host plants for different butterfly species. We rarely grow flowering nectar plants and concentrate on host plants. Through the years we have become knowledgeable about pest control and specific requirements for cultivating various host plant species.
Hours of operation are April through November for classroom field trips during weekdays. We are open to the public without an appointment beginning the first Saturday of April through the second Saturday of November. During the summer months we are open to the public on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from the second week of June through Labor Day. The hours we are open are 11:00 – 3:00.
Admission is $7 per adult, $6 for seniors and teenagers, $5 for children, under 4 years old is free. Payments accepted at the facility are cash or check only, if you would like, you can pay an admission in advance through our PayPal donation account. All proceeds are considered a donation to the organization and tax deductible receipts are available.