The Hilbert Conservatory will be transformed into an amazing, ever-changing work of natural art when Butterfly Kaleidoscope presented by Citizens Energy Group returns to the Indianapolis Zoo.
From March 21 through Sept. 2, visitors can surround themselves with mesmerizing swirls of living color inside a tropical paradise at White River Gardens. The highlight of the exhibit is the nearly 40 different species of native and exotic butterflies. Guests will be dazzled by vivid varieties like the blue morpho, giant owl, zebra longwing and monarch. Each day, these wonderful winged insects will be released from an emergence chamber in the center of the Conservatory. Visitors can attend one of these timed releases to watch new butterflies take their first flight!
Throughout the season, the Conservatory will be filled with hundreds of butterflies at any given time. Guests looking for a close encounter with these free-flying butterflies can visit the patio, a brand new space designed to bring guests closer to the butterflies. With fragrant flowering plants and hanging baskets filling the space, visitors are sure to find butterflies fluttering nearby and one might even land on them!
This seasonal exhibit also includes many stunning artistic elements, like a one-of-a-kind giant mobile suspended overhead from the Conservatory’s 65-foot ceiling. This unique installation, created to mimic the insects’ vibrant hues and floating motion, fills the space with color. Other features include beautiful window graphics depicting the butterfly’s metamorphosis, hand-blown glass feeders and build-a-butterfly activities that are perfect for younger visitors. Guests looking for ways to bring home the beauty of Butterfly Kaleidoscope will be inspired by the native butterfly garden located just outside the Conservatory.
Admission to White River Gardens, including the Hilbert Conservatory and Butterfly Kaleidoscope, is free for Zoo members and included with regular Zoo admission. Guests are encouraged to plan ahead, pick their day and pick their price by purchasing tickets online at IndianapolisZoo.com.
Source: Indianapolis Zoo ♦ Photo: Nick Thompson