Are you looking to do something different this winter season? A few months ago we had the pleasure of visiting the Butterfly Atrium at Hershey Gardens.
The year ‘round Butterfly Atrium offers a truly spectacular experience. Walk among 500 – 600 butterflies from around the world in a tropical setting that features colorful plants and a soothing water feature. Only one of 25 indoor, tropical butterfly atriums in the country, Hershey Gardens’ Butterfly Atrium is home to dozens of rare butterflies from South and Central America, Africa and Asia.
I thought I would share with you some of the experience we had while visiting so you can learn what to expect.
When you go to enter the atrium, you will wait outside of the door until a guide lets you in. When the door opens you will be lead to another small room before heading into the atrium. This is to give you some information about what to expect inside the atrium and what to look out for. For instance, they tell you to be aware of your surroundings, especially the floor and where you walk since the butterflies do like to land on the floor at times.
Once you go in you are free to walk about to explore and look at all of the beautiful butterflies. It is quite warm inside so if you are cold from being outside this winter you should warm up quickly. If you are a person who gets hot quickly I would suggest taking off your coat and carrying it while in the atrium.
There is also a chrysalis cabinet on display so guests can see the pupal stage of the butterfly.
Don’t forget to also look around you at the various tropical plants. They are there to provide a food source in the way of nectar for the butterflies.
Here are just a few of the plants:
- Cacao tree; its pods are used to make chocolate
- Plumeria tree; its flowers are used to make flower garlands (leis)
- Hawaiian Ti Plant ‘Red Ruby’ and ‘Red Sister’
- Golden Shrimp Plant
- Jatropha Plant
When you have made it through the atrium you will once again wait for a guide to let you out. You will be checked for butterfly “hitchhikers” because they have been know to latch on to guests at times.
The Butterfly Atrium is open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. Last entry for the Butterfly Atrium is at 4:45 p.m. daily.
Hershey Gardens is open daily, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m
with the following exceptions:
Thanksgiving (closed)
December 24 (9 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
December 25 (closed).
Tickets include admission to the Hershey Gardens and the Butterfly Atrium.
Regular (ages 13-61) – $12.50
Senior (age 62+) – $11.50
Junior (ages 3-12) – $9.00
Children ages 2 and under – FREE
Hershey Gardens Members – FREE
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Disclosure: FSM Media was hosted by Hershey on a recent trip and most expenses were paid.
Dianna Ranere
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