The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History invites visitors of all ages to experience the magic of "Butterflies Alive!," now open in the Museum outdoor spaces thru September 7, 2020, when you make a reservation online. Tickets for the following two weeks are released every Sunday.
BUTTERFLIES ALIVE!
In Butterflies Alive! walk through a beautiful garden while nearly 1,000 live butterflies flutter freely around you. The exhibit features a dazzling variety of butterflies, from local favorites to exotic tropical varieties. Learn about the life cycle and behavior of these spectacular invertebrates while observing them up close.
Built in 2018, the Sprague Butterfly Pavilion features plants butterflies love and comfortable spots to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Its swooping steel ribs mimic the curve of a butterfly’s wings, and its sandstone face was carefully constructed from local Santa Barbara rock.
MUSEUM'S BACKYARD
Also open is the Museum's Backyard located just beyond the Sprague Butterfly Pavilion, the renovated and ADA-accessible Museum Backyard is a nature play area nestled in the oak woodland along Mission Creek. It is open daily during announced Museum hours and free with paid Museum admission.
Backyard features have been modified to accommodate social distancing and your safety and include:
- Play Stage: Put on a show, see a live animal, or check out a Museum production. You never know what you’ll discover on stage. Regularly scheduled live animal programs to be announced.
- Backyard Creek: Our new and much-improved manmade creek in the woods sets the scene for relaxation, exploration, and play for guests of all ages. We have identified three creek play zones more than twenty feet apart to allow our youngest explorers to play while remaining separate from other groups. The creek water is chemically treated to a public pool standard.
- Sensory Garden: Guests can enjoy a sensory experience with local plants. Additional programming is scheduled for this area to help children of all ages learn more about native plants, insects, butterflies, and the work of natural scientists.
- Boardwalk: A beautiful elevated walkway that winds through forest and creek, making nature accessible to all.
- Eyes in the Sky Aviary: Home to six rehabilitated raptors including Max the Great Horned Owl, Ivan the Red-tailed Hawk, Kisa the Peregrine Falcon, Athena the Barn Owl, Puku the Western Screech Owl, and Kanati the American Kestrel. Eyes in the Sky is Santa Barbara Audubon Society's key wildlife education program featuring birds of prey that can no longer survive in the wild.
NOTE: The Nature Club House, BioBuilders Zone, Paleo Dig, and Mud Pie areas are being taken offline or reimagined with new programming to reduce physical contact between guests.
Masks are required for anyone three years or older and
must cover your nose and mouth at all times while on Museum property.
The Museums hours are: Wednesday–Sunday, 11:00 AM–3:00 PM (last entry at 2:30 PM).
The Museum requires reservations in advance (no ticket sales on-site).
Tickets for the following two weeks are released every Sunday.
SAFETY FEATURES
The Museum has been modified to offer the best experience possible while keeping guests and staff safe. This includes:
- Mandatory masks for anyone 3 years and older
- Increased cleaning protocols
- Physical distancing
- One-way flow of movement from the Admissions Office to the outdoor spaces, through or past the Butterfly Pavilion to the Backyard, and exiting past the observatory to the parking lot.
- Please maintain at least a six foot distance between you and anyone not in your household.
- Hand washing and hand sanitizer stations
- Limited attendance per hour.
For a full list of our new procedures and what to expect during your visit, click here.
FEES
- Member: Adult (18+ years): Free
- Member: Teen (13-17 years): Free
- Member: Child (2-12 years): Free
- Member: Child (under 2 years): Free
- Adult (18-64 years): $15.00
- Senior (65+ years): $12.00
- Teen (13-17 years): $12.00
- Child (2-12 years): $9.00
- Child (under 2 years): Free
Learn more at https://www.sbnature.org/visit/calendar/6832/museum-opens-to-the-public
Learn more about Butterflies Alive! at https://www.sbnature.org/visit/exhibitions/75/butterflies-alive-2
Learn more about the Museum's Backyard at https://www.sbnature.org/visit/exhibitions/52/museum-backyard-nature-club-house
