Nola’s Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium

Although I was in New Orléans for a conference, I did “play hookie” just a bit (shhhhh). I wanted to get a taste of all Nola had to offer. On my final day there, I took a trip to the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium.

Nola’s Audubon Butterfly Garden

Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, located in the U.S. Custom House on Canal Street, encourages you to use all five senses as you explore North America’s largest museum devoted to insects and their relatives. You’ll discover why insects are the building blocks of all life on our planet and along the way, you’ll be shrunk to bug size; wander through a mysterious Louisiana swamp; join the active audience of an awards show for bugs, by bugs; and be captivated by thousands of butterflies in an Asian garden. Voted “A top museum for you and your kids” by CNN.com, 2009.

This place was really, really neat! I took a walk through several different rooms filled with all kinds of bugs. Don’t worry, they are all behind glass. And since I don’t want to scare anyone away I will only show the pretty ones. haha 🙂 This picture is my absolute favorite.

The main hallway offers you a variety of pretty much every bug imaginable and a bit of info about each insect. Next you can veer off to the left and enter a dark, creepy looking cave where the floor is actually squishy. All I’m going to say is keep your eyes peeled! After making your way through the cave you cross over into another fun fact room. The following room houses a large tank with live baby gators.

After that is a fun interactive room for families (especially kids) to do all sorts of games and answer trivia questions. The next stop is a room with live cocoons and butterflies behind glass so you can see the transition. There’s also a table where you can see a few insects up close and personal and speak with a staff member about their insects.

Before entering their large gift shop filled with so many cool things is a room displaying every type of butterfly, beetle, and moth in existence at one point or another. They were incredibly creative with their displays as you can see in the pictures below.

Lastly I visited their Butterflies in Flight Exhibit. This was by far my favorite room and it was such a cool experience. I had never been in a butterfly garden quite like this. It donned a koi pond with bridge, turtle area, bird cages and butterflies everywhere!

This serene, Asian-inspired garden flutters with life as butterflies swoop and soar from one flower to another—perhaps even resting for a moment on the shoulder of a visitor. Close encounters with these beautiful creatures provide vivid memories that last a lifetime.

When visiting the butterfly garden you have to be very careful where you step as they are flying around everywhere and even land on the floor. Also before leaving they encourage you to check yourself out in the mirror (no, not like that) to make sure you aren’t taking any “fly”aways with you.

Overall my experience at the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium was completely worth the trip and such an educational one too! This is a great place to take the family or a school field trip.

Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium is located at:

6500 Magazine St.
New Orleans, LA 70118

They are open daily Tues-Saturday from 10am-5pm

Disclosure: All opinions are my own and may differ from yours. I received free admission for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.