Explore the Science of the Butterfly Habitat Garden

Butterfly Habitat Garden

Plants aren’t the only thing growing at Smithsonian Gardens. We have expanded our Garden Interpreter program to include the Butterfly Habitat Garden adjacent to the National Museum of Natural History. Our garden interpreter volunteers can be found in the garden facilitating fun activities that help teach our visitors about the unique aspects and design of the Butterfly Habitat Garden.

The garden was designed to support the different stages of the life cycle of the butterfly. Our garden interpreter activities reflect this emphasis. Visitors can learn about the butterfly’s life cycle and explore how the garden supports and sustains it. They can also delve into the differences between host and nectar plants and why each type of plant is essential to creating the ideal habitat for native butterflies.

Butterfly Habitat Garden

The garden interpreters give our visitors the opportunity not only to enjoy the beauty of the Butterfly Habitat Garden, but to get a sneak peek into the science behind its design. They peel away some of the layers of the spaces and allow visitors to explore in a whole new way.

Join our garden interpreters and become a lepidopterist (scientist who studies butterflies and moths) too!

Bridget Sullivan, Education Intern