A local summer tradition returns when Butterflies Alive! reopens at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (SBMNH) on May 23 and runs through Sept. 7.
Butterflies Alive! is the museum’s most popular exhibit and has been voted into the top three butterfly gardens in the nation by the USA TODAY 10 BEST Readers’ Choice Awards, according to SBMNH. The top two are in Virginia and Florida.
Visitors to Butterflies Alive! experience an immersive habitat buzzing with life, discovery and connection.
The butterflies on view begin life in Costa Rica, and arrive at SBMNH thanks to a partnership that supports sustainable livelihoods and conservation in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.
Costa Rica Entomological Supply (CRES), a leader in sustainable butterfly farming for some 40 years, coordinates a network of small, family-run butterfly farms that provide both economic opportunity and environmental benefits for Costa Ricans, SBMNH said.
Using best practices promoted by CRES and the International Association of Butterfly Exhibitors and Suppliers, the farmers care for adult butterflies and raise their offspring from eggs, to caterpillars, into the pupal stage.
CRES coordinates the distribution of pupae around the world for exhibitions like the the one at SBMNH.
The museum receives shipments of hundreds of pupae at a time, which are visible in the emergence chamber in Santa Barbara Gallery. Once they have emerged as butterflies, they live out their adult lives in the Sprague Butterfly Pavilion.
A Costa Rican butterfly farm’s footprint is often modest: “Many people think that a butterfly farmer is this guy with a big piece of land,” said Sergio Siles, CRES commercial manager. “[Actually,] it’s a guy in the backyard! They do magic there.”
This unique cottage industry reflects Costa Rica’s broader commitment to conservation. As Siles explained, “We shifted as a country, the conservationist mindset that we have. It’s a highlight of the whole country.”
Kim Zsembik, the museum’s director of guest experience, saw Costa Rican conservation and butterfly farming firsthand during a recent visit to CRES headquarters.
She said she was impressed by the diligent scientific work of the Costa Rican farmers and the commitment they make in staking a deliberate personal investment in the conservationist national identity.
For Zsembik, the value of the connection is clear: “In choosing CRES as a supplier, the museum supports people and ecosystems in Costa Rica, and in supporting our exhibit, you’re making that choice possible,” she said.
In Santa Barbara, those global efforts are on view in a space designed to support butterflies’ natural behaviors.
“Seeing these moments up close helps visitors better understand the challenges butterflies face in the wild and the role people can play in supporting their survival,” organizers said.
Each day, close to 1,000 live butterflies take flight inside the lush pavilion, organizers said.
“Guests stroll among more than two dozen Costa Rican species, observing natural behaviors up close while connecting with the beauty and fragility of these remarkable insects,” the museum said.
Butterflies Alive! requires a $3 ticket in addition to regular museum admission. Museum members enjoy free admission to both the museum and the pavilion.
For more information or to plan a visit, go to sbnature.org/butterfliesalive.