The Butterfly Experience at Brookside Gardens

Garden Highlights Menu

Purchase Tickets for The Butterfly Experience

Wednesday, April 1 to Monday, September 7, 2026

9 am to 3 pm

Step into a world bursting with color and wonder! Visitors to Brookside Gardens will be
welcomed by a stunning display of live butterflies from the Americas, Africa, and Asia.
Watch in awe as these beautiful insects flutter among vibrant flowers in the South Conservatory House. Join us to explore the amazing world of butterflies!

Our staff and volunteers are eager to answer questions as visitor make their way through the captivating universe of lepidoptera, an order of winged insects. Learn about their vital role
in our ecosystems and find out how you can support butterflies in your own community.

Below, find helpful details about visiting the exhibit, bringing groups, opportunities to learn more about butterflies, and how to get involved in this extraordinary experience.

Photos from 2025 edition of The Butterfly Experience

TICKETS

Everyone must have a ticket. Ticket prices are as follows:

Under age 3: Free
Ages 3 to 12: $10.99 (ticket fee $9 plus $1.99 service charge)
Ages 13+: $15.99 (ticket fee $14 plus $1.99 service charge)

Advance ticket purchase through the website below is recommended as same-day tickets are limited. Tickets are purchased for a specific date and time to enter The Butterfly Experience. Tickets are non-refundable, however, can be exchanged for an alternative date or time (see instructions below).

Purchase Tickets for The Butterfly Experience

ENTRANCE

The Butterfly Experience at Brookside Gardens is located at the Brookside Gardens Conservatory. The Conservatory is a 10-minute walk through the gardens from the Visitor Center.

PARKING

Parking is available at the Brookside Gardens Visitor Center (1800 Glenallan Ave.) or at the Conservatory (1500 Glenallan Ave.). Parking at the Conservatory is limited and fills quickly. Accessible parking is available at both locations, however, parking at the Conservatory is often preferred by visitors with mobility aids. Please note, The Butterfly Experience is a 10-minute walk through the gardens from the Visitor Center.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Tickets are purchased for a specific date and time to enter The Butterfly Experience. Early/late admission is not guaranteed; however, we will work to accommodate based on capactiy.
Arrive at the Conservatory a few minutes before your scheduled entrance time and have your QR code/digital ticket ready to be scanned. Each entry time allows for a 20-minute experience which ends at the listed time on each ticket. Therefore, it is important to be on time.
Strollers are not permitted inside the Conservatory. There is a designated area outside the Conservatory where strollers may be left, however this area is not monitored by staff and Brookside Gardens is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Tripods, monopods and selfie sticks are not permitted in The Butterfly Experience during regular business hours. Tripods and monopods are only allowed in during the special Focus on Butterflies program.
Do not bring large bags or backpacks with you as they are not permitted inside The Butterfly Experience.
The Conservatory is warmer and more humid than the outside air. We encourage visitors to stay hydrated. Water bottles are available for purchase at the Gift Shop in the Visitor Center and can be filled at the fill station there. Open containers (such as cups of coffee) are not permitted inside The Butterfly Experience.
Re-entry is not permitted, however visitors may purchase additional tickets to later timeslots to visit again.

How do I purchase tickets?

Tickets are timed entry and must be purchased online. As tickets are limited, advanced purchase is recommended to ensure availability.

So, I purchased my tickets. What do I do when I arrive?

Please plan on arriving prior to your scheduled entry time. Ticketholders will have 20 minutes to explore The Butterfly Experience. Have the QR code readily available for staff to scan at the Butterfly Experience entrance adjacent to the Conservatory.

Are tickets refundable? Are service fees refundable?

All ticket sales are final and nonrefundable. The service fees from Ticketsauce, the online platform, are non-refundable as well. In the event of extreme weather Brookside Gardens may close The Butterfly Experience for the safety of visitors, volunteers, and staff. In this situation, all tickets would be refunded within 5 days of the closure.

How do I exchange tickets for a different date?

1. Select “View and Manage Order” on your email (subject Tickets: The Butterfly Experience at Brookside Gardens)
2. Scroll to “Manage Order” and select “Exchange Ticket”.
3. Choose “Activity” as “The Butterfly Experience” then select the preferred date and time.
4. Choose “Select” and then “Continue” at the bottom of the window

You’ll return to the “Manage Order” to repeat the above steps for all tickets in your order.

Select “Checkout” and then select “Submit Exchange”.

You will be automatically returned to the “Manage Order” page where you can view your tickets and confirm that you have the correct date. Tickets may only be exchanged one time.

If you have any questions, email gardens@montgomeryparks.org.

Please keep these things in mind when exchanging tickets for a different date:

You cannot exchange your tickets when viewing them through a third party such as Apple Pay or PayPal.

You can only exchange your tickets up to 10:00 am the day of your scheduled event.

Once the date and time of your ticket has occurred, you can no longer exchange your ticket. The Butterfly Experience tickets are nonrefundable.

What are some butterfly species found in Maryland?

Butterflies and moths are known as lepidoptera or lepidopterans. There are over 150 species of butterflies and 2,600 species of moths found in Maryland. Eastern tiger swallowtails, monarchs, silver spotted skippers, variegated fritillaries, painted ladies, common buckeyes, spicebush swallowtails are regularly sighted at Brookside Gardens. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources website has several resources to help identify butterflies found in our state.

https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/plants_wildlife/butterfliesofmaryland.aspx

Why plant a butterfly garden?

Local butterfly populations are declining due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and pollution. Planting a butterfly garden creates new habitat, so they can complete their life cycle and thrive. As a bonus, butterflies are beautiful and fascinating to watch.

How can I support all stages of the butterfly life cycle in my garden?

There are 4 basic stages of the butterfly life cycle including egg, caterpillar or larva, chrysalis or pupa, and adult or imago.

Egg: Host plants attract butterflies by providing them a place to lay their eggs. Each type of butterfly has one or more host plants (for example, monarchs use milkweeds). If your garden has a variety of host plants, you can count on attracting butterflies.

Caterpillar/Larva: The butterfly eggs will hatch into caterpillars. Their goals are to hide from predators and to eat host plants. Host plants include trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, and annuals. These plants can tolerate intense caterpillar feeding and are able to recover from feeding damage.

Chrysalis/Pupa: Once fully grown, caterpillars often leave the host plant and form their chrysalis in a protected place. The chrysalis is the stage in which the caterpillar develops into a butterfly.

Adult/Imago: Adult butterflies usually feed on nectar while searching for a mate, so they need specific flowers that provide nectar as an energy source. Butterfly adults also bask in the sun to warm their bodies to fly since they are ectothermic or cold-blooded. Many nectar and host plants require full sun, but with careful plant selection, butterfly gardens can also be planted in partial shaded areas. Avoid using pesticides as these chemicals can kill caterpillars and adult butterflies. Identify the source of the plant problem before using chemicals. Non-chemical methods are available to address most common plant pests.

What are some common caterpillar host plants in Maryland?

White Oak (Quercus alba) – 18 species of hairstreak butterflies and 15 species of silk moths
Native Willows(Salix species) – comma, viceroy, red-spotted purple, mourning cloak, hairstreaks, sphinx moths
Wild Cherries (Prunus species) – viceroy, red spotted purple, tiger swallowtail, spring azure, and 10 species of silk moths
Hickory (Carya species) – tiger swallowtail, striped and banded hairstreaks, royal walnut moth
Parsley, Fennel, Carrot– black swallowtail

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) and Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) – tiger and spicebush swallowtails
Milkweed(Asclepias sp.) – monarch
Violets (Viola sp.) – great spangled fritillary

What are some beneficial nectar plants naturalized or native to Maryland?

PERENNIALS & SHRUBS

Milkweed(Asclepias syriaca, A. incarnata, A. tuberosa, etc.)
Joe Pye Weed(Eutrochium purpureum)
Purple Coneflower(Echinacea purpurea)
Ironweed(Vernonia sp.)
Goldenrod(Solidago sp.)
Aster(Aster sp.)
Sweet Pepperbush(Clethra alnifolia)
Virginia Sweetspire(Itea virginica)
Blazing Star(Liatris sp.)

Where can I find more information about supporting pollinators in my home garden?

Visit the University of Maryland Extension website for more information on creating a pollinator garden at https://extension.umd.edu/resource/pollinator-gardens/