Flight of Wonder: Inside The Butterfly Experience at Brookside Gardens

You step inside. The heat hits first warm and tropical. Then the color hits. Hundreds of wings, moving, vibrant, alive. You are not in Wheaton anymore.

Image by Marilyn STONE, Montgomery Parks, MNCPPC

A World of Color

The Butterfly Experience runs daily through September 7, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside the South Conservatory House at Brookside Gardens. It is a tropical glasshouse filled with hundreds of live butterflies from the Americas, Africa, and Asia. They flutter among lush nectar blooms, landing on shoulders, fingers, and sometimes—if you are very still—the tip of your nose.

It is not a zoo. It is not a museum. It is a room full of flight.

The Vibe

This is a sensory reset. The conservatory is warm and humid—intentionally so. You will sweat. You will not care. The butterflies range from the size of a tiny coin to the span of a dinner plate. Some are electric blue. Some are the color of autumn leaves. All of them are doing exactly what they want to do.

This is the anti-theme-park. No lines. No loudspeakers. Just wings, flowers, and the quiet hum of a thousand tiny miracles.

Image by Marilyn STONE, Montgomery Parks, MNCPPC

Science in the Sunshine

Montgomery Parks staff and volunteer docents are on hand to answer questions. They will tell you about metamorphosis, the vital role butterflies play in healthy ecosystems, and the conservation crisis facing local populations due to habitat loss, pollution, and pesticide use. They will also tell you what you can do about it—like planting milkweed for monarchs or white oak for hairstreak butterflies.

This is not just a pretty exhibit. It is a call to action.

Designed for Everyone

The Butterfly Experience offers special programming for different needs:

• Sensory-Friendly Experience: Early morning slots with reduced capacity and natural lighting for visitors with sensory sensitivities.
• Focus on Butterflies: Dedicated 90-minute morning sessions for photographers to use tripods without obstruction.

The exhibit is accessible. Parking is available at both the Visitor Center and the Conservatory. The Conservatory lot is smaller and fills quickly, but it is preferred for visitors with mobility aids.

Image by Marilyn STONE, Montgomery Parks, MNCPPC

Plan Your Flutter

Ticketing: Everyone must have a ticket.

• Under age 3: Free
• Ages 3–12: $10.99
• Ages 13+: $15.99

Advance purchase is strongly recommended. Tickets are for a specific date and time and are non-refundable but can be exchanged.

Entrance: The Conservatory is a 10-minute walk through the gardens from the Visitor Center. Allow time for the stroll—it is beautiful.

Rules: Strollers, large bags, backpacks, and outside food are not permitted inside the conservatory.

The After-Butterfly Itinerary

You are going to need pizza and ice cream after this.

• Pizza: Head to Frankly...Pizza! in Kensington (10417 Armory Ave)—wood-fired, Neapolitan-style, with house-made toppings. About 10 minutes from the gardens.
• Ice Cream: Ben & Jerry's food trucks occasionally pop up at Brookside events. For a dedicated scoop, Baskin-Robbins (12106 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring) is nearby.
• Plant Shopping: The Master Gardeners' Plant Clinics offer expert advice on Saturdays and Sundays. The Fritz Greenhouse on-site is the source of thousands of plants used throughout the gardens.Image by Marilyn STONE, Montgomery Parks, MNCPPC

The Bottom Line

The Butterfly Experience is not a seasonal escape. It is a reminder that beauty still exists, that nature is resilient, and that you can do something about it. Go. Bring the kids. Bring the camera. Leave the stroller in the car. And do not forget to stop for pizza on the way home.

The Butterfly Experience at Brookside Gardens

• When: Daily through September 7, 2026, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Where: 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD
• Tickets: $10.99 (ages 3-12), $15.99 (ages 13+), free (under 3)
• Parking: Free
• Info: montgomeryparks.org

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