Native Texas Butterfly House & Garden

Visitors to the outdoor Native Texas Butterfly House and Garden at Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney, Texas will have the opportunity to walk among free-flying native butterflies and other pollinators. Guests will be able to view butterflies up close while learning about their life stages and more.

The butterfly house is regularly stocked with an assortment of native butterfly species, which varies throughout the exhibit. Guests may even get to see a butterfly emerge from a chrysalis. Inside the butterfly house, nectar plants are also available to feed the adult butterflies. There are even a few host plants for caterpillars to feed on (“host plants”).

The butterfly garden, too, is filled with nectar plants and host plants that naturally attract these lovely creatures. Guests may even find a few ideas to try in home gardens, which can in turn help pollinators on a broader scale.

From time to time, other species of wildlife that feed on insects or the nectar plants may also be found in the butterfly garden, including hummingbirds. This area is also a great setting for nature photography.

Note Regarding COVID-19 Modifications

The Heard is now open during our regular hours of operation. To minimize contact, general admission and membership may be purchased online in advance. The Heard asks that guests practice all recommended safety practices, including maintaining social distancing (remain at least 6 feet from anyone who is not in the same visitor group). The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.