The Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory focuses on education and outreach in the community. Located on over 100 acres, their site includes the ecologically sensitive Kossuth Bog. The facility’s main feature is the 10,000 square foot tropical garden that showcases thousands of butterflies along with other animals, such as small birds, and tropical plants. They are open every day, though sometimes closed for private events.
The butterflies at the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory are supplied by farmers in Costa Rica and the Philippines. Over 140 species of butterflies are represented, such as the monarch butterfly, the emerald swallowtail, and the silver-spotted flambeau. The garden also houses over a dozen bird species, including quail, doves, and canaries, as well as various insects, such as the giant African land snail, tarantulas, and scorpions. To support these animals and provide them with a habitat, hundreds of plants are also cultivated on site.