About 10 miles northwest of Denver, Colorado, you will find the charming town of Westminster, Colorado. Another gold rush town, the precious metal, was discovered here on Little Dry Creek in 1858. In 1911, Westminster was incorporated and named in honor of Westminster University. Visit this link for more information.
The Westminster Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center
At the corner of 104th Avenue and Westminster Boulevard in Westminster, you will find the Westminster Butterfly Pavillion and Insect Center. This site is both a butterfly pavilion and an invertebrate zoo. Invertebrates are creatures that don’t have a backbone, such as insects. Read about The Littleton Museum in Littleton, CO here.
This center covers 30,000 square feet and sits on an 11-acre site. The chrysalis camera lets you watch butterflies emerge from their chrysalis. The “Water’s Edge” exhibit is a touch tank where everyone can touch sea stars and hermit crabs. There’s a nature trail through the outdoor gardens.
Wings of the Tropics
This exhibit houses 1,600 butterflies from various rainforests around the world. Here they have re-created a rainforest environment covering 7,200 square feet for the butterflies.
Chatfield Farms
Chatfield Farms sponsors a seasonal exhibit called Butterflies at Chatfield. This displays native Colorado butterflies, including swallowtails, monarchs, mourning cloaks, and painted ladies.