The heart of Key West is a buzzing place with restaurants, bars and quirky shops. But near Duval Street’s southern end Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory lets you make acquaintance with the most peaceful island locals. Welcome to Key West’s Butterfly Garden.
We can exist thanks to compensation from advertising including affiliate links. Learn more ›
What to expect when visiting Key West Butterfly Garden
A visit to Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory is for the butterfly lover or just anyone who wants a peaceful break when exploring Key West.
The sanctuary sits on the southern end of Duval Street in Key West. It’s located just a block away from the Southernmost Point of the continental United States.
The beautiful butterfly garden includes over 50 species of butterflies and more than 20 bird species. They live in a tropical glass-enclosed habitat, where they thrive among all the exotic plants and joyful visitors.
The main attraction of the butterfly conservatory in Key West is to stroll through the butterfly garden where the butterflies freely fly around. It’s a true pleasure to walk among the hundreds of butterflies and birds in different colors.
Entering the Key West Butterfly Garden is like walking into a fairytale
If you walk slowly or sit down on one of the benches in the tropical habitat it’s likely that a butterfly or two will make further acquaintance by landing on you. Sometimes the butterflies seem to like shoulders and hats as much as flowers.
For the curious visitor Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory also has a learning center where you can absorb all the butterfly facts you want. The learning center is the perfect introduction to the butterfly world. It’s both fun and informative with a film and pictures explaining the life of a butterfly.
Tips for visiting Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
A few tips can make your visit to the Key West Butterfly Garden even better.
- Start with the learning center. Young or old, of course you want to see the butterflies as soon as you get to a butterfly sanctuary. But if you can resist the temptation, educate yourself a bit before you say hello to your new friends. The more you know about the butterfly world, the more you appreciate the stroll through.
- Give it the time it deserves. The Butterfly garden is a wonderful and peaceful place to visit. But it’s not very big and could be walked through in very little time if you try to do so. To make the most of a visit, take your time while you explore the butterfly world.
- Check out the gift shop. The gift shop at Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory sells unique butterfly and nature related souvenirs. It’s fun to just browse it, but you might also find the perfect Key West memory to bring home here.
- Combine with Southernmost Point. Southernmost Point in Key West is located just a two-minute walk away from Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. Kill two birds with one stone and visit them both while you’re at the southern end of Old Town.
More things to do near Key West Butterfly Garden
A visit to Key West Butterfly Garden is just one of many fun things to do in Key West. The Southernmost Point is located just around the corner from the conservatory.
Other great places to visit in Key West are Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, Key West Lighthouse and Keeper’s Quarters Museum, Mallory Square, Sloppy Joe’s, Mile Marker 0 and Fort Zachary Taylor.
From Key West Butterfly & Garden Conservatory
- Southernmost Point: Around the corner
- Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum: 0.4 mi / 0.6 km
- Key West Lighthouse: 0.4 mi / 0.6 km
- Mile Marker 0: 0.8 mi / 1.3 km
- Sloppy Joe’s: 0.9 mi / 1.4 km
- Mallory Square: 1.2 mi / 1.9 km
- Fort Zachary Taylor: 1.4 mi / 2.3 km
Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory FAQ
Here you find the answers to some frequently asked questions about visiting the butterfly garden in Key West, Florida.
The butterfly garden is located at 1316 Duval Street on the island of Key West in Florida.
A great thing about Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory is that no matter when you visit, you are guaranteed to see hundreds of butterflies. Just like humans some butterflies love early mornings, while others despise them. In the late afternoon some species thrive and feel better than ever, whereas others are getting ready for bed.
Visitors often spend 1 hour or more discovering Key West Butterfly Garden. Add more time if you want to fully explore the learning center.
Not one single butterfly at the Key West Butterfly Garden has been taken from the wild. The origins of the butterflies come from all over the world, but all of them have been farmed.
Make the most of every trip with our newsletter delivered to your inbox.
