Stepping inside the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory in Key West is like entering a magical kingdom where kings and subjects are all the same: colorful butterflies and exotic birds.
Last updated: December 19, 2025
Visiting the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
We felt lost. The GPS on my phone announced that we’d arrived at the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, one of the best-kept secrets in the Florida Keys. Yet none of the buildings exuded a certain pomposity you’d expect from the establishment devoted to butterflies or looked anything like the place we had imagined it would be, for that matter.
At around 9 in the morning, Key West was still quiet. Our options for locals to ask for direction were unexpectedly meager. Exactly one person. Wearing a uniform, the lady gave off a vibe that she knew these streets like the back of her hands. And yet she didn’t know or couldn’t explain how to get to the site. I suspect the language barrier was the biggest culprit of this futile street conversation.
The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory wasn’t the place that attracted crowds. But in no way, did it top the list of the most hidden gems on Florida’s southernmost archipelago. Or did it?
How to Get to the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
If a little bit of embarrassment turns a plain excursion into an engrossing story, then our visit to the butterfly kingdom was one for the books. As it turned out, we were looking for and asking a stranger about the direction to the Key West Nature Conservatory standing in front of the coveted building.
Somehow missing a quite noticeable display, the structure looked like any other buildings on the street to us. A quick swing to the back of the dome-shaped institution where a couple of live butterflies hovered near the butterfly-painted walls confirmed that it was the right place.
Address: 1316 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040
Inside the Institution
The Key West butterfly kingdom consists of several rooms, one followed by the other, with the last one being a large climate-controlled butterfly habitat we couldn’t wait to get in.
We didn’t bother spending more than a few minutes in the large hall, the Butterfly Gallery, that depicted exhibits and artworks by artist Sam Trophia upon arrival. We left it for our exit tour. The conservatory’s gift shop awaited the same fate.
In the same speedy way, we proceeded through a tiny, dark room that separated the butterfly abode from the front of the conservatory. As soon as the door to the glass-encircled space swung open, we transferred to a lush tropical paradise.
Butterflies and Tropical Living Creatures inside the Conservatory
The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory houses between 50 to 60 species of butterflies, a pool of colorful fish, several tropical turtles and birds, including a pair of pink flamingos.
The latter are big show stoppers. With their loud “songs” and thoroughly-rehearsed dances, the birds fully compensate for their small quantity with the superior quality. Indeed, the flamingos are that loud, beautiful, and intelligent.
How to Visit the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
The Key West Nature Conservatory keeps its doors open for visitors all year round, except for a few major holidays. You can purchase your ticket online or right at the door.
TIP: The conservatory welcomes walk-ins every day. Yet the place may get busy. Therefore arriving early in the morning or later in the afternoon may render better experiences.
Touring the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory via Photos
