Unspecified/General

Adjacent to the Dubai Miracle Garden in the Al Barsha South 3 area of inland Dubai about 30 minutes south-east of central downtown, Dubai Butterfly Garden is the largest indoor butterfly garden in the world by total covered area. The 7,000-square-metre indoor garden opened in March 2015 immediately adjacent to the existing Dubai Miracle Garden, occupying a dramatic complex of ten interconnected climate-controlled domes that together house the largest single population of living butterflies of any indoor butterfly garden on the planet. The garden currently houses approximately 15,000 individual butterflies representing more than 45 distinct tropical species drawn from across South-East Asia, Central America and the Amazon basin. The principal source species include the brilliant blue morpho butterflies of Costa Rica, the giant atlas moths of Indonesia, several species of vivid yellow swallowtail butterflies and dozens of smaller native and migratory species. The breeding programme imports new pupae continuously throughout the year to maintain the resident population at consistent levels, with all imports undertaken under formal licensing arrangements with the broader source country wildlife authorities. The garden is organised around ten interconnected climate-controlled domes, each maintained at the carefully controlled temperature and humidity conditions required by the various butterfly species. The domes are connected by short transitional spaces with double-door access controls to prevent butterflies from escaping into adjacent zones. The interior landscaping of each dome combines mature tropical plantings (palm trees, banana plants, hibiscus shrubs and many flowering tropical vines) with small artificial streams and small reflecting pools that provide both visual interest and habitat for the butterflies. The garden also houses a small Butterfly Museum gallery covering the broader biology of butterflies and moths, with extensive interpretive displays covering the four-stage butterfly life cycle, the principal evolutionary adaptations of the various butterfly families, the role of butterflies in pollination and broader ecosystem services and the conservation challenges facing many butterfly species worldwide. The museum's small collection of preserved butterfly specimens (more than 7,000 individual mounted specimens representing several hundred species) is one of the largest such collections on public display anywhere in the Middle East. A small refreshment cafe and a small themed retail shop occupy the entrance pavilion. The garden operates daily during the cooler October-through-May season, with reduced operating hours during the hotter summer months.

Type: Tourist Attraction

Address: Al Barsha South 3, Dubailand, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Telephone: 04-422-8902

Website: dubaibutterflygarden.com

Opening Date: 25/03/2015