About Us
At Butterfly Pavilion, we transform the way people think about invertebrates. These small but mighty animals that surround us are so much more than people think. They are everywhere, because everything depends on them. They are the hidden heroes of the animal kingdom, and we--you and us--stand on the backs of these tiny giants.
Butterfly Pavilion is the first stand-alone, Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited non-profit invertebrate zoo in the world and a leader in invertebrate knowledge, inspiration and connection. Whether it is providing unique, hands-on learning experiences in our exhibits and educational programs, conducting new research that sets the standard for zoos across the country or building innovative solutions for species and habitat conservation in countries around the world, Butterfly Pavilion is leading the way in ensuring invertebrates are protected for the future.
Mission
Butterfly Pavilion exists to foster an appreciation of invertebrates by educating the public about the need to protect and care for threatened habitats globally, while conducting research for solutions in invertebrate conservation.
Vision
Butterfly Pavilion is the premier invertebrate research, conservation, and education institution in the world.
Funding
Butterfly Pavilion was created by the Rocky Mountain Butterfly Consortium, a Colorado nonprofit founded in 1990. As a publicly supported facility, Butterfly Pavilion is primarily supported by admission fees, community support and by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). The eleven-acre site was provided by the City of Westminster.
Operations
Butterfly Pavilion is a Colorado 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and operates with a Board of Directors in collaboration with scientific advisors from zoos, universities, and museums, both locally and nationally.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that Butterfly Pavilion resides on the lands forcibly taken from the Arapaho, Ute, Cheyenne, Shoshone, Lipan Apache, and numerous other Native Nations. These tribal nations and their people are the original stewards of the land and habitats of invertebrates. The community fostered at Butterfly Pavilion commits to improving and enhancing engagement with Indigenous Peoples locally and environmental issues globally.
Anti-Discrimination Policy
On October 21st 2002, The Board of Directors revised, adopted and incorporated the following equal opportunity resolution as part of the by-laws a general public policy of this facility:
“The selection of those employees, consultants, contractors, accountants, attorneys and other professional agents of the facility by the management, Board or any committee or Officer designated to do so, shall be based upon their respective qualification and/or capabilities and shall not be based on age, race, sex, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital status, gender, military status, veteran status, political service, affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender identity or gender expression. (as amended by the Board of Directors June 27th 2011.)”
In-Kind Donation Requests
Butterfly Pavilion is proud to support our community by considering in-kind donation requests of 4-pack of admission tickets to 501(c)3 nonprofits in support of fundraising events. Please be sure to submit your request at least 3 months prior to your event. Only one request will be fulfilled per organization per year. Please submit your request through the form below. Due to the high volume of requests we receive, we are not able to honor every request.
Sustainability at Butterfly Pavilion
At Butterfly Pavilion, we are continuously growing our commitment to the planet through sustainable practices. We aim to showcase a deliberate and thoughtful approach to utilizing energy and other natural resources and to share our methodologies and practices with the community.
Sustainability
Meet our Board of Directors
Diverse in their backgrounds and committed in their focus the Board of Directors guide Butterfly Pavilion toward our next chapter.
Meet Our Board
Executive Leadership Team
Meet our on-the-ground leadership who are responsible for the daily operations and management of our Zoo, our programs, as well as our Science and Conservation work around the globe.
Executive Staff
