All Aflutter
Gothica Botanica
Krohn Conservatory, 1501 Eden Park Drive
Through Aug. 10
Open daily, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Cost: $10 adults, $7 kids (5–17), free under 4.
Timed entry only—Buy online in advance.
Every Friday, my friend Rebecca and I set out on a little adventure with our kids. Rebecca brings her spirited 3-year-old Maeve, I bring my curious 2-year-old Rose, and between us, we’re each juggling a newborn strapped on tight. Because sometimes, you just need to get out of the house and make some memories—even if it’s a little sweaty and chaotic.
This past Friday, we decided to explore the Butterfly Exhibit at Krohn Conservatory—a place that sounds peaceful and magical on paper. Spoiler alert: it was all that, plus a whole lot of toddler unpredictability.
Running on Mom Time
We meant to meet at 10 a.m., right when the doors opened. That was the plan. The goal. The shared dream.
Reality: we rolled up closer to 10:15, baby carriers already sticking to our shirts and toddlers yelling for snacks before we’d even made it out of the parking lot.
By the time we bought our timed tickets and got everyone into the butterfly room, we only had about 30 minutes left of our one-hour time slot.
Honestly? We should’ve just waited for the next time slot and taken our time. But of course, with toddlers, newborns, and a tiny glimmer of momentum—you go with what you’ve got.
Hello Butterflies
At the entrance to the butterfly room, they gave us scented landing cards to attract butterflies.
Maeve held hers carefully like treasure. Rose? She marched straight to the nearby fountain and chucked her card in with a triumphant grin.
I attempted a rescue mission for the soggy card while balancing my newborn’s bottle between my chest and her mouth. Classic mom multitasking.
The theme of the exhibition this year is Gothica Botanica – a magical combination of gothic architecture, dark foliage and iridescent butterflies.
Maeve was enchanted by the greenery and fluttering wings.
Rose, however, was less interested in butterflies and more fascinated by the plants. She patted leaves gently and pointed out her favorites, looking over at me to make sure I was paying attention.
And then there were the stone griffins hiding among the vegetation. Rose pointed to them and very confidently said “owls,” to which I smiled and agreed while she reached out to give them a pat on the beak.
While volunteers shared fascinating facts about butterfly life cycles, our girls were off doing their own thing—wandering between plants, “owls,” and anything shiny.
Just as our hour was ending and we were trying to get a group photo of the six of us, Rose spotted a butterfly resting quietly on the bench where we sat.
Her eyes lit up, and she whispered, “butterfly,” in her sweet little toddler voice.
She crept closer and watched, captivated.
That quiet, sweet moment was the highlight of the whole trip.
Jungle Gals
After the butterfly room, we grabbed some water (we’d made the mistake of leaving our bottles in the car) and picked up gummy butterflies from the gift shop.
Then the girls ran wild through the rest of the conservatory—splashing in puddles, racing in circles through the little cave behind the waterfall and returning to us every now and then for sips of water and gummy bites.
Rebecca and I stood to the side, chatting and catching our breath while watching our little explorers at play.
What We Learned
Would we go again? Absolutely.
But next time?
Arrive early or wait for the next ticket slot.
Pick a cooler day.
Bring plenty of snacks and water
Embrace the beautiful chaos.
Because sometimes, the best memories come from the messiest adventures.
– Shae Huth