Butterfly Pavilion Makes a Metamorphosis at the Lincoln Childrens Zoo

It’s a simple thing, really. Dip your finger in a little nectar and wait a few seconds. . . For the last seven years children have done just that, in a canvas tent, in the middle of the Lincoln Children’s Zoo. They flocked to this simple exhibit to see, touch and otherwise interact with one of nature’s most elegant creatures – the butterfly. This year, that experience will be even more exciting and interactive in an all-new, permanent exhibit called Laura’s Butterfly Pavilion. The grand opening of this exhibit will be held at 10:15 a.m. on May 24.

 According to John Chapo, Zoo President/CEO, “Our mission is to enhance the interaction between children and the creatures in nature. What better way to accomplish that than with a new exhibit with no walls separating the children and the animals with which they can interact.”

 Laura’s Butterfly Pavilion has emerged at the site of the Zoo’s temporary butterfly display, and has increased in size by 30 percent to 1,800 square feet. The vast majority of the new exhibit, which is 15’ tall at its peak, is covered in a see-through mesh that allows sunlight and warm breezes in, without letting the butterflies out. This type of structure, along with a pond and the natural flora growing within, creates a unique experience that you don’t get in a canvas or windowed building.

 The free-flight aviary will contain 300-500 live butterflies native to North America, including monarchs, painted ladies, red admirals, queens and swallowtails. “Gentle touching is encouraged,” Chapo said. “That’s not the case in many other butterfly exhibits.” A glass-enclosed “emergence room,” at one end of the building, will allow children to experience all life stages of the butterfly. From caterpillar to chrysalis butterfly, Laura’s Butterfly Pavilion is as certain to put a smile on the faces of Lincoln children as it would its namesake.

 “Laura” Francke lived through the dustbowl on a farm in Nebraska. She never married, and yet during the depression of the 1930s, she was a foster mother to over 40 children. She rented out most of her land, but always kept a garden and a few chickens and cows, along with the farmhouse she shared with children far less fortunate than you and me. When Eleanor Francke – a former LPS educator – decided to present a gift to the children of Lincoln in memory of her late husband G. Harry Francke, she decided to also honor Harry’s Aunt Laura with the Pavilion’s name.

 “Eleanor’s generous donation has allowed the Zoo to create a perfect compliment to the Bug Buddy Exhibit, located in the Discovery Center of Zooville Square,” Chapo explained. “It will encourage learning and interaction for many years to come.”

 For more information on Laura’s Butterfly Pavilion or any of the other exhibits featured at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, visit www.lincolnzoo.org or call 402-475-6741.

 About the Lincoln Children’s Zoo:

The Lincoln Children’s Zoo was established 43 years ago. One of only four children’s zoos in the country, the Lincoln Children’s Zoo’s mission is “to enrich lives through firsthand interaction with living things.” The Zoo continues to create an engaging environment for children in our community, while receiving no financial support from the city, county or the state. For more information on membership, weekly events, parties and giving opportunities, visit www.lincolnzoo.org.

Child with Butterfly on the Nose photo credit:  Joel Sartore  www.joelsartore.com