Botanical Garden — Attraction in Copenhagen Municipality

We visited the Botanical Garden and were confused at the outset. There are three entrances, two of which where you can buy tickets. In hindsight this was more logical than it seemed, as the extensive garden is free to walk around, requiring no tickets. Extra confusing were the gates around places and walking paths that were being maintained or repaired, with temporary stairs over it to come from A to B. We appreciate this is not a permanent situation, but it still could be better announced at the entrance gate with better signage underway.

After a bit of wandering around and some hill climbing (not until on our way back we saw an easier route), we found a ticket booth near the palm house. Our Copenhagen Discover card was accepted without any hassle. We entered the palm house first, passing various areas with different temperature and humidity, adapted to the trees and plants inside. For those wearing glasses, like myself, be prepared that the moisture in the air may reduce your eye sight for a short while.

I always assumed the Danish people to like cleanliness and proper maintenance, but the palm house contradicted my presumption, especially the unclean windows were unexpectedly dirty. Not the end of the world, only a bit unexpected for a foreigner with expectations. I recommend trying the spiraling stairs (one up and one down, mind the arrows), allowing a better view from above. Particularly, a plant with enormous leaves catches the eye. There are more sorts of plants and trees I could count, all growing happily next to each other.

Next was the butterfly house. Surprisingly, the butterflies are not afraid of us humans, letting us come very very close without attempting to get away. They sit still whatever you do, offering an ideal situation to study or photograph them in detail. At the exit we were expected to check our clothes to prevent stowaway butterflies getting out with us.

All in all, the garden as well as palm and butterfly house offer an overwhelming variety. In the garden outside, for instance, you find signboards near the plants at every 30 to 40 centimeters. The signboards are clear in itself, at least presenting the Latin name of the plant, but it is all too much to consume and remember. This is not a complaint, merely an observation for a layman...

Today, I have visited the butterfly house and left with mixed – and honestly, quite heavy – feelings.

While the tropical atmosphere and variety of butterflies are beautiful at first glance, we couldn’t help but notice a number of concerning issues.

The first thing we noticed: there’s no briefing or guidance whatsoever before entering. Visitors just walk in and out freely, completely unsupervised, as there’s no staff presence inside. This lack of structure is deeply irresponsible, including the very narrow pathways inside, especially considering the vulnerability of the butterflies.

Inside, we saw multiple butterflies stuck in the netting, unable to free themselves. We saw several dead butterflies lying around – some visibly decaying – and one large one was lying in the back of some plants trembling, unable to move. It was heartbreaking and felt like a clear sign that no one is really looking after them properly (and yes we know that many butterflies have a short life time).

To make matters worse, there are no airlocks or double-door systems at the exits. We found a butterfly outside in the cold, where it would have died if we hadn’t picked it up and returned it inside… This kind of setup makes it shockingly easy for these tropical creatures to escape (when also considering the unawareness of visitors) – and there’s no one checking who comes and goes or whether an animal has slipped out.

Ultimately, this didn’t feel like a place of care or conservation – it felt like a poorly managed attraction. The concept has so much potential, but without staff oversight, clear visitor education, and basic protective measures, it turns into a space of quiet suffering for these animals.

As beautiful as these butterflies are, they deserve way better than to be trapped, neglected, or lost due to human oversight. For these reasons, we would not feel right supporting this place again unless clear improvements are made. I hope this writing finds attention and things will be better in the future! Do it...

Let me start by saying I wasn’t expecting much from the Botanical Garden in Copenhagen. After all, once you’ve seen a couple of botanical gardens in Europe, you start to think you’ve got them figured out: some flowers, a tropical plant or two, and a quiet bench where you can contemplate life’s mysteries.

HOW

WRONG

I

WAS

First up—the tropical greenhouse. Picture this: You step in from the freezing Copenhagen air and suddenly you’re in what feels like a jungle straight out of a movie. The air is thick, humid, and alive with the scent of lush vegetation. The contrast is so jarring it almost feels like you’ve slipped into an alternate universe. The plants? Gorgeous. Enormous. Alien. Unfortunately, there weren’t a lot of signs explaining what I was actually looking at, which left me pondering a thousand questions.

But the pièce de résistance—the absolute highlight—was the butterfly greenhouse. Forget any butterfly you’ve ever seen. These weren’t the delicate little flutterers from your childhood garden. Oh no. These butterflies were big. Big enough to give your face a complex. And the colors! One had transparent wings like stained glass, not "like" like, FREAKING EXACTLY LIKE FREAKING GLASS.

The best part? These butterflies don’t just sit behind glass like some rare museum exhibit. They fly right around you, casually brushing past as if you’ve suddenly become an extra in a magical realism film.

It was mesmerizing, dreamlike, and just the right amount of bizarre. Is this place one of Copenhagen’s top tourist spots? Maybe not. But should it...