The Original Mackinac Island Butterfly House & Insect World
The Original Mackinac Island Butterfly House & Insect World things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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We have been coming to the Butterfly house the last 3 years! We come for our family trip every July or august. It’s also a great experience and super friendly staff with knowledgeable information. However, this trip today was not the warm kind of greeting we typically get. The young woman working the front counter was super rude and didn’t seem like she wanted to be there, she wasn’t friendly towards families. Not just us I know, but even those waiting in front of us. Also, previous years the staff inside come around with warm smiles and give our kids fantastic information. However, this time they were very cold and very stern, my son was just taking a photo of one and she came by and said to put it away. My other child was sitting and one literally landed on his hand and she walked by and was quick to jump to conclusions that he picked it up with his finger. Even the picture I took of him it clearly showed it landed on top of his hand. It’s still clean as usual and beautiful butterflies. Just this visit in wasn’t the friendliest and the staff definitely made it a negative experience at times. We visited today 2x in one day and got the same negative vibes. Of course we will be back next year to support but I hope their staff can give a better more positive experience as they did years prior to make it more enjoyable for families.
Jessica Ninowski
00
Nice place really close to our hotel. The first room goes over the different butterfly's and life stages as well as shows the cocoons that they have in there waiting to hatch. From there you enter the butterfly garden which is a will maintained garden with a water feature. From the second you walk in you are face to face with hundreds of butterflies. At the entrance they give you a little butterfly identification guide so you have an idea of what you're looking at and where they're from. There are plenty of places to just sit and watch the butterflys fly around you. There is some relaxing music playing in the background. The staff inside will help answer any questions you might have. From there you enter the insect room that has things like a turtle pond different insects that have been mounted on the wall as well as some living in enclosures. There are also some things like frogs beetles and a hedgehog. As you exit there's a small gift shop. I really enjoyed this place and ended up going back to see the butterflies again before the trip was over.
Jeremy Dalton
00
I love butterflies so much and cannot get enough of this place each time I've come to the island. You have to drag me by the ears to get me out of this place! I have always been fond of butterflies (and moths, I REALLY love moths), and more than ever now because they are on the decline. I have been trying to do my part personally by informing people about their importance, as well as their beauty; it's undeniable that they can turn heads. I have only been to this place twice, but this year seemed to be way more diverse than the last. There were some butterflies that were familiar to me from both this venue and others like it, but there were some serious stunners this year that seemed like they came from fantasy books. They were absolutely beautiful. I just wished that I could have stayed longer! Here are a bunch of pictures that I took of them from both this year and last year. If you are visiting the island, you should take some time to come here. You will not regret it.
Gustavo Medina
00
This was my second time checking out the butterfly house on Mackinaw Island. It's still a magical experience. :) When you first walk in, you can see where the butterflies grow from a pupa stage to full grown butterfly. In the next room is where the magic happens. The butterflies are everywhere! It's so neat to see them flutter around from leaf to leaf. It's a photographers dream. (Definitely have your camera ready!) The next room is filled with other insects including a live bee hive, a Goliath Beetle, a Praying Mantis, a Rhinoceros Beetle, a Koi pond and a couple other insects. Lastly, there's a small gift shop with a bunch of nature/bug themed gifts/toys. If you're into bugs/butterflies/nature, I highly suggest checking out the butterfly house!
grant weaver
00
Beautiful butterflies everywhere. It's enclosed but it's like a greenhouse so you get sunlight and there are gorgeous flowers, trees and a waterfall that all the butterflies are flying around. There's another area with animals like goldfish, turtles, tarantulas, lizards and beetles! Plus there's a gift shop that has some beautiful pieces of jewelry, sleep pants,, stuffed animals and more! The only thing that wasn't great was the black woman who was in the enclosure with everyone wasn't very nice and made the experience unpleasant by having a bad attitude and a mean face the whole time. Short answers when customers who paid had a few questions about butterflies! Otherwise it was Very peaceful and enjoyable! Will visit again! 🖤💛🐝💛🖤😊👋🦋🐛🦋🐛🦋🐛🦋🐛🦋
DJD Bumblebee
00
Pricey, but what else can you expect from Mackinac Island? Small butterfly house with a variety of butterflies. Staff was kind and knowledgeable. Besides the actual butterfly room there is a glass window where you can see the butterflies in their cocoons, a cool added little experience. Beyond the butterfly room there is also their "insect world", another small room with a variety of beetles, both live inside cases with greenery and deceased in display cases. They boast about "paying once and coming back multiple times", a nice gesture. However, in my opinion there really isn't a reason to return many times during your stay. The content they offer is limited, but still a nice place to spend 15 minutes.
Iona Pelton
00
Nearby Attractions Of The Original Mackinac Island Butterfly House & Insect World
Fort Mackinac
Arch Rock
Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau
Mission Point Resort
Hotel Iroquois
Harbour View Inn - Mackinac Island, MI
Doud's Market
Lilac Tree Suites
Bicycle Street Inn & Suites
Fort Holmes

Fort Mackinac
4.7
(1.8K)
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Arch Rock
4.8
(1.8K)
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Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau
4.6
(1.2K)
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Mission Point Resort
4.5
(1.2K)
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Nearby Restaurants Of The Original Mackinac Island Butterfly House & Insect World
Pink Pony
Mustang Lounge
Horn's Gaslight Bar & Restaurant
Seabiscuit
Mary's Bistro Draught House
Great Turtle Brewery & Distillery
Gate House
Mighty Mac Hamburgers
Kingston Kitchen at the Village Inn
Island Slice Pizzeria

Pink Pony
4.5
(1.4K)
Click for details

Mustang Lounge
4.4
(582)
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Horn's Gaslight Bar & Restaurant
4.2
(607)
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Seabiscuit
4.4
(533)
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Basic Info
Address
6750 McGulpin St, Mackinac Island, MI 49757
Map
Phone
(906) 847-3972
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Website
originalbutterflyhouse.com
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.6
(554 reviews)
Ratings & Description
outdoor
relaxation
entertainment
family-friendly
accessibility
attractions: Fort Mackinac, Arch Rock, Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau, Mission Point Resort, Hotel Iroquois, Harbour View Inn - Mackinac Island, MI, Doud's Market, Lilac Tree Suites, Bicycle Street Inn & Suites, Fort Holmes, restaurants: Pink Pony, Mustang Lounge, Horn's Gaslight Bar & Restaurant, Seabiscuit, Mary's Bistro Draught House, Great Turtle Brewery & Distillery, Gate House, Mighty Mac Hamburgers, Kingston Kitchen at the Village Inn, Island Slice Pizzeria

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