Butterflies Are Fluttering, Fabulously, at This Popular Pavilion

The whimsical notion of a "butterfly's holiday" may prompt you to picture a winged critter hauling a small suitcase, the kind of tiny luggage created from leaves, twigs, and flowers.

Insects travel, of course, but they don't travel like people do, meaning no luggage, passports, or reading material for the plane. And little earbuds? Definitely not needed, thanks to bugs creating their own buzz.

But when we humans travel to go see these superstars of the skies?

We often like to do so when a butterfly's holiday flaps into view, the sort of uplifting occasion that reminds us how much there is to know about the nature that surrounds us.

March 14 happens to be "National Learn About Butterflies Day," one of the sweetest occasions on the offbeat calendar. And it is made even more offbeat in 2023 by the fact that wintertime lingers on around Southern California.

That said, signs of spring still abound, despite our soggy weather, and one of the biggest?

It's the Butterfly Pavilion, at the Natural History Museum, a place that is filled with flighty flutterbies, er, butterflies, as well as excellent opportunities to enjoy several up-close looks at the lovely creatures.

The sunlit location, which boasts an airy, plant-filled beauty, is now open. And open, it shall stay, through the rest of winter, all of the spring, and about half of the summer season, too.

That's giving us ample time to learn about butterflies, including their fascinating life stages, including how chrysalises work.

Chrysalises are some of the coolest things on the planet, and given there are about 85,098,497 incredibly cool things on our planet, give or take, that's saying something.

This is also a prime time to fill out our caterpillar knowledge. We are well-acquainted with the mushroom-sitting superstar seen in "Alice in Wonderland" but could definitely bone-up on the fanciful character's real-world inspirations.

There are well over two dozen butterfly species soaring around the pavilion, including the Western tiger swallowtail, so if you plan to spend some time inside, you should encounter quite a few.

Plenty of butterfly buffs make regular visits, of course, so even if you are a tried-and-true butterpro, and you know everything there is to know about the incredible insects, spending a bright afternoon at the pavilion is a source of joy.

And if you do have questions, flutter by one of the museum educators. There's always someone nearby to chat about butterflies, no matter how quirky or common your question may seem.

Flutter, flutter, flutter: A springtime gem is now delighting visitors in Exposition Park, so flutter by this site for tickets.