newport butterfly zoo

We went on the last weekend before they closed for the season. The outside is nothing to look at, but that's not why I was there. We took some wonderful pics and had a very nice conversation with the owner. Will be going back next year.

This place is amazing. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and friendly. I highly recommend a visit at least a few times a year because the variety of the butterflies changes frequently. Don't forget to bring a camera!

We visited this zoo for about a half hour. Amazing butterflies and staff. Worth a short trip with kids.

The butterfly zoo is small and sparse but the it was nice to bond with nature. I brought my children who enjoyed it. It would be a good place to visit if you are enroute to another location or live near by. I might not recommend traveling a long distance to see the butterfly zoo - just because it is a small space & thus - one wouldn't spend much time there. I agree with a previous writer that it really doesn't lend to being photographed. I checked that I visited in July 2013 - because that was the farthest date back that I could select- I actually visited prior to that.

I really enjoyed the time I spent here. I came with my 3 sons and we all enjoyed it. The staff was friendly and informative. They do have rules to follow while in the greenhouse, so as not to hurt the butterflies and also so the butterflies do escape. The Greenhouse area is small and very simple...it's not a fancy place. But if butterflies is what u want to see, u won't be disappointed. They have a great variety from several different countries. U only need about an hour inside, but u can stay as long as u want.

We went with no expectations other than a little ride on a beautiful day and we were met with a special little treat. I read the other reviews, and yes...the outside was nothing to look at, but that isnt what you are going to see because the attraction is the butterflies which are clearly inside. I also read that the owner was "rude" and we found that so untrue. As a matter of fact he was so kind and happy to have us on the first weekend that he gave us free passes to come back this summer when the butterfly count will be up to 700-800 as opposed to 100 we saw today. The boys inside were so intelligent and had great senses of humor. We got to ask questions and get all the answers. They were sweet with the kids. We really were just thrilled.

When you are coming from CT to visit the "Zoo", expect a long ride. It seemed like the GPS was going to take us all the way to Cape Cod. There were several butterflies that were pretty. It was also fun to have them land on us. I suggest wearing bright colors to attract them. The speech we received from the guy that never bothered to get up from his chair nor to give us eye contact was not the greeting I was hoping for. That was the biggest turn off. The speech he gave was rehearsed and typical for everyone that came to his entrance. Then he began barking orders to the others that were guarding the doors. The greenhouse is in need of a face lift. Very little has been done to make it appealing. As I entered, I saw several butterflies floating around and others that were stationary. The blue tarp that was installed over the greenhouse, was a big turn off for photographing any butterflies that had the tarp as a background. That accounted for about 50% of them or more. When you leave, you had better make sure you do not have any butterflies on you for fear that you will be arrested. Just a note, they suggest that it is a "zoo". I mention that it is a small greenhouse.

It's actually in Tiverton , RI. It's a very small private Zoo, very nice, my granddaughters enjoyed it, the butterfly landed on her head, she was amazed . The owner was there and had a wealth of knowledge about the butterfly he had.

I would like to start off by saying that I've read some negativefeedback about the owner being mean..... That is absolutely bogus. Theowner was so friendly and kind. I have a 6yr old and 3yr old that webrought there and we instilled in them that the butterflies are not tobe touched... I believe the people posting negative feedback clearlyare not following the rules. This place was a great learningexperience. My 6yr was especially intrigued with all the butterflies.The owner takes great pride in his work. He is a school teacher andhas tons of experience with children. If you follow the rules youwon't have a problem simple as that! He was so sweet to my husband, meand my children.

We went yesterday and my friend is in a wheelchair and he had no trouble getting in. Well worth seeing. Of course there are necessary rules regarding the place like no touching the beautiful butterflies or opening the doors. These rules are common sense for a place like this. We all enjoyed the place and would recommend it! It is fairly small but completely beautiful. Marc, the gentlemen at the door is informative and nice, he is not mean.

This is a nice little place with beautiful butterflies! The zookeeper and the assistant were very knowledgeable and talked to us a lot about the butterflies, where they are from, why the population is decreasing, etc. The Zookeeper is a very smart man, retired school teacher. He even gave advice to my wife who is looking for a teaching job as an elementary school teacher. We were there for 45 minutes on a very hot day and enjoyed ourselves still.I read the bad reviews before coming and wanted to make an assessment myself. The zookeeper is a very nice person, and has a dry sense of humor. The people who say that he scared their kids obviously don't get it that there are rules that you have to follow. Have some respect for others! I hope this zookeeper can keep his place open for more years to come.

409 Bulgarmarsh Road, Tiverton, RI.Cost of Admission-$9.00 for an Adult and stay as long as you likeFirst, I will start by saying....don't judge this book by it's cover!! If we had, we would not have gone in and missed out on a gem. The Butterfly Zoo is a no frills educational experience. You won't find a refreshment stand or a gift shop. In fact, you will pull up to overgrown weeds and a greenhouse covered in blue tarps, but don't let that scare you. My husband and I took a trip out on June 18, 2013, my birthday. We overshot the entrance because there wasn't a sign out. To help you, there is a sign you can't miss for Sanford Mulch 409. The Butterfly Zoo and Sanford Mulch share a parking lot. We were greeted by Marc, who explained the importance of due diligence with regard to the doors. The doors MUST remain closed at all times to protect the butterflies and our habitat. The butterflies in this zoo are not indigenous to our country and one escaped butterfly can cause immeasurable harm. Case in point, Japanese Beetles and Gypsy Moths, both of which were carelessly brought into our country. Marc introduced us to Mark(with a K), our tour guide. Mark opened the doors to the Greenhouse for us and showed us in, pointing out a wonderful array of brightly colored, winged friends, fluttering about. Nothing fancy, just plants the butterflies enjoy, a small man made pond and a hundred or so beautiful butterflies. "It is best", he said, "to visit on sunny days because that is when the butterflies are most active". It was a sunny day! Mark is a student at URI and is interning at the Butterfly Zoo. He was completely knowledgeable about the butterflies and answered all of our questions (and we had many). These butterflies come from China, Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica, etc. and they are beautiful. I took many photographs of these beautiful creatures. We were allowed to stay as long as we wished and we did just that. We took our time, asked questions, took photos and probably stayed a good 45 minutes. A highlight of our visit was when a butterfly chose to land on each of us. Touching the butterflies is a strict "NoNo" but if they touch you, it's considered Good Luck for the day. We left with a better understanding of these winged beauties and thought it was worth the price of admission.Tipping your student/intern/good kid tour guide is recommended.

The true dilemma here is that no one has taken a photo of the sign, entrance, or "building." This is certainly understandable because the inkling to snap photos does not arise when one encounters an enclosure covered with blue tarps and an overgrown lawn. As at least one other reviewer has stated, we drove past this place a few times because our expectations of a "butterfly zoo" were not met by the wooden sign declaring "mulch." Truly we would come to find that the mulch is the main event, thus it makes sense for it to be the headliner. Just past the mulch sign, we found a small greenhouse-like structure obscured by some overgrown shrubbery. A voice within the weeds and shrubs, informed us that we should not let our child play on the dirt driveway. Despite the strong desire to hop in the car and drive away, we headed in the direction of the chiding voice.At the entrance, an elderly gentleman gave us a firm warning about not opening the doors and not touching the butterflies. He was clearly oblivious, not empathetic at all to the fact that we had a ready-to-go two year old, He was quick to point out that he taught high school, but those of you with young children know that being a high school teacher is slightly dissimilar to parenting a toddler. Our daughter was admirably patient during his lengthy intro, but there just wasn't enough to keep her interested within the tiny, butterfly enclosure. I am unsure of the dimensions, but the size/layout of the "zoo" was like a small trailer. I would not recommend bringing children. My daughter gravitated toward a small muddy, tank of water and we had completed our visit within 15 minutes. The butterflies were lovely, but I can not justify referring to this place as a zoo. For the purpose of lowering expectations, I seriously suggest that the name be changed to any of the following: the butterfly shack, the butterfly shanty, the butterfly room, or the butterfly hut. I also think an apt entry fee would be $2 - $4. I see merit for childless individuals who are butterfly enthusiasts. Someone very familiar with different species may be able to overlook the shabby presentation and be able to zero in on various butterflies. A photographer may also like looking past the overall experience and focusing an expensive lens on a beautiful butterfly. The problem is that families tend to pack up the car and head toward an establishment called the "butterfly zoo." This is a case where proper representation may lead to better reviews. This is a shed that contains many lovely butterflies. This is not a facility with a convenient bathroom, a snack bar, and space for children to roam and enjoy. This is a primitive enclosure where those with 20 minutes to spare and no children in tow might be able to ignore their surroundings and focus on the glorious details of colorful butterflies.

I took my children here at the Butterfly zoo and we had sucha great time. The kids were a little bit nervous at first, but afterwards they were able to take a close look at the butterflies. I can not wait to go back there next summer

my neice will be taking me this year, if you love butterflies what a beautiful way to spend your day. Spend your time with these miracles and you will leave happy