Dubai Butterfly Garden

Dubai Butterfly Garden sits next to Miracle Garden in Al Barsha South. It holds more than 15,000 butterflies from over 50 species, living in ten covered, air-conditioned domes. If you are looking for a butterfly garden in Dubai, or a quiet, beautiful attraction for children that stays open through the summer, this is a few pleasant hours.

The garden opened in March 2015, according to The National, and was the first butterfly garden in the region at the time. It opened with nine domes; today there are ten. According to Gulf News, it is the largest covered butterfly garden in the world. The domes are built with triangular windows that let in natural light, and the temperature inside stays between 18 and 25 degrees all year, according to the official website.

You walk between the domes while the butterflies fly around you, and sometimes land on visitors. The domes hold nectar plants grown especially for the butterflies, plus feeding stations with syrup and fruit such as mango, pineapple and watermelon. The butterflies gather around these stations, and that is the best place for close-up photos.

Among the species you can see, according to Gulf News: morpho butterflies, the yellow Phoebis Philea, the deep blue Caligo Atreus and the black-and-white Idea Leuconoe, which glides slowly. There is also the atlas moth, one of the largest moths in the world. The second dome has a koi fish pond.

Beyond the domes there is a butterfly museum, with artworks the garden's artists created from real butterflies. There is a learning area about the butterfly life cycle, from egg, through caterpillar and chrysalis, to adult butterfly. For children there is a small cinema with educational films, and a craft area. There are also food outlets and a souvenir shop.

At the centre of each dome stands a white pavilion wrapped in mesh. Step inside and the butterflies fly around you from every direction. The life-cycle display shows all four stages alive, side by side: eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises and the butterflies emerging from them. The garden displays chrysalises of 24 varieties. Butterfly experts and guides move through the domes, and you can ask them about the species.

The children's cinema screens educational films and documentaries, along with Disney films. In the craft area children draw and colour butterflies, and the drawing can be printed on a T-shirt. The food stalls serve nachos, popcorn, gelato and fresh juices. The garden also hosts birthdays, corporate events and school groups.

It suits children and photography very well. Because the domes are air-conditioned, you can visit even when Miracle Garden next door is closed for the season. The site is accessible to strollers and wheelchairs throughout, and according to the official website a typical visit lasts 2–3 hours.

Tip: Miracle Garden opens for its new season on 8 October 2026, according to Gulf News and Khaleej Times. From that day you can combine both gardens in the same visit.

The garden is open all year and the domes are air-conditioned, so it can be visited in summer too. In winter, from October, the neighbouring Miracle Garden is open, and the two gardens can be combined in the same day. Last entry is half an hour before closing, that is at 17:30.