In a city famous for jazz and jambalaya, one museum celebrates creatures most people swat away. The Audubon Insectarium invites you to see the world from a very different perspective.

Welcome to America's largest free-standing museum dedicated entirely to insects. With more than 50 live exhibits spread across 23,000 square feet, this New Orleans institution proves that the smallest creatures can make the biggest impressions.

From delicate butterflies to industrious leaf-cutter ants, the museum brings you face-to-face with the animals that make up more than half of all known living organisms on Earth.

A Museum Reborn

The Audubon Insectarium first opened its doors on June 13, 2008, in the historic U.S. Custom House Federal Building. Within a year, it earned the Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement in a Science Center, recognizing its innovative approach to natural history education.

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced a temporary closure in September 2020, the Audubon Nature Institute made a bold decision. Rather than simply reopening, they relocated the entire museum to share space with the Audubon Aquarium. On June 8, 2023, the Insectarium emerged in its new waterfront home, offering visitors a refreshed experience that connects aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

Living Collections That Buzz, Crawl, and Flutter

The Insectarium's strength lies in its living exhibits. More than 50 displays showcase insects from around the globe, each highlighting different aspects of insect life and behavior.

Interactive multimedia elements complement the live specimens, helping visitors understand how insects communicate, build their homes, and survive in environments from rainforests to deserts. The museum's collection demonstrates that insects are not just pests to be avoided, but essential players in pollination, decomposition, and food webs that sustain all life on Earth.

Where Science Meets Wonder

As part of the Audubon Nature Institute complex, the Insectarium now shares its location with the Aquarium, creating unique opportunities to explore connections between water and land ecosystems. This integration allows visitors to trace the life cycles of insects like dragonflies, which begin underwater before taking to the air.

The museum's location in New Orleans adds another layer of relevance. Louisiana's wetlands and subtropical climate support incredible insect diversity, making the Insectarium a window into the often-overlooked biodiversity right outside the door.

Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium Highlights & Tips

• Live Butterfly Garden Walk among free-flying butterflies in an immersive habitat where these colorful insects feed, rest, and display their remarkable wing patterns up close.
• Interactive Multimedia Exhibits Engage with dozens of digital displays that reveal the hidden lives of insects through microscopic views, behavioral studies, and ecosystem connections.
• Working Insect Colonies Watch industrious leaf-cutter ants, organized termites, and busy bees demonstrate the complex social structures that rival human cities.
• Combined Aquarium Visit Since the Insectarium now shares its location with the Audubon Aquarium, plan extra time to explore both attractions and discover how aquatic and terrestrial creatures connect.
• Best for All Ages The museum's hands-on approach makes it particularly engaging for children, but the scientific depth offers plenty for adult learners and nature enthusiasts too.
• Riverfront Location The new waterfront location puts you near other New Orleans attractions, making it easy to combine with a day exploring the city's riverfront and French Quarter.

Next time you see an insect, you might think twice before dismissing it. The Audubon Insectarium transforms fear and indifference into fascination by revealing the intricate lives of creatures we usually overlook.

Whether you're watching leaf-cutter ants march with their botanical cargo or standing still as a butterfly lands nearby, the museum offers moments that shift your perspective. Since reopening in June 2023, this New Orleans institution continues proving that some of nature's greatest stories are written by its smallest characters.