Bug Museums and Insect Encounters That Spark Curiosity in Kids

Those pesky bugs are all around us, but how much do we really know about the insect world? Investigating this unknown world through fun and creative insect exhibits and experiences can help us appreciate these creatures — rather than fear or dislike them.

Of course, hands-on learning is always impactful, so if your child is a bug lover or maybe just curious, try one or more of these museums, zoos or other destinations to let your little one get up close and personal with the insect kingdom.

Woodland Park Zoo

A whole world of bugs awaits at Woodland Park Zoo, with 16 species of arthropods throughout one exhibit. The Woodland Park Zoo’s popular Bug World reopened last year, bringing a reintroduction of arthropods — the largest group of invertebrates. Here kids will discover the Mexican red-knee tarantula, western horse lubber, two-spotted assassin bug, Peruvian fire stick, flamboyant flower beetle, fierce water bug, emperor scorpion and many more.

Want to dance among the free-flying butterflies? You are in luck. The Butterfly Garden at Woodland Park Zoo is home to hundreds of native North American butterflies. Here in the garden you will learn about the butterfly’s life cycle, demonstrated from chrysalises to fully-emerged and flying butterflies. You’ll also find a collection of ideas you and your kids can use at home to support our region’s pollinators such as hummingbirds, beetles and bees and draw them to your yard. Try these tips and before long, you may have your own pollinator garden to enjoy just like the zoo.

Location: 601 N. 59th St., Seattle

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Take a jaunt to Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma for a seasonal bug experience worth noting: Bugs Alive! You can bring your little bugs to a presentation in the Nature Play Garden daily at 1:15 p.m. daily, May–September. Get up close with an emperor scorpion or maybe a Brazilian black tarantula. A large video monitor magnifies the bugs so even little ones can get a big view.

The immersive play garden — which is open year-round — is designed to cultivate excitement and appreciation for nature and outdoor play. Wandering through the garden, you might just see pollinators like hummingbirds, bumblebees and honeybees among the unique insects that make their home at the zoo.

Location: 5400 N. Pearl St., Tacoma

Pacific Science Center

There’s no place like the Pacific Science Center to encounter insects. In fact, this could be considered a bug lovers’ paradise. Beyond the well-curated variety of insects pinned and displayed for easy discovery, the PacSci Butterfly House welcomes you into a tropical forest where butterflies emerge from a chrysalis into full-grown flying beauties. Butterflies and moths flit about the greenhouse-like space filled with tropical plants and flowers, feeding on fresh fruit or flower nectar while showcasing their flying abilities and colors. The common blue morpho with its bright blue wings puts on a show. Butterflies are completely harmless to people but are very delicate, so hold still if they land on your back or shoulder while touring the Butterfly House. See if you are chosen as a landing pad!

The newer Pollinator Path is an insect-centric exhibit on the PacSci courtyard. Take a stroll here to boost your knowledge about the pollinators around the world and the connection between western science and place-based, Indigenous knowledge. This outdoor, year-round exhibit encourages adults and kids alike to grasp the important relationship between plants, pollinators, animals and humans. This exhibit will literally speak to you! The Native Pacific Northwest language, Chinuk Wawa, is heard on the Pollinator Path through recorded pronunciations of the native plant, pollinator and animal names given by local and regional Indigenous communities.

Location: 200 Second Ave. N., Seattle

Burke Museum

If you are looking for lots of bugs, the Burke Museum should be on your list to visit. As part of the Amazing Life exhibit, the Burke cares for and shares over 392,000 specimens of spiders and insects. That’s quite a swarm!

There are plenty of unique educational opportunities here, too. The museum’s irreplaceable collection includes 80,500 insects from the devastation zone of Mt. St. Helens.

For any little scientist who wants to see spiders, the Burke’s collection of over 170,000 spiders is the second largest on the West Coast — all safely preserved in vials. Phew! Here you’ll also find thousands of scorpions and other arachnids. And the 37,000 mounted butterflies here make for a truly unique display.

You may want to plan your visit around the upcoming “Rare Air: Connecting With Species of Flight” exhibit, which will be at the museum from Oct. 19, 2024–March 31, 2025. This interactive experience will look closely at the risks that bees, butterflies, birds and bats currently face, and the role humans play in their environment. Kids can build their own bees, identify bees and other creatures, and get their wiggles out in a play area.

Location: 4303 Memorial Wy. N.E., Seattle

Bug & Reptile Museum

You might get a little more excited about bugs when you find out that the Bug & Reptile Museum in Bremerton is open every day and it’s free! This unique museum is perfect for kids, and the place to see an extensive collection of preserved bugs from around the world. If your small folk want to see the real life thing, check out their collection of scorpions, tarantulas, Madagascar hissing cockroaches and painted lady butterflies, among others. Take a peek inside the beehive, too.

The museum’s collection is always changing so you may see something new when you arrive. But definitely don’t miss the eight-foot ant farm display with a bustling colony of harvester ants, which (true to form) are busy working together to maintain their home. This display is a front-row seat to the life of these hard-working busybodies as they clear tunnels and distribute food in the colony. As the museum’s name suggests, you can double up your visit and see plenty of reptiles and frogs, too. A day trip to Bremerton will yield a one-of-a-kind animal experience.

Location: 1118 Charleston Beach Rd. W., Bremerton

KidsQuest Children’s Museum

BeeQuest is KidsQuest’s own living hive. Stop by for a first-hand view of the worker bees building honeycomb. Drone bees fly in and out, collecting pollen. A lucky little visitor might even see the queen bee herself! To maintain the hive, KidsQuest works with Rainy Day Bees to ensure it is healthy and thriving. More bees are found outside the museum — mason bees, that is. Unlike honeybees, mason bees don’t sting and use mud and other “masonry” products in constructing their one-bee nests. The mason bees are super pollinators, too.

Ready to see something wiggly instead? Explore the world underneath the surface to watch the red wiggler worms do their work down in the deep, dark compost bin. Kids can open up the doors to see what the worms are eating and how they turn leftover food into nutrient-dense soil for plants. (All the food scraps the worms eat are kindly provided by KidsQuest staff.)

Location: 1116 108th Ave. N.E., Bellevue

West Seattle Bee Garden

Free-range bees are the centerpiece of the West Seattle Bee Garden in the High Point neighborhood in West Seattle. While you aren’t able to hold any bees, you see a beehive behind plexiglass and informational signage around to explain the importance of these hard-working insects. The bees enter and exit through an opening in the top of the structure. The pollination garden and surrounding P-Patch are vital components of the Bee Garden, which you are free to wander in. Additionally, a large open commons park and playground are adjacent to the Bee Garden (and always free), making the visit even more engaging.

And mark your calendars: Each year the West Seattle Bee Garden hosts the Bee Festival in May to welcome back the bees to the community.

Location: 3108 S.W. Graham St., Seattle

Victoria Bug Zoo

This charming bug zoo may be the place you never knew you needed to visit. If you are planning a trip north, there’s a wonderful opportunity to interact with insects in Victoria. The Victoria Bug Zoo is home to 50 fascinating species including giant walking sticks, beautiful praying mantis, glow-in-the-dark scorpions, hairy tarantulas, and Canada’s largest ant colony. With the help of Victoria Bug Zoo’s knowledgeable guides, take the opportunity to touch and feel insects. But if you aren’t ready to say “hi” to these creatures quite yet, they are in enclosures for viewing, too. No touching required.

Location: 631 Courtney St., Victoria, British Columbia, Canada