What began in 2006 as a small butterfly house based in Okoboji’s Kenue Park has blossomed into a beautiful facility with educational opportunities for families and guests at the Dickinson County Nature Center.

For 11 years, the butterfly house has been abuzz with activity. There, monarch caterpillars are raised each summer from eggs all the way to adult butterflies. These gorgeous creatures are then tagged and released into the wild.

In 2015, the butterfly house underwent a renovation with new exhibits added that highlight native bees and planting natives for pollinators. The area was renamed Pollinator Paradise.

Thanks to a $1.7 million fundraising effort, additional phases are bringing even more exciting museum-quality children’s exhibits to the facility, which finally opens this spring.

Located on the north side of the Dickinson County...