Visitors to the Native Texas Butterfly House and Garden at Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney can walk among flying native butterflies and other pollinators. Guests can view butterflies up close while learning about their life stages.

The butterfly house and garden are regularly stocked with an assortment of native butterfly species. Guests may even get to see a butterfly emerge from a chrysalis. Inside the butterfly house, adult butterflies feed on nectar plants while caterpillars feed on host plants.

Guests may even find a few ideas to try in home gardens that can help pollinators on a broader scale. From time to time, other species of wildlife that feed on insects or the nectar plants may also be found in the butterfly garden, including hummingbirds.

The Native Butterfly Gardens are open year-round but the butterfly house is only open during the summer months. Nature photography and portraiture can be arranged for a small fee.

The sanctuary is located at 1 Nature Place south of Historic Downtown McKinney. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for children and seniors, and free for children two and younger. Visit www.heardmuseum.org for information or call (972) 562-5566.