Huntsville Botanical Garden Nature Center & Purdy Butterfly House
Huntsville, Alabama

Designed by FPA, the Huntsville Botanical Gardens Nature Center is a truly extraordinary attraction. Named the 2006 top tourist attraction in the state by the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel, the 9,000 square foot center is a beautiful natural stone and beam structure with a multi-faceted design. The Nature Center is home to the largest seasonal, open-air butterfly enclosure in the country – the Gardens’ Purdy Butterfly House. The 30 foot high house, which contains waterfalls, ponds, streams and lush plantings, truly brings nature indoors and creates a natural habitat for the 2,000+ native American butterflies, frogs, tree frogs, turtles, hummingbirds and button quail. An attached education center also houses a classroom and interpretive displays that help make this a learning experience for both children and adults. Another facet of this project, the Children’s Garden sits adjacent to the Nature Center and is designed to be a fully interactive experience for young visitors. This two-acre attraction showcases eight separate gardens which include water features, mazes and other educational elements, as well as beautiful vegetation and floral themes. FPA’s design also includes a 250-seat outdoor amphitheater, landscape planning and interior design.

GALLERY