Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Kidspace Marks 30 Years of Butterfly Season With Free ArtNight Launch

[photo credit: Kidspace Children’s Museum]

Kidspace Children’s Museum will open its 30th annual Butterfly Season on Friday, March 13, with free admission that evening as part of ArtNight Pasadena, the city’s twice-yearly cultural open house.

The season runs through May 17 at the museum’s 3.5-acre campus in Brookside Park. This year’s edition brings back Los Trompos, an interactive art installation of brightly colored spinning structures designed by Mexican designers Héctor Esrawe and Ignacio Cadena. The work, inspired by vintage Mexican toy tops, was first commissioned by the High Museum of Art in Atlanta in 2015 and invites visitors to hop on and spin together.

Inside Roberts Pavilion, a display of handmade Monarch butterflies crafted from upcycled waste-stream materials by artist Christopher Lutter will fill the space. Lutter, a Kidspace artist-in-residence, built the original kinetic sculpture using recycled wire and plastic utensils in collaboration with museum visitors and community volunteers, according to the museum’s website.

“For 30 years, Kidspace has been welcoming spring in the most delightful way, with Butterfly Season,” Lisa Clements, CEO of Kidspace, said in a statement. “We invite families to engage with nature on our outdoor campus, learn about the vital role of conservation, and find joy in the colors and exuberance of springtime.”

The ArtNight opening — one of 19 free venues participating citywide from 6 to 10 p.m. — will feature a community mural-painting project in collaboration with Studio Tutto, a woman-owned studio that creates nature-inspired public art. Reservations for the free evening are recommended at kidspacemuseum.org/calendar. ArtNight Pasadena is produced by the city’s Cultural Affairs Division.

Beyond the art installations, Butterfly Season offers hands-on activities for children: bug safaris with magnifying glasses across the campus, a fantasy flutter-by play area where children can dress as butterflies and climb into a chrysalis, clay critter-making, and flower-watering stations that teach about pollinator-friendly plants.

Live caterpillar adoptions return starting March 13. Families can purchase native Painted Lady caterpillars beginning at $8 at the Kidspace Museum Store or online at store.kidspacemuseum.org. All caterpillars must be picked up in person. Care instructions are available on the museum’s website.

“Los Trompos reminds us of the shared histories and vibrant cultures that define our region,” Clements said. “Like the monarch butterfly, it’s a beautiful metaphor for cultural and geographic connections between Southern California and Mexico.”

Butterfly Season is included with general admission and free for members. The museum is located at 480 N. Arroyo Blvd. in Brookside Park, adjacent to the Rose Bowl. Free parking is available in Rose Bowl Lot I. Tickets and information are available at kidspacemuseum.org.

Kidspace, which describes itself as hosting nearly 400,000 guests annually, was founded in 1979 by members of the Caltech community and the Junior League of Pasadena. It moved to its current Brookside Park campus in 2004.