October 19, 2026
Sioux Falls Zoo & Aquarium (SFZA) is taking the next step toward a one-campus organization, opening a new butterfly garden experience at the Great Plains Zoo (GPZ) campus in early 2027. Ahead of the opening, SFZA will close its Butterfly House & Aquarium (BHA) campus in Sertoma Park to the public, with the final day on January 3, 2027.
It is important to the SFZA team that the community has ample opportunity to visit BHA before it closes. SFZA will announce a series of events for various groups, including donors, members, volunteers, and others with strong ties to BHA to say goodbye. SFZA’s Sea & Snow package tickets are for sale at GreatZoo.org until November 19. Sea & Snow includes tickets to both campuses at a discounted price and can be used until January 3, 2027.
With this closure comes many considerations pertaining to the Sertoma Park building, SFZA staff, Monarch members, memorials, and more. Below, find some of our most anticipated questions.
- Q. What will happen to the Sertoma Park building? A. It will serve as a staff-only satellite campus, serving as crucial office space for staff while the GPZ campus is under construction.
- Q. What happens to the aquariums at BHA? A. The conservatory and aquatic animals will remain in place until it is time to move to the future aquarium at the zoo campus.
- Q. Will the butterflies move from Sertoma Park to the zoo? A. No. The butterflies at BHA will live out their natural life cycles there. New chrysalises will hatch at the zoo Butterfly Garden.
- Q. What about Monarch members? A. Once BHA closes, Monarch members will enjoy enhanced benefits at the zoo, including year-round earlier entry, exclusive early ZooCamp signup, preview events, and more.
Please visit the Butterfly House Closure FAQ page for more robust information.