Wander the Butterfly Conservatory at the American Natural History Museum

Being a walking city, New York has many appeals. But the chilly temperatures in the winter can make that a little less enjoyable. Warm up inside the American Museum of Natural History and visit The Butterfly Conservatory, one of its most well-known exhibits. It’s a perfect exhibition for a cold fall or winter day (and equally nice in spring, of course).

Every year, a warm habitat inside the museum is home to various butterflies and lush tropical plants. Visitors can meander through the 1,200-square-foot Butterfly Conservatory and interact with up to 500 fluttering butterflies. Flowers and plants native to the tropics along the winding path. The exhibition includes three of the five families into which butterflies are divided. Even more alluring is the fact that the temperature is fixed at 80 degrees Fahrenheit, which can be a cozy escape from the frigid wind outside. There are also powerful lamps shining down from the ceiling, simulating the sunlight that would stream through a rainforest canopy.