Munich is considered the fourth greenest city in the world and, as such, has several spacious green areas and parks. These include Nymphenburg Palace Park, which, with its canal and tree of eternal love, is probably one of the most romantic places in Munich. The new botanical garden is adjacent to the palace park, which you can also enter from this side. Anyone who thinks there isn’t much to see here in winter is mistaken—now is the perfect time to take a detour to visit the butterflies.
Over 200 years of history
Photo: Stux/Pixabay
There has been a botanical garden in Munich since 1809. At that time, it was located between Stachus and the main train station, where you can still visit the old botanical garden today. At some point, however, there was no longer enough space and air pollution became too great. Therefore, a new botanical garden was created, at that time still outside Munich, which opened in 1914.
Covering approximately 21 hectares, the new botanical garden in Munich is one of the largest in Germany. Every year, it attracts around 350,000 visitors, who enjoy more than 19,000 plant species and subspecies. In addition to the numerous plants, there is also an ornamental courtyard, the Alpinum, a small lake, greenhouses, and a rose garden with a café. You can visit the botanical garden all year round, and in winter there is no admission fee for visiting the outdoor area.
📍 Location: Menzingerstr. 6
🕐 Opening hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in summer, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in winter
💶 Price information: Regular €5.50, reduced €4, free in winter (outdoor area)
Butterfly splendor in the botanical garden
Photo: Damon on Road/Unsplash
Every year from December to March, the botanical garden hosts a special exhibition called “Tropical Butterflies. “ Over 400 different species of butterflies fly freely around the tropical aquatic plant house. They are brought to Munich from Costa Rica and the Philippines in pupal form, where they then hatch within a few days. The butterflies then fly freely among the plants and visitors, mate, and lay eggs. This creates new pupae, from which butterflies hatch again. This allows you to follow their entire life cycle.
As demand for tickets to the butterfly exhibition is very high, you must order a time slot ticket online in advance. This also serves as a day ticket for the rest of the botanical garden’s greenhouses. You can only visit the butterflies during your selected time slot, which prevents overcrowding. You can visit the other greenhouses at your leisure during the botanical garden’s opening hours. Tickets are often sold out by 12 noon on weekends, so it’s worth being quick.
📍 Location: Exhibition greenhouse for tropical aquatic plants
📅 Dates: December 13, 2025, to March 8, 2026
🕐 Opening hours: Daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., last admission at 3:30 p.m.
💶 Price information: €6.50 regular, €4.50 reduced