Victoria Bug Zoo
631 Courtney St., Victoria, British Colombia, BC V8W 1B8
Much-maligned critters, from tarantulas to cockroaches, are celebrated at this insectarium, which specializes in large tropical insects. Visitors can observe more than 40 live species of invertebrates, including praying mantises, stick insects, and glow-in-the-dark scorpions, as well as handling some of the creepy-crawlies.
The basics
Explore Victoria Bug Zoo independently or join a free tour, during which staff share lots of additional information about the little and not-so-little creatures kept here. During tours, visitors may also have the opportunity to handle some of the bugs under the supervision of staff.
The Victoria Bug Zoo is fairly small and will only take 1–2 hours to explore; many visitors combine a trip here with other Downtown Victoria tourist attractions such as Miniature World and Royal BC Museum.
Things to know before you go
*Victoria Bug Zoo is a must for families. *A gift shop sells t-shirts, bug collecting materials, and edible insect goodies. *Victoria Bug Zoo is wheelchair-accessible.
How to get there
Victoria Bug Zoo is in Downtown Victoria on Vancouver Island. Walking from Victoria’s Inner Harbour takes about 5 minutes.
When to get there
Victoria Bug Zoo is a firm favorite with families visiting Victoria and gets busy during school vacations and on weekends. Go on a midweek morning to beat the crowds. Tours take place continuously during opening hours, so you shouldn’t have to wait long to join one.
Where to See Wildlife on Victoria Island
While the Victoria Bug Zoo is the ideal place to examine insects and arachnids, lots more creatures can be seen on Vancouver Island—many in the wild. Watch seals at Fisheman’s Wharf, spot Roosevelt elk at Green Mountain, or observe grizzly bears in the Great Bear Rainforest from the safety of a covered boat or riverside hide. Many whale-watching expeditions set sail from Victoria Harbour, venturing out in search of resident orcas in their natural habitat.
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