Papiliorama

The Papiliorama near Kerzers runs three large domes. The butterfly dome holds free-flying tropical species among planting, with insects landing on visitors as a matter of course. The Nocturama is the more unusual: a reversed day-night cycle under dim red light, so nocturnal Central American animals - sloths, kinkajous, armadillos, bats and owls - are active when the public is there, and visitors need several minutes for their eyes to adjust before they see anything at all. The Jungle Trek dome reconstructs a Belizean rainforest. The organisation funds and manages the Shipstern Conservation and Management Area in Belize, so the exhibits fund a specific protected area rather than a general cause.

What you actually see

• Free-flying tropical butterflies - landing on visitors in the planted dome.
• The Nocturama - reversed day-night with sloths, kinkajous and bats.
• Eyes adjusting to red light - several minutes before anything is visible.
• A funded reserve in Belize - the Shipstern area the organisation manages.

When to go

All year - it is indoors and heated. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The domes are hot and humid; cameras fog. The Nocturama is genuinely dark and disappointing if you rush it. Animals are free-ranging and often hidden. Busy on wet weekends and in school holidays.

Nearby

Murten and its walls are west; Bern is south.