Amid recent negative attention from right-wing conspiracy theorists, the National Butterfly Center announced it will be closed to the public for the immediate future.
The board of directors of the North American Butterfly Association made the decision to close the center to both members and visitors on Tuesday following visits from right-wing activists targeting the center and an alleged assault by a Virginia congressional candidate, who later claimed she had been barred from participating in a GOP fundraiser held in McAllen this past weekend.
“The safety of our staff and visitors is our primary concern,” Dr. Jeffrey Glassberg, president and founder of the North American Butterfly Association, said in a news release Wednesday. “We look forward to reopening, soon, when the authorities and professionals who are helping us navigate this situation give us the green light.”
The board will continue to pay the staff during the closure.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may cause to members and visitors, many of whom plan trips months in advance, to experience this truly exceptional place,” Marianna Trevino Wright, executive director of the NBC, said Wednesday.
