Class 2003
County Achievement Awards
Franklin County
George Miller, Alan Rulewich
Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory and Gardens, which opened in 1999, has quickly become one of the premier attractions and education centers in Western Mass., with over a quarter of a million visitors in the past year alone. Owners Alan Rulewich and George Miller rebuilt and expanded the former site of a restaurant on Routes 5 and 10 in Deerfield into a large facility that includes a 4,000 square foot glass conservatory filled with butterflies, moths, and tropical vegetation. A heart-shaped pool filled with Japanese koi, and the peaceful waterfall and soft music have contributed to this location being selected so frequently for weddings that Magic Wings now provides an in-house justice of the peace. Corporate meetings, bar mitzvahs, and other events are scheduled here, and school groups, from kindergarten through college, come for educational tours.
The idea of a butterfly conservatory was inspired by Rulewich's 1998 vacation visit to the Butterfly Pavilion in Colorado. Magic Wings has grown to include a garden center, food court and gift shop, with 30 full- or part-time employees including a curator, general manager, and event coordinator. The facility is open year-round, seven days a week, and is closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas day.