Zoos & aquariums · Yorkshire & the Humber
Tropical World
In or near Scarcroft.
Tropical World — butterfly house and animal attraction in England.

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 3 h–5 h
- Nearest railway station
- Cross Gates · 5.3 km
- Paid entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Tropical World is a zoo, wildlife park, or public aquarium in the United Kingdom. Wikidata describes it as: "butterfly house and animal attraction in England". Coordinates: 53.8406°, -1.5047°.
Photo gallery
Official information
Tropical World is an indoor tropical rainforest featuring a variety of exotic animals including meerkats, monkeys, and butterflies. Visitors can explore themed zones such as the Butterfly House and Desert House, and enjoy self-guided tours throughout the attraction.
From the Wikipedia article
Tropical World is a butterfly house and animal attraction located in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is a licensed zoo with membership of BIAZA and also features the largest collection of tropical plants outside Kew Gardens.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
In 1911, a conservatory building, named the Coronation House, was built in the Canal Gardens of Roundhay Park. It was later rebuilt in 1939 and modernised to its present state in 1984. Ambitious plans to expand and revitalise it resulted in the opening of a tropical butterfly house in 1988, named Tropical World. Birds, fish, reptiles and small mammals accompanied its rare and unusual tropical plants on display. In 2015, Tropical World reopened following a two-year refurbishment worth £1.5 million. The aquarium section was extensively revamped in particular, complete with new species and an Aztec theme. A new cafe was also built.
Description
The attraction is composed of several climate-controlled glass houses, each replicating a tropical environment from around the world. The houses contain tropical plants and live animals, including some which roam freely, such as butterflies and turtles. The first house visitors enter is the butterfly zone which features free-flying butterflies in a swamp-like environment. Terrapins and koi live in the various ponds and Morelet's crocodiles also occupy an enclosure. This house then leads into an Aztec-themed aquarium which features both freshwater and marine species, including poison dart frogs, axolotl, clownfish, octopus, stingrays, seahorse, red-bellied piranhas and catfish.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 53.8406, -1.5047
- District
- Leeds
- Parish
- Leeds, unparished area
- Postcode
- LS8 2ER
- Parliamentary constituency
- Leeds North East
- Phone
- +44 113 535 2132
- Annual visitors
- ~300,000/year
- Nearest railway station
- Cross Gates — 5.3 km
- Opening
- 10am to 6pm every day; closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day; 2pm closure on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve
- Official site
- tropicalworld.leeds.gov.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q97861382 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Tropical World (Leeds) (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Tropical World.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Tropical World?
- Tropical World is in Yorkshire, United Kingdom (postcode LS8 2ER), in the parish of Leeds, unparished area.
- What is Tropical World?
- Tropical World — butterfly house and animal attraction in England.
- How do I get to Tropical World?
- The nearest railway station is Cross Gates, about 5.3 km away. Drivers can use postcode LS8 2ER.
- Who owns Tropical World?
- Tropical World is owned by | director =.
- How do I get to Tropical World?
- The nearest railway station is Cross Gates, about 5.3 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode LS8 2ER.
- How busy is Tropical World?
- Tropical World draws around 300,000 visitors a year.