Entry No. 42 — the Oklahoma City file — filed under: tarantulas
OSU Insect Adventure (live bug petting zoo)
OSU Extension's Insect Adventure is Oklahoma's only live bug petting zoo, housed on the OSU campus and staffed by a professional entomologist who guides visitors through handling over 25 species of living arthropods — from foot-long millipedes and emperor scorpions to a rotating cast of tarantulas. Public sessions run every 1st and 3rd Saturday morning, 10 a.m. to noon, for just $3 per person.
The story
Tucked inside the Horticulture Education Center at the southern tip of the OSU Botanic Garden in Stillwater sits Oklahoma's only live bug petting zoo. Run by Oklahoma State University’s Entomology Extension, this isn't a row of pinned, dried specimens under glass. It is a live room packed with over 25 species of wriggling, crawling, and scuttling arthropods.
Instead of keeping your hands in your pockets, you're actively encouraged to hold giant African millipedes that feel like living conveyor belts across your forearms, pet furry tarantulas, and handle glossy emperor scorpions under the direct eye of professional university entomologists. Between handling heavy-bodied arachnids, you can watch termite races or take in live demonstrations that treat these creepy-crawlies like fascinating neighbors rather than house pests.
What it's like
Public access is strictly limited to two hours on the first and third Saturday mornings of every month (10 a.m. to noon). Park at the southern lot of the OSU Botanic Garden directly by the Horticulture Education Center—if you park elsewhere, you'll be wandering the outdoor gardens looking for the bugs. Admission is $3 per person and strictly cash-only, so stuff a few small bills in your pocket before hitting the road. Expect a energetic crowd of families and curious locals crammed into the room early. Once your hands have had their fill of millipedes and spiders, step right out the door into the garden trails to wash up and decompress.
The move: Arrive at 10 a.m. on a 1st or 3rd Saturday, pay $3 each at the door, and spend the morning daring each other to hold the giant African millipede, pet a tarantula, and race termites — then walk the surrounding OSU Botanic Garden afterward to decompress (and wash your hands).
📍 Before you go Despite the "OKC" tag, this sits in Stillwater — budget roughly an hour-plus drive each way and treat it as a day trip. The bug zoo lives inside the Horticulture Education Center, the building at the southern entrance of The Botanic Garden at OSU, so aim for that southern lot rather than wandering the grounds first. It only opens to the public on 1st and 3rd Saturday mornings, and admission is cash only, so bring small bills. Expect a young, lively crowd, so arrive early. Afterward, the surrounding garden trails are free to roam if you want a quieter walk.
- 📍 Stillwater
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 3300 W 6th Ave, Stillwater, OK 74074 (Horticulture Education Center, The Botanic Garden at OSU)
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- G&M Body Shop Giant Transformers (Optimus Prime & Bumblebee) — Stay right in Stillwater and trade live creepy-crawlies for 22-foot steel Autobots built out of scrap vehicle parts just four miles down the road.
- Elmer McCurdy's Grave — Head south toward Guthrie on your way back to OKC to visit the concrete-encased grave of the train robber who spent 66 years as an embalmed carnival attraction.
- Oklahoma Frontier Drugstore Museum & Apothecary Garden — Pair your entomology outing with historic medical oddities in Guthrie, home to antique leech jars and 19th-century apothecary displays.
- POPS 66 — Break up the drive back to Oklahoma City along Route 66 by grabbing a bottle from a wall of over 700 obscure sodas beneath a massive neon bottle.
Good to know
When is Insect Adventure open to the public?
Public walk-in hours take place only on the first and third Saturday of each month, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
How much is admission and how do I pay?
Admission is $3 per person. It is cash-only at the door, so bring exact change or small bills.
Where inside the campus is the bug zoo located?
It is located inside the Horticulture Education Center at 3300 W 6th Ave, right at the southern entrance of The Botanic Garden at OSU.
What creatures can I actually hold or see?
The living collection rotates but typically features over 25 arthropod species, including giant African millipedes, emperor scorpions, various tarantulas, grasshoppers, and live termites.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: extension.okstate.edu · visitstillwater.org · travelok.com
last checked: 2026-06-07