Zilker Botanical Garden is partnering with Penguin Young Readers to host “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” exhibit through March 22, 2020. 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the iconic pre-school classic, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle. The exhibit at Zilker Botanical Garden honors this literary milestone and is part of a national campaign to celebrate the beloved character. 

Crawl on over to the Zilker Botanical Garden to see the special exhibit that re-creates “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” through a larger-than-life storywalk. Children and their families can read their way through the exhibit and experience the book together. As part of the exhibit there will be photo opportunities. Simple, child-friendly games, and special events and activities will be offered at various times throughout the exhibit. Check www.zilkergarden.org for updates.

“There’s anticipation for the exhibit at all age levels. Adults are just as excited as kids are—they either remember ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ from their own childhood, or from reading it with their kids or grandchildren,” said Dr. Cynthia Klemmer, Manager of the Zilker Botanical Garden. “The exhibit is truly a lifelong learning opportunity for the whole family.”

“The Very Hungry Caterpillar” at Zilker Botanical Garden
Nov. 29, 2019 – March 22, 2020 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Daily
Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78746
This exhibit is included with regular Garden admission. 
Get more information: www.zilkergarden.org

Zilker Botanical Garden offers a variety of fun spots to explore. While you are there visiting “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” bring a picnic to munch in the Garden’s Oak Grove, stop by the Hartman Prehistoric Garden to visit the resident dinosaur, check out the giant Koi in the fish pond, explore the meandering stream in the historic Taniguchi Japanese Garden, and visit the Chrysalis Gift Shop to find a treasure to take home with you.

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Background on The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the Author

“The Very Hungry Caterpillar” has wiggled its way into the hearts of generations of readers and become a bookshelf staple in homes and classrooms nationwide. Since its publication in 1969, nearly 50 million copies of the book have sold globally and it has been published in over 65 languages.  To celebrate this golden anniversary, zoos, botanical gardens, libraries, museums and eateries across the country will host interactive “Very Hungry Caterpillar” experiences throughout 2019.  

Eric Carle is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. Since the publication of his best-known work, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” in 1969, Eric Carle has illustrated more than seventy books, many best sellers, most of which he also wrote, and more than 145 million copies of his books have sold around the world. A recipient of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award (now called the Children’s Literature Legacy Award) for lifetime achievement in children's literature, Eric Carle continues to produce his best-selling picture books. In 2002, Eric and his late wife Barbara cofounded The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (www.carlemuseum.org) in Amherst, MA, a 40,000 square foot space dedicated to the celebration of picture books and picture book illustrations from around the world, underscoring the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of picture books and their art form.