Ali Center partners with Louisville Zoo for new butterfly garden
05.14.25
MEDIA ADVISORY
Ali Center partners with Louisville Zoo for new ‘Float Like a Butterfly’ Garden
The new garden in the Ali Center plaza is part of the Zoo’s “Monarch and Milkweed Pollinator Habitat Project”
LOUISVILLE, KY (May 14, 2025) — The Muhammad Ali Center is proud to unveil a new permanent addition to our outdoor plaza in support of conservation and protection of monarch butterflies, while honoring one of Ali’s most famous catchphrases.
The “Float Like a Butterfly” Garden will officially debut in the Ali Center plaza on May 17. Starting at 8:30 a.m., members of the Muhammad Ali Center and Louisville Zoo teams will plant milkweed plants and other natural pollinators to provide critical habitat for monarch butterflies, completing their life cycle.
The conservation project ties into Muhammad’s legacy through his most popular quote, “Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee,” coined by Ali’s cornerman Drew “Bundini” Brown.
“It’s only natural, thanks to one of Ali’s famous catchphrases, that we provide a home for migrating monarch butterflies,” Ali Center President and CEO DeVone Holt said. “We hope this attraction provides guests with both a connection to nature and an understanding on how to better care for our planet, while they’re visiting to learn about the Greatest.”
The Louisville Zoo’s Monarch and Milkweed Pollinator Habitat Project started in 2020 when the Louisville Zoo became a member of the AZA SAFE North American Monarch Butterfly Program. Through this program, the Louisville Zoo has worked with various community partners to create monarch butterfly habitats.
Through this partnership, the Muhammad Ali Center will be listed as an official Monarch Waystation habitat registered through the national Monarch Watch website.
More information on the Ali Center’s “Float Like a Butterfly” Garden can be found at https://alicenter.org/exhibits/float-like-a-butterfly-garden/.
For more information on the Louisville Zoo’s Monarch and Milkweed Pollinator Habitat Project, visit https://louisvillezoo.org/monarchs-and-milkweed/.
Media Contact:
Annie Moore
Muhammad Ali Center
amoore@alicenter.org
502.992.5338
Saturday On-Site Media Contact:
Dustin Vogt
Muhammad Ali Center
dvogt@alicenter.org
502.992.5330