SINGAPORE - Visitors to HarbourFront Centre will be able to get up close with hundreds of butterflies in a special indoor aviary erected in the centre.

Five species will be fluttering about on plants in the inflatable aviary, including Singapore's national butterfly, the common rose.

The green-banded peacock has been brought in from overseas for the display, which starts on Monday (Jan 22) and runs until Feb 25. The other three species on display are the paper kite, scarlet mormon and swift peacock.

Adult butterflies were placed in the aviary last week and have been breeding since then. They typically have a lifespan of two to three weeks.

They have also been joined by some creepy-crawlies in the form of stick insects, great beetles and leaf insects.

Shoppers will be guided by a curator in 30- to 45-minute sessions and given insights into the species on display.

Visitors can also join workshops to make preserved butterfly wing bookmarks and other crafts.

The exhibition space, comprising the aviary and a workshop, is about 1,800 sq ft, roughly the size of two four-room HDB flats.

The event is organised by Sentosa's Butterfly Park & Insect Kingdom and HarbourFront Centre as part of Chinese New Year celebrations.

The butterfly aviary will be open from 10am to 10pm at HarbourFront Centre's North Atrium on Level 1. Tickets cost $10 each.