A fundraising campaign for Portsmouth's new tropical butterfly house has been extended after a surge in pledges.
The new butterfly enclosure is due to open at Cumberland House natural history museum later this summer, following demolition of the old one.
To help fund the project, Portsmouth City Council launched an online crowdfunding campaign to raise more than £40,000. The campaign was due to end this month, but has now been extended to 20 August.
Anyone pledging more than £25 can have their name on a plaque in the new enclosure. A pledge of £100 earns a VIP event.
Cllr Linda Symes, the council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Sport, said: "The new building is coming along really well and will open soon. Because the butterfly house has a special place in the hearts of many local people, we thought residents might like to contribute towards it and have their pledges recorded for posterity.
"The campaign has really taken off recently, with almost £12,500 pledged, so we thought we would extend it. As well as creating a lovely environment for butterflies and visitors, we're making the museum into a haven for British butterflies. Demolishing the old butterfly house has also opened up the rear of the building, showing how it was intended to look.
"We're also asking residents to suggest names for the new enclosure. Lots of schoolchildren visit the butterflies, so it would be a great project for a local school."
To succeed, the campaign has to reach its goal of £41,685 in pledges. If the total is not reached, then those who have pledged money will not have to contribute after all.
To find the Butterfly House Project fundraising page, put "butterfly" in the search box at www.spacehive.com
