Florida Museum of Natural History

You may have heard! ???? We're excited to announce that we're embarking on a large-scale expansion project here at the Florida Museum! To accomplish this, we will be closing our public exhibits building temporarily beginning Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. This expansion to the front of the building addresses long-standing needs and will allow us to better serve the community through new state-of-the-art exhibition and learning spaces, an updated modern fa?ade, renovated and expanded guest services, and a larger collector’s shop. We anticipate re-opening in 2026. ?? Why are we closing, which exhibits are being affected and what happens to the butterflies? We've gathered answers to some of the most common questions and we'll continue to update everyone here as this big project unfolds: https://lnkd.in/etZA3tpK ?? In the meantime, we're going to keep the doors open as usual and welcome you to enjoy our events and exhibits -- including the Butterfly Rainforest. We hope to see you for a visit or two before January! Membership note: The Florida Museum’s membership program is still in effect during the expansion and members will continue to receive benefits. Find out more about what to expect and click through to the membership contact form if you have further questions for our team: https://lnkd.in/eMRN9VpV

Hello from the Butterfly Rainforest! ?? Look at those yellow-tipped antennae! This exhibit resident is a Spotted Amberwing. While some species of butterflies have different coloration or markings on the tops and undersides of their wings, species like this have very little difference. The dorsal and ventral sides of the wings communicate two different things. The ventral side (underside) helps with camouflage or tricking a predator when they rest with their wings closed. The dorsal (top) markings signal to potential mates when held open on display. You can learn much more about butterfly behavior, markings, evolution and environments when you visit the Butterfly Rainforest and the other indoor butterfly exhibits! Plan Your Visit ? Florida Museum General admission to the Museum is FREE, although donations are gladly accepted. There is a cover charge for the Butterfly Rainforest. ??? Tickets, exhibits, parking and more: https://lnkd.in/grtzXjU ?? Florida Museum photo by keeper Ingrith

FREE Gallery Exhibit! ??? Check out these gorgeous photos and the stories they tell. From mesmerizing mammoth tusks to swirly shells, our photographer Kristen Grace shares Museum treasures in a special light. Feature: Belle Glade panther-headed figurine In 1929, farmer Robert Padgett was plowing a field near Belle Glade when his blade struck this statuette of a kneeling man wearing a mask with catlike ears. Carved from pine and about eight inches tall, it is one of four surviving statuettes, probably made by Calusa artists between AD 1200 and 1700, that show a person wearing a panther mask or a panther in a human pose. West Gallery Exhibit Florida: The State of Our Nature Be immersed in the Florida Museum of Natural History’s collections with a look at 14 high-resolution photographs that showcase rare museum objects not often in public view. Their stories inspire and inform about the state of our natural world, touching on topics like invasive species, habitat loss and the work of researchers to preserve plants and animals that call the Sunshine State home. https://lnkd.in/epCwRvYK Plan Your Visit ? Florida Museum General admission to the Museum is FREE, although donations are gladly accepted. There is a cover charge for the Butterfly Rainforest! ??? Tickets, exhibits, parking and more: https://lnkd.in/grtzXjU

Tot Trot Nature Walks are back! ?? Our fall 2024 days and topics are here, including a FREE day once a month. Learn something new with our popular toddler program -- each Tuesday will have a different topic ????? ?? September: 9/10– Animal Tracks 9/17– Micro Hike 9/24– Water, FREE DAY ?? Most Tuesday mornings at the Museum. More dates / topics on our website, too! Get your toddler excited about exploring the great outdoors! Join our Discovery Zone nature ambassadors for a safe and interactive nature walk on Tot Tuesdays. This program encourages outdoors exploration with a close look at the natural world while also sharing Museum treasures. Length: About 1.5 hours Age: Recommended for children ages 2-5 years old When: Most Tuesday mornings at 9am Where: Meet at the Museum! Program info, prices and dates: https://lnkd.in/ePt36AQ7

Research news ?? NSF funds awarded to study bagworms, bubonic plague, ancient mammals and more efficient ways for people to share their observations of nature with scientists. Story: https://lnkd.in/eiqtJq-s ?? Our curator of Lepidoptera, Akito Kawahara, and curator of education, Megan Ennes, received funding to study and teach the natural history of the strange group of bagworms moths. ?? Jonathan Bloch, curator of vertebrate paleontology here at the museum, and Arthur Porto, curator of artificial intelligence for natural history and biodiversity, were awarded funding to study how mammal communities responded to the period of sudden and intense global warming, called the Paleocene/Eocene thermal maximum. ?? Nicolas Gauthier, curator of artificial intelligence at the Florida Museum, has received funding to digitally re-create the 14th century outbreak of bubonic plague by combining archaeological, historical and paleoenvironmental data. ??? Robert Guralnick, our curator of bioinformatics, hopes to use funding to redesign the National Phenology Network's app, called Nature’s Notebook, to make it easier and more intuitive to use, and thus increase meaningful data contributed from citizen scientists.

Remembering Florida Museum curator Jacqueline Miller's life and legacy as a mentor and renowned lepidopterist. Jackie and her husband Lee spent the majority of their careers working at the Allyn Museum of Entomology and following it as it was uprooted from Chicago to Sarasota and then on to Gainesville, where it became the nucleus for collections at the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity here at the Florida Museum. Her career includes long list of accomplishments, awards and contributions to the field of Lepidoptera. Even then, there is a longer list of people who look back on her support and mentorship as pivotal -- especially at times when there were few women in in her field. “There were few female entomologists at the time, and it was a challenging world to navigate,” Emily Heffernan said. “That’s something she was always very clear, firm and supportive of me in. She was a great role model for not demanding respect as a female scientist but earning it as a scientist of great reputation.” Jackie passed away peacefully earlier this year on July 8. From baseball teams to field surveys to hawk moths, read more about her life and professional legacy while helping to build the nation’s largest Lepidoptera collection: https://lnkd.in/eAAnGDY4

Natural Wonders ?? Florida’s Freshwater Springs FREE Gallery Exhibit Dive into the natural beauty of the Sunshine State with breathtaking images by nature photographer Jason Gulley showcasing some of Florida’s iconic springs and the plants and animals that call these habitats home. Learn how in addition to their vibrant ecosystems, the springs also provide a window into the condition of the state’s groundwater, the source of 90% of drinking water for Floridians. See the threats that impact their health and discover the efforts underway to conserve them. ?? Exhibit info: https://lnkd.in/e7qX-9Wi Photo by Jason Gulley Plan Your Visit ? Florida Museum General admission to the Museum is FREE, although donations are gladly accepted. There is a cover charge for the Butterfly Rainforest and special exhibits. ??? Tickets, exhibits, parking and more: https://lnkd.in/grtzXjU

Online Exhibit ?? Rare, Beautiful & Fascinating Fossil plants from Alum Bluff represent a time when Florida’s climate was warmer and sea level was higher. In 1916 scientists identified 12 species of plant fossils from Alum Bluff – today Museum scientists have identified 22 more. "These plants lived at a time of warmer temperatures and higher sea level than today," said Terry Lott. "The climate was subtropical to warm temperate, in a narrow band that stretched along the paleocoast from Florida to Massachusetts." ?? Read + listen to more with Terry Lott: https://lnkd.in/eiV3_Mqv Feature: Fossil Palm (Sabalites apalachicolensis) From Liberty Co., Florida Lived ~18 million years ago ?? Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Plant for Pollinators at Millhopper Library Branch Sept 7 ?? Full event info: https://lnkd.in/eeYfx3QQ Our Daniels Lab scientists invite you to join them at the library to help support pollinator conservation. Pick up a free plant and plant for pollinators! Pollinators are an extremely important part of the ecosystem but you don’t have to be a researcher to help protect them. Planting native flowering plants in your yard, patio and even in pots can provide vital habitats and food for bees, butterflies, moths and other pollinators. Learn about the importance of native plants, wildflowers and more at this family-friendly event! Each visitor can choose one plant from a variety of native species, available on first come, first served basis until we’re out. [Full list on our website] Where: Millhopper Library Branch When: Sept 7, 12-3 p.m. What: One free plant until we're out! ?? Full event info: https://lnkd.in/eeYfx3QQ

Everyone loves the museum gift shop but ours has a secret bonus! ?? We have a rotating selection of great live plants for you pollinator garden or patio! We offer native, nectar, and host as well as accent plants for purchase daily in our gift shop. Our selection continuously changes based on availability. Stop in to see what we've got or check our website for what's likely to be in stock: https://lnkd.in/eBeiKPp8