NATURE AND THE HUMAN SPIRIT: LIFE CYCLES IN YOUR GARDEN
The natural history museum certainly allows us to really take time and step out of our everyday lives. Not everyday, especially with the busy lives we have as college students do we really get the time to appreciate the nature of our state in such a personal way. Nature is truly amazing. I found this particular display to be, as simple as it is quite fantastic. To see how nature changes all throughout the year and throughout the season is honestly amazing and something you may barely take time to notice since it is slowly occurring. However slow, the change is clearly apparent. I feel we can relate this to our personal lives as well, we grow slowly over time and may not see how much we have developed as individuals but our growth has come so far if we just take the time to notice it.
NATURE AND ETHICS: EMERGING BUTTERFLIES
This exhibit struck me as somewhat odd and out of place. It wasn't very pretty or appealing then I noticed all the tiny cocoons all lined up in a manufactured setting. After being in the butterfly garden and seeing the living butterflies fly around freely this struck me as very forced and planned and not how it should occur in nature. Although the museum offers things in ways that I think Leopold would approve of, this was not one. It depicts us as "conquerers of the land" instead of biotic members of the community. This process is beautiful and one that should occur naturally on its own in the outside presence of real nature not in an exhibit.
NATURE ON DISPLAY: THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN
This exhibit was my favorite part of visiting the museum. As far as being one with nature this is about as close as it comes. This unique experience allows you to be surrounded with butterflies and witness their beauty at eye level, something you could hardly do anywhere else. Seeing the butterflies fleeting everywhere around me and watching the other people appreciate them as I did filled me with happiness. Their wings are all different yet each is beautiful in its own way. In a way you could relate this to people as well, we all have something special about us that makes each one of us a beautiful work of nature just like the butterflies.