One of the butterflies in the Butterfly Rain Forest. Elizabeth Kolody, 3/14/17.

Nature on Display

My favorite exhibit was the Butterfly Rain Forest because butterflies are my favorite animal so it was great to be able to get so close to them. It's amazing how the exhibit is set up just like a rain forest, even though it is actually a museum in the middle of Gainesville. There are so many beautiful flowers and other plants that the butterflies enjoy hanging out on, which allows the museum visitors to see the butterflies up close and personal, which you can't really do just walking around in the world. I was surprised and excited to discover that the exhibit contained types of butterflies that I had never seen before. I love live exhibits like this one at museums because you really get to immerse yourself into the habitat of these beautiful creatures, rather than just reading about them on a plaque inside the museum.

Nature and Ethics

My trip to the museum definitely made me feel in-touch with and appreciation for nature. As I walked through the museum, I thought about how important it is to have places such as the museum to go to focus on thinking about nature and to learn new things about how we can preserve it. We have such a beautiful planet but we don't always respect it in the way we should. I loved watching all the little kids walking through the museum, admiring the exhibits. It's awesome how in the Butterfly Rain Forest, I could see people of all ages were mystified by the butterflies' beauty. One thing I learned on my trip to the museum is that it is so crucial that we conserve our populations of insects, as seen on the poster I took a picture of. I don't want to live in a world where these amazing animals don't exist.

Nature and Human Spirit

Overall, the trip to the Museum of Natural History was a wonderful experience and it was a nice activity to do to get away from the everyday stresses of college. The whole museum has a calming but attention-grabbing layout that transports you to another world. It was weird because I didn't even feel like I was on UF's campus anymore, but I drive past the museum every day. The most calming exhibit by far was the Butterfly Rain Forest because there was beautiful weather and all of the plants, butterflies, and the sound of the waterfalls was incredibly relaxing. Getting to hang out with some of my favorite creatures and observe them in a place they were comfortable in so I could get up close to them was incredible. I know I will be returning to the museum to visit the butterflies whenever I am feeling stressed because feeling that at peace with nature is extremely therapeutic.