Nature on Display
One of the most enjoyable exhibits for me was the butterfly exhibit. The design of the exhibit was more authentic due to the fresh air, running water, real plants, and live butterflies. Seeing the colorful butterflies flying around in the open space caught my attention, and getting to walk through the garden with the butterflies made the experience much more authentic. If the exhibit was displayed through other mediums such as pictures and videos, I wouldn't have gotten the same amount of appreciation and understanding. By being able to get so close to the butterflies in their natural environment, I was able to see how delicate they were and better appreciated the beauty of their wing composition. Furthermore, I enjoyed being able to see the butterflies' interactions with each other, plants, and even humans
Nature and Ethics
As Leopold mentioned, it's our responsibility as humans to take care of the planet. In order to do so, it's vital to instill a feeling of respect for the earth as well as a sense of urgency to protect it. Both adults and children seemed to enjoy the various exhibits, and though most families treated the museum as a playground, I saw many others closely observing the information provided. After all, the museum provides a lot of information regarding animals and the environment. This allows people to better understand the world they live in and hopefully causes them to feel more responsible for their impact on the natural world.
One part of the frog exhibit particularly caught my attention. As I read the blurb about the pet trade pictured above, I felt upset about how humans were disrupting nature by bringing these frogs out of its natural environment. Though the pet trade may seem like an innocent act of entertainment, it can easily turn into the larger problem of introducing an invasive species, which can further harm the environment. As a result, if I or someone I know ever wants to get an exotic pet in the future, I'll make sure to do research and avoid participating in the harmful pet trade.
Nature and the Human Spirit
The exhibit with the various shark jaws displayed was very riveting and left me with a sense of awe. Seeing how massive and fearsome the jaws and teeth gave me a new perspective about myself and humans. We as humans are so used to being at the top of the food chain that when another organism assumes the top position, we feel less significant and very threatened. Standing in front of those large set of jaws was a humbling experience for me personally, and I'm sure other people have felt the same way. The exhibit reminded me that there are so many more wonders that are yet to be discovered and that the world doesn't revolve around humans. With this perspective in mind, I feel that we can better appreciate and respect the planet because though humans do a lot to manipulate the earth, there are greater forces of nature that we can't always control.