Florida Museum of Natural History

Gainesville, Florida:  For over one hundred years, the Florida Museum of Natural History has been telling the story of Florida's past.  Dioramas depicting ancient fossils through modern day wildlife can be found in the museum located in the heart of the University of Florida's cultural plaza.

The museum was founded in 1891 when Professor Frank Pickel purchased collections of specimens for research at the Florida Agricultural College.  In 1906, the college closed and the collection was relocated to the University of Florida.  Then in 1917, the Florida legistlature declared that the museum was the official museum of natural history for the entire state.  The museum and it's mission continued to grow and in 1995, it opened at its current location.  Today the museum has grown to over 34 million specimens including one of the largest collections of butteries in the world.

While much of the museum's specimens are in storage, there is plenty to see in the museum's permanent exhibits.  These exhibits include:
  • Northwest Florida: exhibits showcasing the waterways and wildlife including hammock forests, rivers, caves, seepage bog and tidal basins.
  • Florida Fossils: exhibits depicting the regions evolution of life and land.  Highlights include shark jaw row, a walk through time and the large collections of fossils.
  • South Florida People and Environment: exhibits highlighting the wildlife and ecosystems of South Florida as well as the powerful Native American tribes who live here.  
  • Butterfly Rainforest: one of the worlds largest collection of butterflies as well as a tropical free flight aviary for hundreds of species of live butterflies. 
In addition to the permanent exhibits at the museum, the Florida Museum of Natural History houses a rotating collection of traveling exhibits.

The museum is located at 3215 Hull Road on the campus of the University of Florida.  Admission to the permanent exhibits are free, although donations are appreciated.  There is a separate admission for the Butterfly Rainforest ($10.50 for adult) and some special events and traveling exhibits.

Click on the photo above to view my Florida Museum of Natural History photo gallery.

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