The museum began a large-scale expansion project on March 24, 2025 that has temporarily closed Powell Hall and its public exhibitions.
We are delighted to announce we are reopening to the public on Monday, Nov. 23, 2026. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back just in time for the holidays. Include us in your family plans and take a stroll through our exhibits to rediscover all of your favorites and get inspired by our newest additions!
More details about the reopening schedule, upcoming traveling exhibit, tours and other visitor information will be shared in the coming weeks.
This architectural rendering shows the updated layout and flooring in the Florida Museum of Natural History’s Central Gallery. Plans are subject to change.
This architectural rendering offers a glimpse of the “Science Up-Close” section of the new “Inspire Gallery” exhibit at the Florida Museum. Plans are subject to change.
The roughly 6,000 square-foot addition to the west side of Powell Hall will host offices, educational spaces and the University of Florida Thompson Earth Systems Institute. Plans are subject to change.
This rendering shows the upgrades to the Florida Museum of Natural History’s lobby and Collector’s Shop. Plans are subject to change.
This architectural rendering shows the new façade that will greet visitors to the the Florida Museum of Natural History. Plans are subject to change.
While the final aspects of the expansion are being completed, the museum has begun hiring staff and encourages interested candidates to apply online through UF Jobs.
The new Jack & Tifi Bierley Inspire Gallery in the front of the building is a vibrant space designed to encourage curiosity about our natural world and the role the museum plays in telling the story of Florida’s natural history. A dedicated “Science Up-Close” section will feature opportunities for visitors to interact with scientists and educators from many different collections and fields of study. The classrooms are being modernized, and the gift shop expanded to offer new merchandise selections for visitors. The lobby area, front desk and restrooms in the Central Gallery are also being renovated, and the outdoor picnic tables replaced with a new seating area. A new, two-story addition to the west side of the building saw the creation of additional offices and educational spaces for the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute and the museum’s education department.
The Butterfly Rainforest is closed for the duration of the expansion project. As a living exhibit, it continues to be maintained by staff during its closure. Shipments of new butterflies were paused but all other animals and plants are being cared for. We anticipate that the Butterfly Rainforest will reopen on Nov. 23, 2026, along with the other museum exhibits.
All of these permanent exhibits were deep-cleaned, repainted and refreshed during the closure: Butterfly Rainforest, Discovery Zone, Water Shapes Florida, the Wall of Wings and indoor butterfly exhibits, Florida Fossils: Evolution of Life & Land, Exploring Our World and Our Energy Future. Landscaping in the Butterfly Rainforest was enhanced and Florida Fossils received a new lighting upgrade. New flooring has also been installed throughout the museum.
The South Florida People & Environments exhibit has been revamped into Florida Coastal Life and refurbished with updated content, flooring, lighting and a brand-new pavilion overlooking the mangrove section. The theater has been reworked with a new video discussing the people, past and present, that call Florida home.
The museum began rejuvenating its temporary exhibit gallery in September 2024 to upgrade components and technology. The upgrades, including state-of-the-art lighting equipment, new flooring and other enhancements, boosted energy efficiency, ambient lighting and visibility for objects on display. This crucial update was finished in early 2025 and will allow the museum to strengthen the infrastructure supporting changing exhibitions. Stay tuned for an announcement for the first temporary exhibit in the renewed gallery coming in spring 2027!
A temporary closure was necessary to ensure visitor safety and to prevent a negative visitor experience; it also significantly shortened the length of the expansion project, allowing the museum to reopen sooner. With extensive construction activities taking place throughout the project, including demolition of the front of the building, providing a safe entrance and egress for visitors was not possible.
The Florida Museum’s membership program is still in effect and members continue to receive the following benefits:
Invitations to private member events held offsite during the closure
Discounts and early registration for ticketed museum programs
ASTC Passport program reciprocal benefits at 300+ museums worldwide
Special “members only” communications, including updates about the project
Free admission to the Randell Research Center and Calusa Heritage Trail in Pineland, Florida
Knowing they are continuing their support for the Florida Museum of Natural History! Membership gifts impact every aspect of the museum – from its thriving research enterprise to the programs, exhibits and transformational projects like this expansion.
Want an early sneak peek at the new and improved Florida Museum? Members will have an exclusive opportunity to explore the refreshed museum during a special member preview on Sunday, Nov. 22.
Not a member yet? Renew your membership today and join us for a first look.
Visit our membership page for more details on how to support the Florida Museum.
Department of Natural History research staff and faculty have been unaffected by the construction project and regular activities continue in all 18 collections in Dickinson Hall, the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity and the Special Collections Building, which are not open to the public.
Interns, graduate students and collection volunteers continued normal activities.
While the physical doors of the Florida Museum’s exhibit hall are temporarily closed, the museum’s education team continues to have a dynamic, ongoing presence in the community, bringing new and expanded programming and engagement opportunities to audiences outside its walls. Some of the programs include wildlife-friendly plant sales, lively pop-up exhibitions and engaging outreach opportunities.
Visit our calendar to stay up to date on the Florida Museum’s events or our events blog to learn more about the programs we had during our closure.
Volunteer opportunities in Research and Collections within the Department of Natural History continue as usual. Volunteers within the Exhibits and Public Programs department worked with their supervisors to find alternative roles during construction. More information about volunteer opportunities following the reopening will be coming soon.
