Curious about what is happening in the Butterfly Rainforest during the closure? The butterflies may not be flying, but there’s still plenty of activity!

While shipments of new butterflies were paused in March to prepare for the museum’s temporary closure, the exhibit’s koi fish, turtles and birds are still enjoying their lush home among over 3,000 plants. Museum staff ensure the exhibit’s residents are fed and protected from any construction impacts. On-site workers who listen closely can even hear the music of plum-headed finches, Chinese painted quail and a pin-tailed whydah alongside less melodic construction sounds.

Museum staff are also hard at work maintaining the bright, flowering plants of the rainforest. Ingrith Martinez, Butterfly Rainforest staff member and a familiar face to many who have visited the exhibit over the years, said the closure gives their team a chance to complete larger projects like moving rocks and changing plant beds in addition to the regular pruning and pathway clearing that happens when the exhibit is open. Another major project visitors may notice when the museum reopens, is the removal of a part of two palm trees which have outgrown the enclosure.

The temporary closure is also an opportunity to improve the exhibit’s infrastructure, like deep cleaning paths and ponds and freshening up the structure housing the rainforest. The exhibit feels empty without its visitors, but it is being well taken care of in anticipation of welcoming butterflies and guests back for a magical experience!

Jaret Daniels, curator at the McGuire Center and interim director of exhibits and public programs, said the rainforest is unlike many other exhibits because it allows visitors to interact with the subject of the exhibit while learning from volunteers and staff.

“When people go into the Butterfly Rainforest, it’s a fully immersive exhibit,” Daniels said. “They’re surrounded by plants, they’re surrounded by butterflies; there are few other experiences like that out there.”

Missing your butterfly fix? Check out these museum resources to learn more about butterflies and create your own pollinator garden. Sign up for Plant Sale Alerts from the Florida Museum and visit our Fall Plant Sale or Plant for Pollinators giveaway event to get started!