GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Don’t miss the chance to be part of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s exciting transformation at Museum Fest: Explore What’s Next on March 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Celebrate the Florida Museum with fan-favorite activities from previous events while getting an up-close look at museum objects. Pick up a native plant, look for fossils and tour the butterfly and moth collections at this free event.

“From classics like the dig pit and free native plants to a sneak peek of our collections and upcoming off-site programs, this is a community celebration of all things Florida Museum,” said Janelle Peña-Jiménez, Florida Museum’s public programs coordinator.

Visitors will have the rare opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes look at the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, home to one of the world’s largest butterfly and moth collections, and learn about the unique work that goes into preserving these insects directly from the experts that study them. These free tours will take place at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. Space is limited to 25 participants on a first-come, first-served basis; visitors can sign in at the welcome table upon arrival to reserve a spot.

Meet researchers studying a range of topics from mammals to imperiled butterflies to evolutionary genetics from across the museum and university, including the Florida Museum Mammals Collection, Daniels Lab, Blackburn Lab and UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute.

Grab a bite to eat at the B’z Gelati or Fat G’s BBQ and Catering food trucks.

Visitors can choose one of the following plants to take home with them for free: Darrow’s blueberry, lyreleaf sage, largeflower false-rosemary, east coast dune sunflower, Simpson’s stopper, Atlantic St. John’s wort, swamp twinflower and privet senna.

The Florida Museum’s public exhibitions at Powell Hall will temporarily close beginning March 24 for an extensive expansion project. The museum will continue to have a dynamic, ongoing presence in the community with expanded programming on UF’s campus, and at local farmers markets, sporting events and the Alachua County Library District branches.

Museum Fest will also feature the upcoming event schedule, a preview of the mobile gift shop that will accompany staff around the community, as well as a sample of outreach programs funded by the Children’s Trust of Alachua County like Science Surprises.

“As the Florida Museum undergoes an exciting transformation, our presence in the community will continue to be as strong as ever,” said Jaret Daniels, curator of the Florida Museum’s McGuire Center and interim director of exhibits and public programs. “We’re excited to share this with our guests and to highlight how the museum’s impact transcends physical boundaries with our upcoming outreach initiatives and engaging off-site programs.”

Tap into Museum Fest at the Florida Museum for a day of discovery, engagement and celebration. The last day to visit the Florida Museum before the expansion is March 23. The museum anticipates reopening in 2026 with an updated modern facade; new, state-of-the-art exhibition and learning spaces; and expanded guest services.

While the event activities are free, there is an admission fee for the “Butterfly Rainforest” exhibit.

For more information about the event, visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/museum-fest.

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Writer: Kat Tran, PRintern@flmnh.ufl.edu
Sources: Janelle Peña-Jiménez, janelle.pena@floridamuseum.ufl.edu; Jaret Daniels, jdaniels@flmnh.ufl.edu
Media contact: Kaitlin Gardiner, kgardiner@floridamuseum.ufl.edu