florida museum of natural history

dorothyscottf

A wonderful museum and the Butterfly Rainforest is outstanding. An experience suitable for all ages, with a special children's area.

Roxanne66

This museum is fabulous! There is so much to see and learn about here and it was very inexpensive. If you can show your child got an "A" in science on their report card (mobile or paper copy), they get in free! There are many many exhibits to look at, read and interact with. We particularly loved the butterfly collections and the life size replicas of dinosaurs. There is a butterfly rainforest attraction here that we really wanted to see, but it was rainy, so we did not pay to see that portion.

modelstore

We went primarily for the Butterfly Rain Forest which was great, but this place has a whole load more to see and enjoy as well as learning about many aspects of how the natural history of the area has progressed over thousands of years. Fascinating insight explained and captured so well in this easy flowing museum. Well worth the visit!

272christinaf

I love the butterfly garden! It is peaceful, and the butterflies are everywhere! Also, the exhibits are very educational, and speak to the anthrpological and cultural history of Florida.

JackieG597

We made our first, but not last, visit to the Florida Museum of Natural History yesterday. What an enjoyable afternoon! Located on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, it was very easy to find. Signage is helpful to find your way. Parking is available at the museum. We went to see the T-Rex Named Sue limited-time exhibit. It was very interesting. The permanent exhibits are also very interesting and diverse. My favorite part though, was the Butterfly Rainforest - a free-flight butterfly habitat to walk through and get up close and personal with the butterflies. They have some beautiful specimens! The museum is not extremely large so it's easy to see it all in a day. (Even with spending a lot of time with the butterflies!) It was also very clean and the two gift shops have unique items for sale. There were many families there and the children all seemed very engaged. Truly something for everyone!

RoboticCanine

We visited on a cold day in February for something to do indoors, and weren't disappointed. The butterfly exhibit was closed because of the weather, but there was enough to see and do without going to that exhibit to fill a few hours. The museum is clean and well-maintained, and the various displays appear to be thoughtfully constructed. If I had to have one complaint it was that the lighting on some of the exhibits wasn't the greatest, but overall, a great little museum!

x-Xeroid

Not a surprise to see a museum established in the greatest university town in Florida. The floor plan was well laid out with a varied display - from butterflies to Florida Native Americans. All superb.

aycee123

Very informative exhibits about the different Florida climates and environments. Great children's play area makes this a perfect rainy day activity. The museum is free of charge. There is a charge for parking during most of the day, and an extra charge for the Butterfly exhibit and other special exhibits.

cousinstravel

A must see! Great traveling exhibits & lots of great children's interest exhibits. Butterfly Rainforest is next door. As well as the Harn Museum. Lunch at Camellia Cafe is a treat.

456amyt

Some really nice exhibits (like the mastadon as you enter the exhibit) and some rather typical and "meh" (like the marshlands, bird and early civilization exhibits). There are a few places where small children can get some hands on fun building and exploring. There are some additional exhibits that require an added fee (we didn't choose to do these). We went to see the butterfly conservatory and since the natural history museum is part of the same complex we did both. However, many of the exhibits are not terribly interesting to a 2-3 year old, so we found ourselves going through at a pretty fast clip.

hendje

We love revisiting both places which are located in the same building. We have not yet seen the T Rex exhibit, but will be visiting soon. The Butterfly Rainforest is always a different experience with the releases scheduled most hours. My daughter has grown up visiting at least once a year -- she has learned so much with something new each time! A great place to take visitors!

tworxers

We stopped at the museum while traveling through Gainesville. We had read about it in a travel brochure and thought it would give us a break from driving. We were on a tight schedule so did not spend as much time as we could have. We skipped the T-rex exhibit because of time. The exhibits we did see were very professional and informative. The variety of topics was very good and gave us some additional understanding of Florida native culture and history. All the exhibits were in excellent condition and very realistic. This is an excellent museum.

PeterandLindaD

While in Gainesville, we have visited the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida Cultural Plaza. Even though we did not have enough time to view all the exhibits, we did visit the two areas most attractive to us - the Butterfly Rainforest and the T. Rex Named Sue. Both are excellent and worth the admission fee. While all exhibits are free, these two require an admission fee. Tip - buy a combination ticket for both at a savings. Also, you need a warm and preferrably sunny day for the butterflies to take flight, usualy not a problem in the Sunshine State.Parking is available at the plaza near the building for only $4 all day, free after 3:30pm but the museum closes at 5pm, so arrive early. This is clearly a place of interest for all ages.

inanna68

I love museums and this one is small but full of interesting exhibits. Best of all I think most of it is little or no cost. They also have fun events.

travelingrm

This museum is well worth a visit. It is good for all ages. I saw preschoolers really interested in the displays and I saw senior citizens enjoying the same displays. The exhibits are well done whether you are looking at birds, plants, Native American tribes, shells, fish or fossils.We parked right near the museum for $4.00. The museum is free. There is a charge for the butterfly exhibit. However, today was rainy so there was no guarantee that the butterflies would be flying. There is plenty to see in the Museum itself.