Florida Museum of Natural History

What a hidden gem! This free museum was well worth the 1.5-hour drive from where we live. We brought four teens (ages 13–17), and they actually enjoyed it — they even stayed off their electronics, which says a lot! It’s a great day trip for all ages. We especially loved the butterfly experience — the atrium is absolutely gorgeous!

This is a great free museum with so much to do! I had so much fun, and my kids enjoyed every part of it. There’s something for everyone — we’ll definitely be back! The hands-on exhibits kept my kids entertained for hours, and I loved how educational and interactive everything was. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the whole place was clean, well-organized, and easy to explore. It’s the perfect spot for a family outing — fun, engaging, and totally free. Highly recommend for anyone with young kids looking for a day of learning and play

The Florida Museum of Natural History is a charming science museum that’s perfect for a day out with family or friends. It’s not huge, but it’s packed with engaging exhibits that make learning fun and accessible. My favorite part is the Butterfly Rainforest; it’s absolutely beautiful and peaceful, a must-see for all ages. I always walk away having learned something new. A great spot to explore and appreciate the wonders of nature!

We had a great day exploring the museum. The butterfly exhibit is the main attraction but there is a lot more neat exhibits inside as well. We spent a good 3 hours and probably could have spent a little more time . The kids ages ranged from 3 to 11 and they all had a great time . All the workers were extremely nice and helpful. Turned out to be a great day and well worth the drive from Ocala.

We visited with my nephew and grandson to the Florida Museum in Gaineville and it did not disappoint. Was very well layed out, educational and interactive. The children had a very fun day. Definitely recommend worth the travel.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m a sucker for a fake cave in a museum… so immediately this museum started out strong. The excellent collection of fossils was absolutely wonderful too. I believe this is the first museum I’ve been to that had a terror bird on display! The native Americans of Florida displays were great too. I would definitely recommend and will be back to see what it’s like after the renovation!

First of all, FREE admission is an instant win in my book. $4 parking and plenty of spots. It wasn't busy at all. The exhibits were very informative and well put-together. We spent over an hour looking at everything. We did some geocaching while we explored the exhibits as well. We did pay extra for the Butterfly Rainforest ($30 for x3 FL residents + veterans discount) and felt like it was worth it for the whole museum. Overall, I would recommend it to anyone who has kids or even the young at heart. 😊

This is a wonderful museum on UF campus! After 3:30pm on weekdays and on weekends, the large parking lot lifts and is free. The museum has free entry and some exhibits are paid, such as the butterfly garden. There is something for everyone, some areas having activities for kids. The butterfly garden is the best part, I could go back over and over! Hundreds of species of butterflies and many birds walk around.

The first time I visited this museum was in 2017. It was awe and there's so much to see here and new things to learn about. This facility also includes a butterfly garden, which is very interesting. I have managed to visit every year. There plenty of parking at this facility, to include a parking garage as well. If you love museums and live in Florida, I highly recommend visiting this museum.

The Florida Museum of Natural History is absolutely amazing! They have different seasonal exhibits which are always pretty interesting. The exhibits are beautifully curated, educational, and captivating. The butterfly rainforest is a must-see and well worth the extra charge- it's magical walking among so many vibrant butterflies. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, and the whole experience was both fun and inspiring. Great to bring kids and my niece who is 4 years old loved the area for kids , she didn't want to leave . It was engaging and creative of them to have a little area dedicated for kids. Whether you're a nature lover, history buff, or just looking for a great day out, this place won't disappoint.

So we decided to check out the museum for my birthday and I was SO happy we did. I was beyond blown away and the shining star was the butterfly rainforest experience. It was so magical and I enjoyed every second. The museum is free but accepts donations and the experiences are a few bucks but absolutely worth it. They offer a military and veteran discount as well which we took advantage of. We walked around for about two hours and it was such a nice time. This is a perfect day trip and I can't wait to go back.

This was better than I was expecting. The highlight is the butterfly exhibit. The museum itself is free, but if you want to do the butterfly/bird area or the Antarctic Dinosaur area, those two areas are for a charge. Since this was our first time, we paid to do both. We LOVED the butterfly area - so many butterflies flying around, beautiful plants, a nice variety of birds. Very peaceful - benches throughout. We got a bunch of great pictures in this exhibit. My tip for this area: WEAR A HAT. 2 of the 3 of us were pooped on while there - me in my hair and my hubby on his arm. No big deal, but a hat would prevent it in your hair if it happens. Risk is still well worth it! The Dino area - we did it and there was a lot of information and bones to look at, but it was just okay. I'd skip it next time, but glad we at least did it once. The museum also has a great discovery area for kids (and adults also). I also really enjoyed the "boat ride" on the river. You can sit in a room that looks like a boat and you hear a river cruise (it's a glass bottom boat, so you see things at the front and on the bottom). There are several other free areas to explore, many books and sitting areas for younger kids, and there is also a nice little gift shop with a good variety of things to choose from. Overall, worth the visit.

Great experience for kids and a good bit to explore. My boys had a great time. The cost is free but there is a butterfly rainforest to explore that's extra.

We took our granddaughter to visit hoping it would be a bit more hands on. She is 3 and wants to touch everything. You're not allowed to touch anything in the butterfly garden. She found a natural nut on the walkway that came from one of the bushes/trees. She picked it up and threw it back into the bushes. I think she caused an environmental disaster. The young lady walking around had a fit. She's 3 and put the natural seed back from where it had come. The lady with the grasshopper and caterpillar was lovely. I'd take her back when she's a bit older.

Nice selection of different items no Gems Minerals or Rocks hmmm free though paid for the butterfly exhibit 13 each very nice small but very nice worth it no discounts offered

This is like a mini Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. It is very well-done. Our family was wowed by the large, colorful butterfly specimen collection as well as the live butterfly garden. There is a large screen in the rotunda as you walk in with prehistoric animals that look like they are interacting with the museum visitors, fun for kids. An exhibit of early Florida history has life-sized Native Americans. There is a hands-on area for kids too. It would take at least 3 hours to thoroughly go through everything here. There is also a lovely art museum next door.

My boyfriend and I were looking for something fun to do to escape the bugs and heat. The museum popped up as a good option. It's not very large but they pack a lot into the exhibits, some of the sections are more interactive. We also did the butterfly exhibit which was a lot of fun. You walk into the greenhouse type section and there are tons of butterflies floating around. Great way to spend a few hours

A butterfly and moth lovers paradise! I have wanted to visit the Florida Museum of Natural History and Butterfly Rainforest for years, and my husband took my and our infant son there today. It was an AMAZING experience, and I highly recommend it. There were exhibits displaying moths and butterflies and showing how they're prepared for displaying. They had several fossils of mammals, crustaceans, and many other kinds of animals. My son was delighted with the waterfalls, plants, koi, and of course the butterflies and moths that fluttered around him. The special exhibition there is Spiders Alive and it was quite an experience to see a variety of tarantulas, orb weavers, scorpions, and large black widows! Rating from F to A +++ I give it an A +++.

If you find yourself in Gainesville, a visit to the Florida Museum of Natural History is an absolute must. One of the highlights of my experience was the Butterfly Garden. So many variations of plants and butterflies. Even have little birds walking around. UF students get in free, and for others, the admission price of $12-14 is affordable. It's a great place for families with activities for kids. The museum is conveniently located near the Harn Museum of Art, which has a good art collection. The staff at both museums were kind. Overall, it's a highly enjoyable experience that offers something for everyone.

This museum is like 4 museums in one! When I visited, there was a spider exhibit (nonpermanent) and the 3 permanent exhibits--the butterfly rainforest, a history of the native Americans in South Florida, and the natural history of fossils in Florida. They are all so different and interactive I think it is worth paying the extra fees to see the butterfly rainforest and special exhibit (discounts available for FL residents, students, seniors, and EBT cardholders). My favorite part was how close you could see the butterflies and birds in the Butterfly Rainforest and learning how they acquire the butterflies. It took about 3 hours for me to see everything. It's also right next door to the Harn Museum of art (free admission) and a performing arts center.

Mechelle and I had an off day today so we decided to spend it together in Gainesville. In looking for things to do, we found the Florida Museum of Natural History. What a great gem in the middle of the UF campus. Inside the museum is also the Butterfly Rainforest, a place where you can walk around as small birds and butterflies flat all around you. The main museum area and exhibits are free, but entrance into the Butterfly Rainforest is $14/person ($12.50 for FL residents and free for UF students). The whole experience from the main exhibits and through the Butterfly Rainforest is worth it. The first pic of Mechelle standing in front of that unbelievably tall skeleton is actually the skeleton of a giant sloth. Giant sloths were native to Florida about 15 or so million years ago and can grow taller than 10 feet. For scale, Mechelle is about 5'2" and the giant sloth behind her is on a raised platform of about six or so inches. Crazy to think something like that ever existed. The next two pics will forever be etched into my memory. As we were walking through the Butterfly Rainforest, this little red butterfly landed in my finger and proceeded to hang out with me for the entire tour, which was about an hour. Never flew away, never moved. It rearranged himself at times so that it was looking right into my eyes and deep into my soul. I named it George. It never left my finger until we got to the exit and I placed it on a tree branch. I miss George already.

NICE MUSEUM The Florida Museum of Natural History is a nice museum located on the University of Florida campus. Admission is free (a separate fee is charged for the butterfly rainforest). Confirm hours and parking fees before your visit. We visited on a holiday weekend and parking was free - signs suggested that the parking lot was limited to only students and staff during weekdays. We spent one hour at the museum. Although the museum is located on a university campus, I feel its target audience is families with young and pre-teen children. There is a wide range of exhibits - highlights include a large room of fossils (scary giant sloth skeletons - many of the skeletons appear to be casts of fossils), a recreated marsh, life size and oversized dioramas and a thatched building staging a Calusa ceremony. There is also a two story butterfly aviary attached to museum (it was too cold to see the butterflies who were keeping warm instead of flying around the aviary). A large play area is set aside for toddlers and young children.

Been wanting to visit this place for a long time, it's a good 2 hour drive and man, was it worth it! This place is phenomenal. The museum is free BUT you do need to pay to access the butterfly garden (worth it) and also pay for the spider exhibit. We spent the majority of our time at the butterfly garden, I noticed lots of younger adult couples on dates and families with kids. Lots of older people and what struck me was how quiet everyone was, all of us in awe at the beauty surrounding us, a surreal experience for me. I can't wait to go back again. The discovery zone for children is pretty cool and if you are a local I would suggest you go check it out. I could see myself coming here on a monthly basis if I was a local. Loved this museum and the butterfly garden was so special

Este Museo está súper nítido, es grande, tiene mucho para ver..... tiene su área de cuadros, pinturas, historias, jardines, su mariposario y su área de historia de dinosaurios y de animales marinos.... Se pasa un buen rato paseando por los diferentes museos..... Recomendados todos!

The Butterfly Rain Forest at here is one of the top 3 butterfly museums we've ever been to. A huge variety of butterflies, beautifully/artistically designed garden. There were reference books at several places along the walk to identify what you were seeing, as well as a very knowledgeable guide to chat with. Nice little surprises were mini-quails snuggled in beneath the greenery. A must see. The museum itself is extremely educational in the way it is laid out, tracing the geological development of the earth/animals, explanations...great place to take your children, never mind yourself! Well worth the trip. The museum is free except for the Butterfly Rain Forest which was $22 for two senior citizens...worth every cent.

Came to the museum a few weeks ago with some friends who home school, so this was a field for the children. The drive was close to a hour and half to get there. You have to pay for parking in the local lot, the website advises to only park in the lot for the museum or your car can be ticketed. Everyone loved the butterfly and moth exhibit. We were advised my the staff to check out that exhibit first as it can get hot or close due to rain. There are so many different types of moths and butterflies in the exhibit and these cute little birds but I didn't see a sign saying what type of birds they are. There were hands on experiences for the kids to view. Survival of the Slowest exhibit was another fun for the kids to see cold blood animals. Far warning they only have one sloth at the exhibit even though certain pictures make it appear like there maybe more. A fun once in a while type trip but nothing we will be doing often.

Florida Museum of Natural History is SO amazing I decided to become an annual member! The exhibits are mesmerizing for both adults and children. My favorite exhibit is the "Hall of Florida Fossils: Evolution of Life and Land. " The entire floor is dedicated to animals Florida used to have over the many different epochs of Florida's history. There is a GIANT ground sloth that towers over you and gives me the willies! The ENORMOUS Megalodon shark jaw ominously hangs from the ceiling and you can perfectly visualize how easily it could swallow you. There are also unexpected animals exhibited that you would *never* believe lived here but I'll leave that for the visitor to discover for themselves! Different traveling exhibits are changed out periodically. Currently "Fantastic Fossils" is on display right now and has fascinating fossils from real dinosaur eggs to dinosaur poop! No joke! You can always take a break from the exhibits inside to visiting the Butterfly Garden. There are so many butterflies occupying the gardens that you warned to watch where you STEP lest you harm one. They recently also introduced some cute quail into the garden for even more photo opportunities. Visiting the Florida Museum of Natural History and having a delicious pizza from Satchel's is a fabulous way to spend a weekend!

Smaller than others of the same type however packed with extremely impressive exhibits. Learned so much about Florida in all aspects through time.

I had a great time here with my eight year old! I didn't know what to expect but I definitely wasn't expecting it to be free or as big as it was. Really great layout and just enough to keep the kids entertained. The butterfly house was worth paying for, it was like a little piece of paradise!

Love this park.One of my favorite now.Very peaceful and quiet.Butterfly Garden was best mini retreat for me.Hope to be back soon.

My family loves this little museum on the university campus. It is small, but packed full of things to see and do. The Megalodon exhibit was ending on the 10th, so we made a trip to catch it before it goes elsewhere. We had ages 4-60 with us, and everyone had a great time. The shark exhibit was full of information and things to read and examine. The kids loved all of the shark teeth and comparing the different sizes. They have an exhibit that shows where each tooth came from, and they were from all over the world. Rather scary to think this mammoth of a shark was everywhere at one time! One of the largest tooths was found right in Duval County. The kid's interactive area is closed due to restrictions now, but that did not deter the kids from having a great time walking around and looking in at everything. The butterflies were too cold to be out, so we did not opt for the extra ticket for that. You still can see lots of trays of the beautiful specimens they have on their walls. They even have a window where you can watch them hatch and we were lucky enough to see two do just that. A wonderful place to visit. For us it's just a little over an hour's drive, so well worth the trip. The museum is free. The special exhibits and the butterfly habitat are extra, but you're supporting the museum in the long run, so that's great. The gift shop has a nice assortment of items to choose as well.

My toddler is really into insects and butterflies especially, so I knew we had to make a trip to the Butterfly rainforest in the Florida Museum of Natural History. Tickets were $10 for adults and my 2 year old was free. The butterfly rainforest is a little oasis filled with plants, waterfalls, and tons of butterflies from all over the world. There were educational plaques and signs scattered throughout that share information about butterflies. There were a few designated feeding areas for the butterflies with split bananas, so we were able to get a little close to see. There were also small quails running around and some plates of bird seed for them to eat. Super cute to see! You can walk through the rainforest exhibit as many times as you want, so we enjoyed it 3 times! After the exhibit, there were several hallways covered in butterfly shadow boxes, and an incubation room with a window to see cocoons in action. My daughter thought they were fascinating! The butterfly gift shop was closed due to Covid, but we enjoyed our time there anyway.

Such a wonderful experience! Went for the butterfly garden (which was incredible), stayed for the fossil fun!! WOW!!! Animals in Florida that I never knew existed! Big animals!!! Your kids will LOVE this...heck, your spouse will LOvE it! Didn't see the sloth exhibit but I'm sure it was just as interesting. Sharing some photos. Gotta say if you like butterfly's or beautiful gardens G O

We were looking for things to do on a recent trip to Gainsville and this museum was highly recommended. We started in the butterfly garden and it was beautiful. There were a decent number butterflies flying around but unfortunately none landed on us :( one of the staff was doing a talk about the different kinds and was showing them to the crowd so they was fun to watch/learn about. There were a bunch of different kinds. There were also these small little birds running around and some koi fish, super cute! The museum itself was a decent size. There were a few different walk through rooms, the fossil room was awesome. And they have different temporary exhibits, when we went they had another fossil exhibit you needed to pay extra for and we didn't do it.

I am very excited to be able to visit here, and I have gained a lot of knowledge. I have seen various fossils, mammoths, spiders, and butterflies and the life of Indian aborigines more than 10,000 years ago which made me have a strong interest in past history.

Shower me with a million monarch butterfly's, waterfalls, ferns, aloe plants and University of Florida students who care about the future of Florida and the environment. The take such good care of the all the butterfly's and when they do pass they keep them preserved for educational purposes. Alachua County is underrated and all the research the University of Florida produces is incredible. One rule which I didnt know, is DO NOT TOUCH the butterfly wings, when they land on you, just blow on them. They will fly away, believe me you will have a ton of butterfly's all over you when you visit. The dust on their wings keeps them alive.

Really like that this museum was free however the butterfly section has a charge for it. We did the free part which was perfect for us. We could have spent more time there but our feet were killing us. A little history about the museum Florida Museum of Natural History Gainesville, Florida Established1891Location3215 Hull Rd., Gainesville, Florida The Florida Museum of Natural History(FLMNH) is Florida's official state-sponsored and chartered natural-history museum. Its main facilities are located at 3215 Hull Road on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville. The main public exhibit facility, Powell Hall and the attached McGuire Center, is located in the Cultural Plaza, which it shares with the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art and the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The main research facility and former public exhibits building, Dickinson Hall, is located on the east side of campus at the corner of Museum Road and Newell Drive. On April 18, 2012, the American Institute of Architects's Florida chapter placed Dickinson Hall on its list of Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places as the Florida Museum of Natural History / Formerly Florida Museum of Natural Sciences. Powell Hall's permanent public exhibits focus on the flora, fauna, fossils, and historic peoples of the state of Florida. The museum does not charge for admission to most exhibits; the exceptions are the Butterfly Rainforest and certain traveling exhibits. The museum's collections were first used for teaching at Florida Agriculture College in Lake City in the 1800s, and were relocated to the campus of the University of Florida in 1906. The museum was chartered as the state's official natural history museum by the Florida Legislature in 1917. Formerly known as the Florida State Museum, the name was changed in 1988 to more accurately reflect the museum's mission and help avoid confusion with Florida State University, which is located in Tallahassee.

Enjoyed visit at the Florida Museum Learning about Florida biodiversity and early habitants Totally worth the visit Better to bundle both exhibition and to enjoy a relaxing walk on the butterfly rain Forrest. Or to join the museum for unlimited entrances

Just came here today. It was nice lots of information. The butterfly garden was my favorite. I'm not sure if it was worth 2.5 hrs to drive. But it was nice.

If you love butterflies, this place is amazing. All kinds of different butterflies. It's so peaceful walking through. The sounds of the birds and the waterfall is really nice. There is also a museum of history inside that's pretty cool. This is my second time here but, definitely not my last.

This was my third visit here over several years. First 2 times I came with friends and today was with the other half. I love the butterfly rain forest! That's mainly why we came- well, why I came. But then there is the Florida fossil exhibit & native Florida exhibit. We didn't do the megalodon exhibit today. The museum is free, the butterfly rain forest does have an entry fee, as does the featured exhibit. If my kids were still little- I would totally bring them here. They currently have the museum laid out in a one way direction through the exhibits. The butterfly rain forest is only allowing a certain amount of people in at a time & one group at a time- keeping with social distancing. You do have to wear a mask the entire visit. The fossil room is very impressive and I heard one of the employees telling a family that all of the fossils were found in Florida- how cool! When going through the butterfly rain forest- make sure to look everywhere! You can find butterflies in all the flora and fauna as well as fluttering all about. Be careful where you step- as they can be on the walkway too. I even had a butterfly land on my elbow while taking photos- which tickled me silly. I have more pictures I will be adding!!! Highly recommend and have fun!

This place was so cool. The butterfly sanctuary was so cool to see all the different kinds of butterflies, birds, and fishes. It was $20 a person which is not too bad and it was so many different things. It had a lab with scientists that you can watch as they work. All the Florida history was awesome!!!

I decided to take a solo trip to northern Florida during Covid cause the AC was going to be out in my building all weekend and I just really needed to get my travel fix. As I drove north I saw a billboard for a Butterfly garden and it called to me cause who doesn't like ? I found the Natural Museum and was pleasantly surprised that entrance to the museum was free and I only had to pay for entry into the Butterfly garden. The garden was really lovely. It was a winding path along an outdoor area with lots of trees, foliage and little manmade creek. I got to really admire the butterflies up close and it was a really nice whimsical experience. I also love the fact that they display other varieties of a great number of exotic butterflies, moths & insects. Nature is sooo spectacular. The Natural Museum was really nice too. It was really well curated. I really love the way they integrated to- scale metal sculptures of different extinct animals. I really loved seeing the actual scale of these animals cause sometimes you don't realize how big they truly were. They also have a Native American exhibit which is really beautiful. You actually walk into a hut and see very lifelike sculptures of people in ritual. I really enjoyed this unplanned visit to the museum & would recommend everyone and anyone with a worldly curiosity. Overall it was a really fun experience.

An awesome and FREE museum with plenty to do and a lot of great Florida history! This museum highlights a variety of subjects, but one of the features we enjoyed most was the detailed history of Florida itself. It was very neat to find out more about our home state and where it developed from. Another highlight was the area with the butterflies on display. It was very neat to see them in the varying stages of development. If you are able to go at a time when they have an associate behind the insect observation counter, you may even be able to get a close up and personal interaction with some of the insects they have on site! We got to touch some caterpillars and see them under a microscope. They have a fun gift shop up front and a donation box if you are so inclined after taking a look around (support local!). Overall: A+ Great museum with lots of fun exhibits! Plenty of photo ops, so be sure to have your camera on and ready!

Challenge: make interesting stops during road trips. Stopped here on our way from Orlando to Georgia and had a great time! It's very conveniently located minutes from the highway. My kiddo is obsessed with animals, and it was a great opportunity to let them loose on the very knowledgeable volunteers for some great conversations. We did the butterfly rainforest and spider exhibit as well. In my opinion, the spider exhibit would have been a pass, there wasn't that much in it and very little interaction opportunities. That being said, this is an incredibly kid friendly museum and has a lot of great interactive pieces to it. We will definitely be back!

Such an amazing experience!!! My family and I visited and we were impressed with the quality and quantity of displays and collections, there's a lot to see and discover. You can spend hours and hours and still come back and find something new. Fossils are awesome and, the butterfly garden is beautiful! And don't leave without checking the store, so many wonderful and curious items; for every budget. We will definitely visit again!

First time to the museum. The butterfly exhibit was closed due to lightning. The museum overall is laid out really nice. Easy to navigate and very educational. Although the museum is free, donations are appreciated. It's located on UF's campus. Parking is free on the weekends.

Do not skip the butterfly exhibit! It was a unique and peaceful experience. The staff does a wonderful job of handling social distancing. The butterfly's are everywhere and fly so close to you. Look at the flowers and you can watch them drink the nectar. Right outside the exhibit when you exit, there is a cocoon hatching lab where you can watch the butterflies emerge from the cocoons. Out of everything in the museum- this one is the big must see!

This museum is there since the time I went to University of Florida. It was a little small and the entrance was free. Now there museum was extended and expanded. It has the frog and butterflies exhibit. The entrance fees now is $13 per adult. I am guessing the increase of fees is due to their exhibition. They do have large collection in the butterfly sample. They also have live butterfly garden that you can enjoy in close net caption compound. They will fly across you and have close encounter. I like frog exhibits. They have many types of frogs that I have never seen before. Some is colorful and some is ugly cute. The collection are interesting. Some has skin that actually disappeared at the natural background. Other than this two famous exhibitions, they has natural history item such as ancient animals bone. Overall visit is good. The price is a bit high if this is subsidized by the university.

Went to the butterfly & spider exhibit in mid April with my family. The butterfly exhibit was amazing and beautiful. The spider exhibit was a bit smaller than I expected and all the spiders weren't in there display cases.

Myself and my daughter and granddaughter spent most of the day together the exhibits were very kid friendly but they were educational and even though it was a cool day we saw lots of butterflies and birds hiding from the camera

What a great museum....and it's FREE!!!! Stopped by here on a rainy weekend afternoon around 1pm when it opened. It's not a very large museum but there is still a lot to see. Lots of artifacts from the history of Florida and plenty of animals and fossils. There is also a butterfly observatory for an extra fee which was closed due to rain while we were there. I really enjoyed the large room featuring some massive skeletons of prehistoric beasts! Very cool! A great place to stop while you're visiting Gainesville, especially if you've got kids with you.

Amazing place to visit. So much to see. Lots of interactive stuff for kids and adults. There is a new temporary exhibit every few months. We really love the butterfly exhibit. Also see Florida history, Florida native peoples, Florida thousands of years ago, Florida fauna, flora, and marine life present and past, etc.

The butterfly garden here is amazing! Definitely a must-do during a visit to Gainesville! The rest of the free exhibit is also interesting to explore.

One of the top sights in Gainesville and a great spot to spend a relaxing afternoon! Although the main museum collection is free, the butterfly rainforest is worth the ticket price. It may be a bit small, but the experience of butterflies flitting by your face and maybe even landing on your shoulder is something you can't have anywhere else! The rest of the museum is not large, but jam-packed with things to see! I love the new addition of the kids' museum exhibit, which allows the young ones to have a hands-on experience, recreating pottery and taking on the role of amateur biologists and archaeologists. Otherwise, there is a temporary exhibit on "Permian Monsters" which is a fun animatronic take on a traditional display on dinosaurs. Overall, a fun experience for both kids and adults and a perfect way to spend a few hours in Gainesville!

Nice spot for the children. Engaging, clean and a wonderful resource for the community. They were running an exhibition about sloths. They had a huge gift shop. I picked up a children's book by Carol Creager about sloths (title is: Sloths are So Stubborn!) Yes, my kid wanted a book to learn more...mission accomplished! Kids had a blast and the museum is supported by donations. So donate what you feel is right to help maintain the place. Let's cherish resources like this as they come at a cost. We also did the butterfly garden which seems to be the profit center. No complaints as it all seemed reasonable in the scope of the afternoon.

Very well done displays of early Florida's people, plants and animals. Excellent butterfly exhibit! Highly recommended.