The centerpiece of our butterfly exhibits is the Wall of Wings - an impressive steel structure 210 feet long and nearly three stories high, which showcases thousands of butterfly and moths specimens and photographs. These specimens, arranged in the same boxes used to store the research collections, convey the breadth of this world-class collection, the excitement of scientific discovery, and the beauty and importance of biodiversity. The top of the wall features species from worldwide biogeographic regions. Large-scale plasma screens bring the story to life with film footage of Lepidoptera from the Americas, Africa and Asia. The lower part of the wall includes stories and hundreds of real specimens that illustrate butterfly and moth biology, including metamorphosis, coloration, diversity, evolution and more.

Lepidoptera contribute in many ways to our understanding of the world, from indicating the health of our planet to charting the path for certain advances in human medicine. Follow the studies of University of Florida and other scientists through our stories about Lepidoptera research worldwide. Beautiful satellite images from NASA form the backdrop to these stories, which feature research in Florida, Central America and all across the globe.

Get a close-up look at the world's largest research facility devoted to Lepidoptera. For the first time at our museum, visitors will be able to view scientists at work in the research collections and laboratories. Peer through the glass to see the extent of one of the world's largest collections of Lepidoptera - over 4 million specimens (and growing). Adjacent to the collections, visible laboratories feature genetics research, morphology studies, specimen preparation, scanning electron microscope work, conservation work with endangered species and more.

Butterflies and Moths in Contemporary Zuni Art

This temporary exhibit highlights the role of butterflies in the belief system and art of contemporary Zuni people, Native Americans who live in the high desert of the American southwest. Many Zuni traditional arts feature butterflies and moths, and this tradition continues today in their fine arts, crafts and tourist art forms. The objects in this exhibit are from the collection of Gary Noel Ross, a lepidopterist and ethnobiologist with a lifelong interest in indigenous cultures.