GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Get ready to explore the natural world with your favorite “Peanuts” characters in the Florida Museum of Natural History’s newest temporary exhibit, “Peanuts…Naturally: Charlie Brown and Friends Explore Nature,” opening Sept. 29.

The exhibit takes a light-hearted look at Charles Schulz’s exploration of the natural world through “Peanuts” comic strips, videos, objects and interactive stations.

Charlie Brown is in trouble with the Environmental Protection Agency, Lucy knows the Earth has 48 suns, and Snoopy and Linus are planting french fries in the garden. These are just a few of the misadventures and explanations gone wrong as the comic strip characters investigate the natural world.

“The ‘Peanuts’ comic strip characters have some really funny ideas about how nature works,” said Florida Museum assistant exhibit developer Tina Choe. “We are excited to bring visitors back to nature and to connect the exhibit to some of the fascinating and timely research being done at the museum.”

The exhibit is organized into seven main themes: the universe, web of nature, trees, birds, the elements, gardening and the EPA and contains 22 text panels and 25 framed, high-resolution digital reproductions of original “Peanuts” comic strips. Each is augmented by a diversity of specimens from the museum’s collections, including migrating birds, endangered freshwater clams, a Mayan hieroglyphic statue from Honduras and a black bear, on loan from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

“Florida has so many wonderful opportunities to get outside and see amazing natural environments,” Choe said. “Right here at our museum, we have the wildflower butterfly garden and the UF Natural Area Teaching Laboratory as well as many off-site opportunities to get out and get involved in all kinds of cool science. In today’s world, with a focus on computers, video games and technology, this exhibit underscores the need to bring people back to nature.”

Schulz, who wrote the “Peanuts” comic strip for nearly 50 years, was immensely curious, an avid reader and interested in the latest research findings in a variety of fields. Many of these findings and facts found their way into Schulz’s comic strip, carefully interpreted through his characters’ unique, and sometimes wacky, understanding of their world.

Admission to “Peanuts…Naturally” is $4 for adults; $3.50 for Florida residents, seniors and college students; and $3 for ages 3-17. Value admission tickets to the exhibit and Butterfly Rainforest are also available: $12 for adults; $11 for Florida residents, seniors and college students; and $8.50 for ages 3-17.

“Peanuts…Naturally” is organized and toured by the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, Santa Rosa, Calif.

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Media contact: Paul Ramey, APR, 352-273-2054, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu
Writer: Logan Gerber

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural History continues its free July Creative B movie series from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday with the showing of “Mothra vs. Godzilla.”

University of Florida students with a valid Gator 1 ID receive free admission to the “Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway” exhibit free each movie night and free admission to the Butterfly Rainforest exhibit from 6 to 7:30 p.m. this Friday.

A guest panel will discuss the art and validity of the science in the films every Friday this month as part of the UF Creative B program. A question and answer session with the audience and panel follows each film.

“As a Creative B partner, the museum’s movie series is inspired by our current temporary exhibit, ‘Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway,’ ” said Tiffany Ireland, Florida Museum education assistant.

The series began July 6 with “The Lost World.” Other films include “Jurassic Park” July 20 and “Anaconda” July 27. Parental discretion is advised.

The Creative B summer program consolidates the collective resources and talents of the many creative programs at UF. Participants may choose from unique courses with an artistic edge, a variety of live cultural performances and a wide range of interdisciplinary summer activities. Visit creativeb.aa.ufl.edu/ for more information.

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Source: Tiffany Ireland, 352-273-2061, tireland@flmnh.ufl.edu
Writer: Laura Caicedo, lcaicedo@flmnh.ufl.edu
Media contact: Paul Ramey, APR; 352-273-2054; pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu

Panelists for the remaining Florida Museum movies include:

Friday, July 13 – “Mothra vs. Godzilla” (1964)

• Allysa Peyton, assistant curator of Asian art, Harn Museum of Art
• Akito Kawahara, curator of Lepidoptera, Florida Museum McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity
• Steve Gott, supervisor of herpetology, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
• Tim Lawrence, Hollywood, special effects artist and concept sculptor. His credits include “Thriller,” “Ghostbusters,” “Jurassic Park” and “Shrek.”

Friday, July 20 – “Jurassic Park” (1993)

• Robert Ferl, director, UF Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research
• Terry Lott, biological scientist, paleobotany, Florida Museum of Natural History
• Tim Lawrence, Hollywoood special effects artist and concept sculptor. His credits include “Thriller,” “Ghostbusters,” “Jurassic Park” and “Shrek.”

Friday, July 27 – “Anaconda” (1997)

• Elise LeCompte, registrar, ethnographic collection, Florida Museum of Natural History
• Max Nickerson, curator of herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History
• Tim Lawrence, Hollywood special effects artist and concept sculptor. His credits include “Thriller,” “Ghostbusters,” “Jurassic Park” and “Shrek.”

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Take a prehistoric road trip with the Florida Museum of Natural History during the opening of “Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway with artist Ray Troll and paleontologist Kirk Johnson” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 4.

University of Florida mascots Albert and Alberta are scheduled to appear from 11 a.m. to noon for visitor photographs with the Albertosaurus skeleton in the exhibit. UF paleontologists, paleobotanists and geologists, as well as members of state fossil clubs including the Tampa Bay Fossil Club, Southwest Florida Fossil Club, Florida Fossil Hunters and the Florida Paleontological Society will also speak with visitors and display specimens from their collections.

“Visitors will have the chance to talk with experts, ask questions and examine real fossils,” said Amanda Erickson Harvey, Florida Museum education assistant. “The activities complement the exhibit, and it will be fun for visitors of any age.”

Opening day events also include face painting and two docent-guided tours of the exhibit at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Visitors may even compare their feet with the cast of a duck-billed dinosaur footprint in the museum’s Discovery Room.

Outside the museum, field vehicles with tools used by museum researchers will be displayed, and visitors may borrow fossil- and dinosaur-themed books, DVDs and CDs from the Alachua County Library District bookmobile.

Food from High Springs Orchard and Bakery as well as David’s BBQ will also be available for purchase.

The exhibit features 30 fossils, including a complete skeleton cast of Triceratops horridus, the famous three-horned dinosaur, in addition to Albertosaurus, a ferocious carnivore that lived about 70 million years ago. The fossils complement 19 color prints and five large-scale murals of Troll’s creative artwork, which illustrates imagined scenes from prehistoric times and brings fossils from the museum’s research collection to life. The exhibit also features a paleontology laboratory where visitors may watch museum scientists, volunteers and students prepare and examine actual fossils from the field.

While opening day activities are free, admission to “Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway” is $5 for adults, $4.50 for Florida residents, seniors and college students and $4 for ages 3-17. Value admission tickets to the exhibit and Butterfly Rainforest are also available, $13 for adults, $12 for Florida residents, seniors and college students and $9 for ages 3-17. Museum members receive free admission to both exhibits.

“Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway” is presented by the Toomey Foundation for the Natural Sciences Inc. and the Florida Museum Associates Board. The exhibit was organized by the Burke Museum at the University of Washington.

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Sources: Amanda Harvey, 352-273-2052, aerickson@flmnh.ufl.edu
Writer: Logan Gerber
Media contact: Paul Ramey, 352-273-2054, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural History recently received two awards from the Southeastern Museums Conference.

The museum’s newest traveling exhibit, “Dugout Canoes: Paddling through the Americas,” received the award of excellence for exhibits with budgets between $100,000 and $1 million, and the museum’s 2009-10 annual report received the gold award in the Publication Design competition.

Darcie MacMahon, Florida Museum assistant director for exhibits, accepted the awards on behalf of the museum at the group’s annual meeting in October in Greenville, S.C.

“We always strive to achieve excellence in our exhibitions, but outside confirmation from the field is very exciting and provides a stamp of approval that other institutions around the country will recognize when the exhibit begins its tour,” MacMahon said.

“Dugout Canoes” was inspired by the discovery of 101 ancient dugouts at Newnans Lake in 2000. The exhibit features artifacts, videos and interactive displays as well as model and life-size canoes. The Florida Museum will display the exhibit through 2013 before it begins traveling to museums across the country.

Elecia Crumpton, Florida Museum graphic design coordinator, worked on both projects and was excited to see the hard work of so many people rewarded.

“I think it’s really gratifying to receive recognition for large museum projects,” Crumpton said. “These projects require an incredible amount of time, energy and lots of collaboration among colleagues. It’s a great honor for all involved, and certainly for the Florida Museum.”

The 24-page annual report gives an overview of the museum’s accomplishments from the last fiscal year and was designed, written and edited by museum employees.

“The annual report and ‘Dugout Canoes’ are the culmination of many hours of work on the part of dozens of museum staff members,” said Beverly Sensbach, Florida Museum associate director. “We are thrilled that all of their efforts paid off.”

The Southeastern Museums Conference is a nonprofit membership organization comprised of museums from 12 Southeastern states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

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Sources: Darcie MacMahon, 352-273-2053, dmacmahon@flmnh.ufl.edu
Beverly Sensbach, 352-273-1900, sensbach@flmnh.ufl.edu
Writer: Logan Gerber
Media contact: Paul Ramey, 352-273-2054, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Dinosaurs are coming to Gainesville! Take a prehistoric road trip through the Florida Museum of Natural History’s newest temporary exhibit, “Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway with Artist Ray Troll and Paleontologist Kirk Johnson,” Feb. 4 through Sept. 3.

The exhibit features 30 fossils, including complete skeleton casts of the three-horned Triceratops dinosaur, and Albertosaurus, a carnivore that lived about 70 million years ago. The fossils complement 19 color prints and five large-scale murals by Troll, created for the book “Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway,” by Troll and Johnson. Visitors also will be able to observe Florida Museum scientists in a functioning paleontology lab preparing fossils collected during research projects from around the world.

“Most of us think ‘dinosaur’ when we think of fossils, and this exhibit does have dinosaurs,” said Darcie MacMahon, Florida Museum assistant director for exhibits. “But it also focuses on how fossils inform us about really important topics such as climate change and evolution. These stories will unfold for the visitor as they enjoy the exhibit’s interesting graphics, real fossil specimens and an actively staffed paleontology prep laboratory.”

Other fossils in the exhibit, from the Florida Museum, the Utah Field House of Natural History, the Pink Palace Museum in Memphis, Tenn., and a private collector, include an Ammonite, a large, extinct marine invertebrate; a dinosaur egg from China; a Diplomystus, an extinct fish that lived in the western U.S. about 56 to 34 million years ago; a bat fossil from the Green River Formation; and petrified wood.

Many of the fossils in the exhibit prep lab are from the Thomas Farm site in Gilchrist County and a National Science Foundation-funded research project in Panama.

Florida Museum exhibit project manager Kurt Auffenberg said he is hopeful the prep lab will give visitors a glimpse of how paleontologists prepare specimens and conduct research.

“Visitors will have the opportunity to see the process of science through discovery,” Auffenberg said. “They can see researchers sifting fine sediment or picking through a big slab of rock in search of a bone or tooth from an animal that lived millions of years ago.”

At specified times, visitors will be able to interact directly with the scientists and ask questions about fossils and the work performed in the lab. Exhibit volunteers will also be available to answer questions while scientists are working.

Admission to “Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway” is $5 for adults, $4.50 for Florida residents, seniors and college students and $4 for ages 3-17. Value admission tickets to the exhibit and Butterfly Rainforest are also available, $13 for adults, $12 for Florida residents, seniors and college students and $9 for ages 3-17.

“Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway” was organized by the Burke Museum at the University of Washington. The exhibit is presented locally by the Toomey Foundation for the Natural Sciences, Inc. and the Florida Museum Associates Board.

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Source: Darcie MacMahon, 352-273-2053, dmacmahon@flmnh.ufl.edu
Kurt Auffenberg, 352-273-2083, kauffe@flmnh.ufl.edu
Writer: Leeann Bright
Media contact: Paul Ramey, 352-273-2054, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu

UF employees will receive postcards through campus mail, which may be presented at the front desk for free admission to the “Wild Music: Sounds and Songs of Life” and Butterfly Rainforest exhibits. Employees who do not receive a postcard may present a valid Gator 1 ID for free admission. Employees may also show their Gator 1 ID to receive a 10 percent discount in the museum gift shops, including butterfly-friendly plant purchases. All other museum exhibits are free.

“The staff and faculty represent UF’s most valuable asset,” said Florida Museum of Natural History Director Douglas Jones. “By offering free admission to our two fee-based exhibits, the Florida Museum can show its appreciation to the staff and faculty for all they do to enrich our community.”

Other permanent exhibits include “Our Energy Future,” “Explore Research,” “Collections are the Library of Life,” “Florida Fossils: Evolution of Life & Land,” “Northwest Florida: Waterways & Wildlife,” and “South Florida People & Environments.”

In addition to “Wild Music,” which closes Jan. 2 other temporary exhibits include “Dugout Canoes: Paddling through the Americas,” on display through fall 2013, and “Birds of the World: From Science to Art,” on display through April 29.

Families may also enjoy the Discovery Room, scheduled to close Jan. 1.

The Butterfly Rainforest is a 6,400-square-foot screened, outdoor enclosure with tropical plants and hundreds of living butterflies from around the world. Rainforest employees conduct butterfly releases with a brief presentation in the exhibit on Saturdays and Sundays, weather permitting, at 2, 3 and 4 p.m.

“Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life” explores the biological origins of music and offers a wide variety of interactive activities focusing on music in different environments. Visitors can play a number of musical instruments, listen to the songs of whale and bird species and experiment with devices like an electrolarynx, a mechanical device used to help produce speech, or a hydrophone, an underwater microphone.

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Source: Douglas Jones, 352-273-1902, dsjones@flmnh.ufl.edu
Writer: Alyssa Wang
Media contact:  Paul Ramey, 352-273-2054, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — See a magnified view of dozens of specimens and artifacts in the new exhibit, “Depth of Field: Museum Specimens Up-close,” at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

The exhibit showcases objects from the museum’s collection through photographs captured with an advanced imaging system that combines a high-resolution microscope and 21 megapixel digital camera.

There are currently 16 pictures on display in the museum’s central gallery, and another 16 planned for future long-term display. The pictures feature a variety of specimens, including head lice, snails, ancient pottery and orchids.

“The photos give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at some of the current research going on at the museum” said Darcie MacMahon, Florida Museum assistant director for exhibits. “The images are intriguing to look at and tell interesting stories–we hope they’ll inspire people to learn about science.”

The state-of-the-art imaging system was purchased with funds from the National Science Foundation and custom-developed by Visionary Digital for museum researchers. It takes multiple photographs at different depths of field. The images are then assembled into a single high-resolution and magnified image.

Tina Choe, Florida Museum exhibit developer, explained the pictures allow researchers to study the objects online while keeping them housed safely in the museum.

“This camera system allows scientists to examine minute details of the specimens and artifacts,” she said. “Digitized collections can also facilitate collaborations with other institutions.” Bret Boyd, a genetics and genomics graduate student working in the museum, said faculty and students from across the museum and other University of Florida departments have used the camera as part of their research activities.

“Many researchers contributed their images and time to the exhibit to give visitors a unique look into the museum’s research activities,” Boyd said.

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Source: Darcie MacMahon, 352-273-2053, dmacmahon@flmnh.ufl.edu
Tina Choe, 352-273-2079, tchoe@flmnh.ufl.edu
Writer: Logan Gerber
Media contact: Paul Ramey, 352-273-2054, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Whether inspired by a magazine article, a TV show or simply watching others have fun, new hobbies can come from the most unlikely places.

For one Florida Museum of Natural History employee, it was a Brad Pitt movie.

“Fly-fishing for me started when I saw the movie ‘A River Runs Through It,’ ” said Mary-B. Ferl, a field assistant and front desk receptionist at Dickinson Hall, where most of the museum’s collections are housed. “The story line revolves around these two brothers fly-fishing. It just has beautiful pictures and I thought, ‘You know, before I die, I want to do it.’ And why wait until I’m 80, why not start now?”

This “Seaducer” fly, tied by Florida Museum of Natural History employee Mary-B. Ferl, is used to catch Spotted Sea Trout. The museum is displaying an exhibit of flies tied by employees in the Dickinson Hall lobby at Museum Road and Newell Drive during October. © Photo by Kristen Grace

Ferl’s interest led her to ask other museum employees who fly-fish for tips, and the people she found were more passionate about it than she expected. Over the past six months, she identified a group of museum researchers who tie their own flies, and each will have two samples of their work displayed in the Dickinson Hall lobby during October. Ferl also arranged for former museum researcher Dana Griffin to host a seminar of fly-fishing tales and tips at noon Oct. 21 in the Dickinson Hall lobby. Dickinson Hall is located on the University of Florida campus at the corner of Museum Road and Newell Drive.

“It just started out as a little group thing, but I thought, ‘Well let’s put it all out there for everybody to see,’ ” Ferl said. “Mostly, it’s really nice that everyone is into it and I’ve learned a whole lot just talking to them about this stuff. It’s also turned out to be a real nice thing where people have made friends – this little group has found each other.”

Environmental archaeology program collection manager Irv Quitmyer, who describes some people who tie their own flies as “almost cult-like,” gave Ferl fly-fishing practice at his lake house in Keystone Heights when she approached him for advice last spring.

“If you’re a real aficionado, you tie your own flies,” Quitmyer said. “Mine are very ugly, but they’ve been known to catch fish. It’s kind of a soothing sort of thing. It’s a lot like golf – it’s the process.”

While initially surprised there were so many museum faculty and staff fly-fishers, Quitmyer said the connection might be the appeal to the natural world.

“Here we are taking observations found in nature to fool a fish into striking an artificial bait,” Quitmyer said. “It really brings the fisherman/fisherwoman closer to understanding the natural relationship between predator and prey – natural history.”

“Popper” by Irv Quitmyer. Used to catch wounded bait fish and Tarpon. © Photo by Kristen Grace

Quitmyer started fly-fishing about two years ago and said it takes him about 20 minutes to tie a fly from raw materials, which include hooks, feathers, hackles and eyes.

“When you pop it in the water, it gurgles and snaps like a fish that’s been wounded, and that’s like a dinner bell,” Quitmyer said.

The exhibit will also include images of the type of fish each fly is designed to attract. Some fishermen will “match the hatch,” by forcing a fish to regurgitate so the fly can be matched to the fish’s actual diet, Quitmyer said.

Other exhibit participants include mammalogy graduate student Bret Boyd, herpetology collection manager Kenneth Krysko, vertebrate paleontology volunteer Bob Tarnuzzer, museum volunteer Jodi Slapcinsky, and Doug Soltis, a distinguished professor in the University of Florida’s biology department and researcher in the UF Genetics Institute.

While fly-fishing requires some expertise, Quitmyer said the process does not need to be a workout, but rather, has a lot to with technique and the physics of how to make a rod work.

“It’s the most fun that I’ve ever had and not caught any fish,” Quitmyer said.

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Source: Mary Ferl, 352-273-1821, mferl@flmnh.ufl.edu
Writer: Danielle Torrent, dtorrent@flmnh.ufl.edu
Media contact: Paul Ramey, 352-273-2054, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu

Photos available

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Let the rhythm and melody move you during “Drums and Dance,” a series of musical events at the Florida Museum of Natural History from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Sept. 18, Oct. 2, Nov. 20 and Dec. 4.

The free events feature area groups and a special admission discount — one free “Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life” admission with the purchase of a regular price adult admission.

“I’m always grateful for a chance to share my love of music and to, hopefully, inspire future musicians,” said Mike Boulware, a vocalist and guitarist for The Imposters, a Beatles tribute band performing Dec. 4.

The “Drums and Dance” series also features performances by the Williston School of Dance, which will perform American tap and Irish step dancing routines; The Scribe Tribe, a group that writes and performs poetry accompanied by musical instruments; and Djembe fola, a West African hand-drumming group.

“The drum was a way to communicate with other villages and to celebrate daily life,” said Kim Heiss, a member of Djembe fola. “We play different size drums, each with a different part, and the parts all weave together to create a rich and powerful sound experience.”

The series promotes music in many forms and complements the museum’s current temporary exhibit, “Wild Music,” on display through Jan. 2, 2012. Presented in English, Spanish and Braille, the acclaimed national traveling exhibit allows visitors to hear, feel and see the power of sound as well as discover the biological origins of music. It takes visitors on a journey through the forest, city and sea to experience the melodies found in each environment.

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Writer: Alyssa Wang
Media contact: Paul Ramey, 352-273-2054, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu

Florida Museum “Drums and Dance” Fall Series Schedule
all performances scheduled 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Sept. 18
Williston School of Dance
Enjoy a performance of American tap and Irish step routines.

Oct. 2
The Scribe Tribe
Listen to melodic poetry accompanied by musical instruments.

Nov. 20
Djembe fola
Discover the traditional West African rhythms used in ceremonies and celebrations in the Republic of Guinea.

Dec. 4
The Imposters
Enjoy an acoustic performance of Beatles music.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Discover how scientific texts are created and illustrated in the Florida Museum of Natural History’s newest temporary exhibit, “Birds of the World: From Science to Art,” opening Aug. 13.

Based on the book “Birds of the World,” written by Oliver Austin, the Florida Museum’s first curator of ornithology, and illustrated by world-renowned artist Arthur Singer, the free exhibit showcases the process of creating one of the most comprehensive books on birds and illustrates how the printing process affects highly detailed artwork. The exhibit also highlights the personal and professional relationship the two developed while creating the book.

In the exhibit, visitors may view letters to and from Singer and Austin, Singer’s original page-layout sketches for “Birds of the World,” first printed in 1961, replicas of the tools used to create the book’s life-like illustrations, and comparisons of Singer’s original artwork with the printed pages.

The exhibit also features a copy of “Birds of the World,” which is illustrated with 300 color paintings.

“I hope visitors gain an appreciation for the work required to create a book like this and the difficulty of putting it together,” said Tina Choe, Florida Museum exhibit developer.

Prior to his 16 years at the Florida Museum, which began in 1957, Austin studied at Wesleyan University and earned a Ph.D. in zoology from Harvard University in 1931. He and his father founded the Austin Ornithological Research Station in 1921 in Wellfleet, Mass.

Singer worked as an illustrator on many publications including Sports Illustrated and World Book Encyclopedia before collaborating with Austin on “Birds of the World.”

The Museum will display the exhibit through spring 2012.

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Source: Tina Choe, 352-273-2079, tchoe@flmnh.ufl.edu
Writer: Leeann Bright
Media contact: Paul Ramey, 352-273-2054, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu