Earth-Day-LogoPollinator plant sale April 15-17 includes early opening Sunday

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural History and Harn Museum of Art will celebrate Earth Day on Saturday, April 16, with various activities for University of Florida Cultural Plaza visitors.

The Florida Museum will start the weekend with a three-day plant sale beginning Friday, April 15, and running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Featuring more than 150 species, the sale is one of the museum’s largest of the year. Saturday’s celebration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. features many activities, including an environment-themed theater workshop by the Hippodrome Teen Ensemble.

Harn activities Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. include four art-making stations throughout the museum, as well as a family scavenger hunt to search for depictions of nature in art exhibits and the Harn gardens.

At the Florida Museum, the Florida Earth Charter Initiative will sponsor activities including “Sing for Climate” and “FutureFlash! Climate Challenge.” Visitors from years past and first-timers alike can look forward to outdoor activities such as biodiversity walks by the FERNh Natural History Club in the adjacent UF Natural Area Teaching Laboratory and interactive stations featuring objects from the museum collections.

“We want to show how science solves real world problems,” said Florida Museum public programs coordinator Catherine Carey. “The museum’s celebration of Earth Day focuses on our collections and how research is key to understanding life on this planet.”

This year’s Florida Museum plant sale also includes nearly 100 native species.

“We offer so many different and unique plants at the sale no matter what you are looking for,” said Butterfly Rainforest assistant manager Ryan Fessenden. “It really gives you a sense of just how much is really out there and why we want to protect it.”

The Florida Museum will open early at 10 a.m. April 17 for the plant sale and non-ticketed exhibits. The “Butterfly Rainforest” and “First Colony: Our Spanish Origins” exhibits open at noon. Sunday is also the final day for visitors to experience the featured “First Colony” exhibit.

Face painting designs from Easyjourney Entertainment and food from High Springs Orchard and Bakery and The Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops will be available for purchase.

For more information on Florida Museum Earth Day activities, visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/earthday or call 352-846-2000. More information on Harn activities, visit www.harn.ufl.edu or call 352-392-9826.

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Writer: Sara Uman, smuman@ufl.edu
Source: Catherine Carey, ccarey@flmnh.ufl.edu
Media Contact: Paul Ramey, 352-273-2054, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu