Nature on Display: The Florida Museum of Natural History was a fantastic experience. One exhibit that stood out to me was the fossil exhibit. All around you were the skeletons and fossil remains of animals that lived millions of years before us. I could just imagine them coming to life and roaming the world like they once did. This exhibit was so appealing to me because you read all about these animals and see pictures of them, but once you can actually get a feeling for the size, you gain a whole new understanding. A perfect example of this was the giant sloth. My friend group was amazed at how giant the skeleton was, it was remarkable! Also, the layout of the exhibit was very appealing. As you walked around, the skeletons and fossils would be in every direction, making it seem like you were walking around in their habitat. I found the museum enjoyable because of how interesting all of the different sections were. No matter where you went, you would experience or learn something new.

Nature and Ethics: The natural history museum allowed me to view nature from a different viewpoint. While walking through the butterfly forest, I was overcome by a serene feeling. Immediately I was shocked at the beauty of everything; the butterflies, plants, and water stream just to name a few. As I kept going, I had to keep stopping to admire how calm and peaceful it was. One thing that stuck me was how many other people were just looking, taking in the natural beauty of the forest. In fact, every bench I walked by was full of different people. It was almost like the butterfly forest was a place to come and relax. My experience here was one I will remember for a long time to come. When Leopold said we need to “Love, respect, and admire” the land, I feel like I truly understood what he meant.

Nature and the Human Spirit: The natural history museum helped me explore aspects of my life that I had never explored before. While walking through the exhibits, I was able to experience the past instead of just reading about it in a history book. This is extremely important because when you experience events you learn and understand much more than just reading about it. The natural history museum helped me better understand who I am as well. I realized that I am curious about the past and love to learn new things. One of the most important takeaways from the museum was about the mystery and majesty of our natural world. There are so many things that are unexplained or out of the ordinary that we have to stop and appreciate the world we live in.