Nature on Display
The first exhibit I entered at the Florida Museum of Natural History was the frog exhibit. It was particularly appealing because there were actual living frogs throughout the exhibit! The room was predominantly dark; the light was focused inside the frog cases, capturing my attention. I learned about how different frogs blend in to avoid predators, whereas others, such as poisonous frogs, have bright appealing skin to lure in their prey. My experience on the museum was so enjoyable because the littlest, prettiest frogs turned out to be the most poisonous! It was very amusing seeing all the different frog breeds.
Nature and Ethics
The Natural History Museum provided me the opportunity to experience nature in ways that Leopold recommends because it tied together the development of humans alongside other animals, suggesting that life overall was formed and evolved together, rather than humans conquering the land. I felt like I was going back in time as I walked through the museum. I sensed the ancient feel of the museum, at the same time being expressed in a modern way. As I went through the museum I thought that humans are really small compared to some of the amazing and humongous animals that used to walk the earth. I noticed other people being in awe of how large the fossils and skeletons of the prehistoric animals were. The Natural History Museum allowed visitors of the museum to connect with nature by showing the simultaneous development of both humans and other animals. My experience in the museum instilled in me an ethical responsibility to nature as Leopold imagines because it convinced me that humans are not the conquerors of the land, but rather fellow inhabitants amongst other animals with which we should peacefully coexist.
Nature and the Human Spirit
The Natural History museum helps us step out of our ordinary lives by transporting us back in time to eras before the mere thought of our conception came about. It helps us better understand who we are as humans through the depiction of the coexistence between humans and other animals. Furthermore, it helps us better appreciate the mystery and majesty of the natural world because it opens our eyes to the exotic animal life we've possibly never heard of, as well as the important role of animals in our lives as humans.