Visit: Cockrell Butterfly Center
Hello! My family and I have been traveling a lot over the past few days. Lots of road trip content coming soon. Recently, my mom, brother, and I went down to Houston to get some visa paperwork taken care of. We had less than a full day in town, but we managed to make the most of it. We walked around a bunch, rode the metro around, and ate pho—my favorite. We also just had enough time to visit the Cockrell Butterfly Center before we headed back to Dallas, and I'm so glad we squeezed it in! Not only was the space beautiful, but I learned a lot and it made me reconsider what I really look for and appreciate in a museum.
For context, the Cockrell Butterfly center is basically a big greenhouse with hundreds of butterflies flying around, attached to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. If you've been to Chicago, it may remind you of the Garfield Park Conservatory, but with lil critters flying around everywhere. Definitely not a hot spot if you don't like insects, since the butterflies are pretty fearless and will float very close to your face. But, if you're a bug lover like me, you'll be in your element.
Me with a laminated guide of the species found in the exhibit! The taxonomist in me was squealing. Asian Rice Paper butterflies (Idea leuconoe) was the type I spotted the most often
When I went, the place had just a few extra lights up for Christmas, but it struck me as a little odd that a massive bug habitat needed holiday decoration at all. I doubt the butterflies benefit from the fairy lights, after all. This got me thinking a lot about how museums' obligation towards science and towards entertainment need to be balanced.
Rice Paper butterflies eating out of a colorful feeder, chilling by the fairy lights
In the era of adult playgrounds and interactive exhibits, it seems many museums around the country are being forced to be more and more Instagram-worthy to attract visitors. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, it's great that social media attention can bring business to lesser known attractions and tourist spots. Plus, drawing attention to science museums is especially good for raising a generation of people invested in preserving the Earth.
On the other hand, I fear that many museums dilute their informational content and sometimes threaten their own mission when they focus too heavily on curating a photographable exhibit. To be fair, visual appeal has always been a huge part of museum curation. Therefore social media sharing is an inevitable byproduct. But what happens when museums start to prioritize the digital reputation over the experience of museum-goers? After all, museums only have an incentive to get you to pay the entry fee, not to get you to stay for very long.
Why did they label me as a school chaperone? When did I have kids? Who am I?
Ultimately, I think the Cockrell Butterfly Center did a really good job of providing information and entertainment. The funny thing is, I got more 'gram worthy shots inside the building than I did with the butterflies. Since the tiny creatures flew around so fast, I quickly gave up on trying to get pictures with them and decided to just enjoy the moment and play the game of identifying them from afar. Maybe having elusive subject matter is the secret to getting museum visitors off their phones, or maybe it just makes them try harder. Who knows.
The inside portion of the exhibit took on a more traditional museum format, with informative videos and text blocks, along with an INSANE collection of preserved insects. Their drawers of beetles really got to me. The displays sparkled like gems and really took my breath away. They also had a drawer with the biggest spiders I have ever seen from so close.
One of my favorite classes in college was a biology class that taught us about evolution through examining how insects developed in such diverse and spectacular ways. Something about seeing so many incredible species showcased together in one place really made me emotional and appreciative of the weird and wonderful things that the natural world does.
I think this exhibit was so worth it, and would recommend it to anyone from science nerds to parents hoping to boost their kids' confidence around creepy crawlies to curious souls looking for a unique date spot. There's so much to take away from this place, and it's only ONE exhibit in the museum. I have high hopes for the rest of the building, and I can't wait to Bee back.
