The Butterfly Pavilion is proud to introduce our miraculous new journey, Tropical Odyssey. It’s a journey that carries you from the tropical rainforests of South America to the doors of the Butterfly Pavilion in order to answer the question, “Where do our butterflies come from?” You’ll learn all there is to know about the farming of these magnificent creatures and the fascinating metamorphosis of some of the world’s most vibrant butterfly species - The Blue Morpho butterfly, Owl butterfly, Longwing butterfly and the Malachite butterfly!

Tropical Odyssey is a hands-on, interactive experience that will both immerse you in the remarkable world of the butterfly and teach you the vital importance of how sustainable business is helping to save the rainforests. After all the rainforests are, in essence, the Earth’s lungs. They clean our air, absorb greenhouse gases and help the Earth support life, including humans.

Explore everything in the world of butterfly farming. Sustainability. Conservation. And, of course, the amazing life of the butterfly. Bring your family. Bring you friends. And don’t forget, bring your brain. Tropical Odyssey. It’s a journey in conservation.

Exhibit Overview

Concept

Interactive journey-based exhibit with engaging activities.

Themes

Butterflies have a long journey to reach the Butterfly Pavilion from their home in the tropical rainforests. Not only do they have thousands of miles to travel, they have to change along the way too! However, their journey is threatened on a daily basis because of tropical habitat loss. Tropical Odyssey highlights how change occurs naturally, but also how by changing one’s behaviors can have global impacts as well.

Additional Vision for Exhibit

Tropical Odyssey challenges visitors of all ages to join the Pavilion in its efforts to help halt tropical habitat destruction! Children and adults will be immersed in the journey of a butterfly grown on a butterfly farm in the tropical forests of South America as it makes its way to the Butterfly Pavilion. Interactives and hand-on manipulatives, supported by a deep rich story line, will guide the adventure as this successful tale of sustainability as realized by each and every Pavilion visitor. Tropical Odyssey not only highlights the visionary impact of sustainable agriculture as a solution to rainforest destruction, but also addresses current challenges with deforestation and what each of us can do to support sustainability of our natural resources.

Purpose/Goals for Exhibit

1. Provide visitors with an age-layered, immersive journey-based exhibit that is engaging for children and adults through hands-on interactive play.
2. Introduce visitors to the butterfly's life cycle by following the butterfly’s journey from South America to the Butterfly Pavilion.
3. Introduce visitors to sustainable business practices (i.e. butterfly farming) and it’s role in conserving threatened tropical habitats.
4. Provide visitors with information and opportunities on how to contribute to conservation through the Butterfly Pavilion efforts and on their own.
5. Create an exhibit that is accessible by many groups including 2nd language learners (i.e. Spanish text)

Exhibit Features

1. Includes both English and Spanish Text
2. Includes 12 different interactive activities including a zip line
3. Self-sufficient exhibit with opportunity for additional interpretation by staff/volunteers
4. Mission-based exhibit that is age-layered
5. Included with admission
6. Open September 19 through March 2010
7. Visually engaging with real life pictures of the rainforest

Sustainable Stories in Exhibit:

Tropical Odyssey includes information about sustainable business practices that are helping to project the environment, they include: Undiscovered chemical treasures; Foods from the forest; Ecotourism, a growing business; Tapping into latex; Sustainable timber sources; A better cup of coffee; Fair work for fair pay; Butterfly Farming.

Learning Objectives:

Life Cycle of the Butterfly

Throughout the exhibit, the Tropical Odyssey logo icons will be used to explain to the visitor what “stage” of the butterfly’s life they are learning about. Visitors will learn about the life cycle as they follow the butterfly’s journey from egg to flight and from South America to the Butterfly Pavilion.

Benefits of Sustainable Businesses

Throughout the exhibit visitors will learn about butterfly farming and other sustainable industries that helping to protect rainforests around the world. Although the content may seem mature it is presented in a manner for different age groups to comprehend through the interactives and language used in the exhibit.

Importance of Conservation and what you can do!

Throughout the exhibit visitors will be promoted to think about conservation and their role in the preservation of the plant. They will be promoted to contemplate “ways” they can “help.” By the end of the exhibit they should have an understanding that their visit to the Butterfly Pavilion is beneficial in many ways.

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