Underwhelmed

Well today was the big day. I was so excited to go to the California Academy of Sciences. We tried to go yesterday and it was sold out so we went today. All I can say is I was really underwhelmed. Yeah, they have a facility that they spent a gazillion dollars on. Yeah, the best and brightest worked on bringing it into existence. But it seems our little greenhouses have a bigger diversity of plants. They may have blue morphos, but I think we actually have more butterflies per square foot. And more nectar sources per butterfly.

The facility is interesting and all. I did like that you walk up a ramp through the butterfly house so you start out in the "swamp" and then move up through the different layers of a rainforest, up through the trees and end up in an area at the top where the nectar sources are. That is smart because that is where a lot of the butterflies are. Butterflies are inherently going to fly up toward the sun.

It did bother me that the whole space seemed geared on getting you through and out. There was no where to sit, no where to even stand and look. But I think it works for them because it was packed. There were a ton of people there. They were filled to capacity and not letting anymore in. At 25 bucks a pop they were raking in some serious cash. I know it takes a lot to keep a facility like that going plus I'm sure some of that goes to the their research projects. And when you look at it like that it is a pretty effective thing. The whole place houses an aquarium, butterfly house, planetarium and rooftop garden. It has an education center, cafe and gift store. It was like a scientific Whitman's Sampler. Just a little taste of all kinds of things so you can see what you like.

I'd say if you are going to visit. Go on Wednesday. It is free day.

Anyway here are my pictures from the butterfly house for what they're worth.