MISSOULA BUTTERFLY HOUSE AND INSECTARIUM

The mission of the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium is to inspire an appreciation and understanding of insects and their relatives. We envision generations ignited by lifelong curiosity and awe for the natural world. Our approach to learning involves hands-on, interactive experiences with some amazing animals leaving visitors with a deep and lasting impression and a desire to learn more.Since day one, our long-term vision has been to open a tropical butterfly house and insect museum in Missoula, MT. On December 5, 2023 that dream was realized with the Grand Opening of our new facility within the Rocky Mountain Gardens and Exploration Center. On December 6th at 10:00AM we opened for business as usual for the first time, beginning a new journey that had us hitting the ground running. In the three and a half weeks remaining until the New Year, we welcomed 8,958 visitors through our doors.Utilizing mostly in-person programming, mixed with some distance learning programming, throughout 2023 our education efforts continued to flourish, reaching schools throughout western Montana, across the state, and beyond.Our weekly social media and online education efforts continued to engage learners of all ages. And our efforts within two community science research projects continued to evolve into powerful ways to immerse learners in hands-on education opportunities that improve scientific understanding and benefit species conservation.Some of the highlights of our education efforts in 2023 included:School Field Trips: Utilizing a combination of online and in-person learning, we conducted a total of 240 field trips, reaching 5,601 students.Field Trip Scholarships: Thanks to our partners at the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation and the Jane S. Heman Foundation, in 2023 we were able to provide field trip scholarships for 90 classes, reaching 1,487 students. Online Bug Encounters: Throughout the past year, we went live nearly every Wednesday at 1:00PM. Coming to you via Facebook, our 10 to 15 minute Online Bug Encounters have been introducing learners of all ages to some amazing species and insect-focused topics for more than four years. In 2023 we conducted 49 live encounters, reaching 63,679 Facebook and Instagram viewers.Whats Buzzin: 2023 marked our 9th season of bringing you Whats Buzzin over email and social media. This weekly, seasonal report spotlights some of the insect and arthropod species currently being found across western Montana. Initially starting as a staff-driven effort, its blossomed into something much bigger with over 300 photos featured in 2023 that were submitted by bug watchers all around Montana.Notes from the Lab: This seasonal (not produced during the summer field season) report is shared on our email list. Covering topics that have ranged from insect folklore to deep dives into the interesting lives of specific species, this ongoing series is proof that theres always something new to learn. In 2023 we shared 23 Notes from the Lab reports.Community Science Research: 2023 was our 4th year participating in two national Community Science research projects looking at insect species diversity and abundance. Throughout the year, we were able to engage 12 community participants and 1 high school student in these hands-on research projects providing unique learning opportunities that covered everything from field research to DNA analysis.Bug Bytes Podcast: Throughout 2023 we continued to collaborate with Montana Public Radio in producing 20 new episodes of Bug Bytes (https://www.mtpr.org/podcast/bug-bytes).Summer Camps: Working with other education partners, we were able to hold 5 summer camps for 86 campers.Bugs & Brews Lectures: Despite the busy year, we held 4 lectures welcoming 247 attendees.2023 was an extraordinary year on all fronts. However, while reaching the milestone of opening Montanas first tropical butterfly house might sound like weve crossed the finish line, in reality it simply marks a new beginning. Weve entered a new era for our organization and the impact our education efforts have for our schools, our community, and visitors to Missoula.