With over half a million pinned specimens, 75,000 alcohol-preserved specimens and 25,000 specimens on slides, a visit to the Spencer Entomological collection at the museum is your chance to see incredible insect diversity.
As the continued safety and well-being of our visitors, staff and volunteers is our highest priority we are not offering in person tours or activities at this time. The resources below will support your self-led exploration of the collection:
- Learn how to identify some local insects using this guide, and record your observations in this log.
- Meet the Pollinators! In this video, Tiia Haapalainen from the Spencer Entomological Collection introduces you to some pollination basics, the major insect groups involved with pollination, and how to tell them apart (mimicry abounds!)
- Create your own origami butterflies using our templates and video.
- Visiting as a group or on your own, follow these instructions to make an entomology collage based on your observations at the museum.
- Visit the Spencer Entomological Collection’s Online Database, filled with thousands of images!
- We have an online visitor guide and a printable floor plan map to help you find your way around the museum. You could also check out our virtual and audio tours in preparation for your visit.
- Share your images and biodiversity stories with us here, each month we will highlight some of the contributions at our ONLINE Nature Club session.
Would you like to learn more about insects and ask questions of our museum team? Join us online on June 6.
This self-led exploration of the museum collections is recommended for families with children ages 5-12.
Thanks to our funders we are able to provide complimentary museum admission to campus families on Nature Club weekends. UBC Families can register for this month’s Online Nature Club for your free ticket promocode, other families are welcome to join us by registering in advance, and purchasing a museum admission or using your membership.