Museum continues free student admission for good grades in science

January 31, 2012

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural History is continuing its popular “A for Science” free admission program for students throughout the state.

Elementary, middle and high school students in Florida who receive an A or E grade in science can present their latest report card at the front desk and receive a free value admission to the “Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway” and “Butterfly Rainforest” exhibits with a paid regular price adult value admission.

Alachua County students receive report cards Feb. 1 and the museum will open the “Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway” exhibit Feb. 4.

The offer is valid until the next report cards are issued. Students receiving another A or E grade on their next report card would again qualify for the offer through the end of the following grading period.

“ ‘A for Science’ is such a popular program that we decided it should not be limited to just a few counties,” said Jaret Daniels, Florida Museum assistant director of exhibits and public programs. “We want to showcase the importance of science statewide, encourage students to do well in school and reward them for receiving outstanding grades.”

The museum extended the program to include students throughout the state in November 2011.

The Butterfly Rainforest is a 6,400-square-foot, lush, tropical garden with hundreds of living butterflies from around the world, including 60 to 80 different species at any given time.

“Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway” features 30 fossils, including a complete skeleton cast of Triceratops horridus, the famous three-horned dinosaur, and an Albertosaurus, a ferocious carnivore that lived about 70 million years ago. The fossils complement 19 color prints and five large-scale murals of Troll’s creative artwork, which illustrates imagined scenes from prehistoric times and brings fossils from the museum’s research collection to life. The exhibit also features a paleontology laboratory where visitors may watch museum scientists, volunteers and students prepare and examine actual fossils from the field.

“Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway” is presented by the Toomey Foundation for the Natural Sciences Inc. and the Florida Museum Associates Board. The exhibit was organized by the Burke Museum at the University of Washington.

Children younger than 12 must be accompanied by an adult. This offer has no cash value and cannot be combined with other offers or discounts.
For more information about this promotion or other museum events, visit www.flmnh.ufl.edu or call 352-846-2000.