The UPLB Museum of Natural History recently launched its new sets of exhibits and displays and re-opened refurbished areas as part of its 40th anniversary celebration from 26-30 September 2016. The new exhibits have been prepared by the museum’s artists and research and extension personnel also in time for October, considered as the “Museums and Galleries Month.”

In simple ceremonies last 27 September, Dr. Juan Carlos T. Gonzalez led the ribbon-cutting with special guests which included Mr. Peter Uckung (Laguna Tourism, Culture, Arts and Trade Office History, Arts, and Culture Division Chief) as Laguna Provincial Governor Ramil L. Hernandez’s representative, Dr. Ferdinand “Doc Ferdz” Recio, host of the popular GMA7 show “Born To Be Wild” and Noel Rafael, Curator at the AVILON Wildlife Conservation Foundation.

In his message to the Museum read by Uckung during the opening program, Gov. Hernandez extolled the staff of the museum to keep excellence in educating and informing the public of the wonderful biodiversity that Laguna, specially Mt. Makiling, has to offer. Uckung also personally welcomed the possibility of the capitol’s assistance to help preserve the Museum’s heritage buildings, which were built before World War II.

Doc Ferdz, a UPLB alumnus, praised the museum for its discoveries and research findings. He urged the Museum to strengthen ties with his show in order to promote biodiversity in the mainstream media.

A short tour of the new exhibits ensued after the program and ribbon-cutting. Among the new exhibits that have been developed is the new Entomological Exhibit wing at the building’s second floor. The wing features a display on the evolution of the classification of the Class Insecta and the phylogenetic relationships of the Phylum Arthropoda. The exhibit also features a guide to the appendages of insects as well as a mock-up of the mosquito. The wing also includes a formicaria which houses live ants and a terrarium with a tarantula spider. There are other new exhibits featuring malacology, herpetology and oology found in several areas in the Museum.

The Museum also now has live specimens of macroalgae, freshwater fishes, ornamental fishes, saltwater/marine animals, and reptiles and snakes loaned from the AVILON Wildlife Conservation Foundation.