May Natural History Museum facts for kids
The museum entrance
|
|
| Established | 1952 |
|---|---|
| Location | Rock Creek Park, Colorado, United States |
| Type | Natural history museum |
| Collections | Insects |
| Collection size | approximately 7,000 specimens |
| Founder | John May |
The May Natural History Museum is a super cool place in Rock Creek Park, Colorado, where you can see tons of insects! It's an entomology museum, which means it's all about bugs. They say it has the biggest private collection of insects in the whole world. A man named James May, who loved nature, collected all these amazing insects and spiders from 1903 until he passed away in 1956. His son, John May, opened the museum in 1952 so everyone could see them.
Contents
Discover the Amazing Insect Collection
The May Museum has about 7,000 unique insects and spiders. These are kept in special cases with handwritten labels. You can see all sorts of insects here. There are beetles, butterflies, centipedes, and many more. They come from places all over the world. These include South America, Africa, and Asia. Some of the insects in the museum might even be extinct now.
Meet Herkimer, the Giant Beetle
The museum has a giant statue of a Hercules beetle. This huge beetle is named Herkimer. It's known as the world's largest beetle! Herkimer stands right on Colorado State Highway 115. It's a landmark that helps visitors find the museum. It also points the way to the nearby campgrounds.
The Story Behind the Museum
The May Natural History Museum has a really interesting history. It all started with a man named James Frederick William May.
James May's Adventures and Collections
James May was born in England. His father collected things for the British Museum. James's family moved to Brazil, where he grew up. Later, James was hurt in a war in 1899. A group of Zulu people helped him get better. While he was recovering, James started collecting insects. He spent his life traveling the world. He collected insects and traded them with other collectors. He continued this until he passed away in 1956.
How the Museum Began
One of James's sons, John May, saw a chance to share his father's collection. In the 1930s, John built special airtight wooden cases. He also made stands that could be folded up. The family traveled to fairs and shows. They showed off the collection and earned small donations. This helped them pay for their travels.
In 1958, John May built Herkimer, the huge beetle statue. He wanted to attract more visitors to their traveling collection. Herkimer was even strapped to the roof of their trailer truck!
Finding a Permanent Home
In 1942, the May family bought 1,000 acres of land. This land was south of Colorado Springs. They wanted a more permanent place for their collection. The dry weather in Colorado was perfect for keeping the insects safe. The May Natural History Museum of the Tropics first opened to the public in 1952. Later, in 1960, they opened a campground. This campground has hiking trails and fishing ponds for visitors.
Famous Visitors and Challenges
Even Walt Disney visited the museum in 1956! He wanted to buy the collection. But James May said no. He wanted to make sure he got credit for building such an amazing collection. In the mid-1950s, the Mays opened another museum branch. This was at the Weeki Wachee Springs tourist spot in Florida. When a big movie studio bought Weeki Wachee Springs, the Mays decided not to sell their collection. They moved it back home to Colorado Springs.
The May Natural History Museum was even on a TV show! It was featured in 2015 on Strange Inheritance. This show talked about the collection's history. It also showed how the family kept the museum going. They did this by selling some of the water rights to their land.
