The new pavilion will open today, with over 300 live butterflies.  

In the adjacent gallery, Partners in Evolution teaches how animals and plants co-exist through depending on each other for food, protection and pollination.

This is the second butterfly park or habitat in the Washington, DC area, the other is located at Brookside Gardens in suburban Wheaton, MD.

The new Pavilion at the Natural History will open on Friday, February 15th, but it’s probably best to wait a week or two until the initial rush slacks off.

Butterfly Pavilion & Partners in Evolution 
National Museum of Natural History
10th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20560 (map it)
202-633-1000

Hours – Daily, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., last entrance to the butterfly pavilion at 5:00 p.m.

Tickets – Admission to the museum is free, but there is a fee to visit the butterfly pavilion and tickets are required.

Adults – $6.00, Seniors – $5.50 and kids $4.50. buying your timed-entry tickets in advance is recommended. Tickets will be available online or at the museum after the pavilion opens on a first-come, first-served basis (best to get there early on weekends). Admission on Tuesdays is FREE.

Purchase tickets online to avoid sold out time-slots. They are also available at the Museum on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are timed-entry at 30-minute intervals.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Smithsonian Station (use the Mall exit) – Blue and Orange lines or use the DC Circulator.

Parking – Metered street parking is available in the area.

Images – personal collection – © 2008 – Jon Rochetti 

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Post from: The DC Traveler

From over 24,000 entries, the winners represent the best in wildlife and nature through the art of photography.

Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
10th Street and Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20560

Admission – all and Smithsonian museums are free

Hours - Daily, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through March 25th

Nearest Metro subway station - Smithsonian Station (use the Mall exit) – Blue and Orange lines or use the DC Circulator.

For some excellent reading on nature photograpohy techniques, check out these selections from Amazon.com.

Photos courtesy of the Smithsonian. 
Photo 1 – Cheryl Opperman
Photo 2 – Marsel Van Oosten
Photo 3 – Robert J. Amoruso
Photo 4 – Mark B. Bartosik __________________________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler