Beetle Display, Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Photo: Muppaphone
With a display featuring insect biodiversity, the effect of hundreds of pinned specimens of insects can be overwhelming. Dedicated fans spend hours delighting in the details of each specimen. Some people will pass on after a short glance. Museum curators know this and sometimes insert subtle humor into their displays that are overlooked by most, but rewarding to the more studious.
The picture (above left) is of a display by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Hiding in plain sight among the beetle diversity is a toy Volkswagen Beetle that has been part of the exhibit since 2002.
Money quote from museum director of communications, Glenda Bogar:
It serves as a fun way to engage our visitors. There are a handful of other hidden surprises in displays around the institution. Visitors are always excited when they uncover these humorous and unexpected objects.
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What a creative idea. It would make field trips to the museum more of a search-and-find or I spy game. We have a pest control company in SC and love to have funny information like this in our office. Thanks for the post!