St. Martin’s first and only natural history museum, Amuseum Naturalis, officially launched its 2017 season on Tuesday. It welcomed over 750 guests during the five hour season opening event, an attendance record for the free nature museum, which is run by the Les Fruits de Mer association. The opening coincided with the first Mardis de Grand Case street fair of the season.
“We were delighted to see so many people come into the museum and learn about the nature that makes this island so unique,” explained Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes. “The Tuesday night festivals always bring a big crowd, but this one was off the charts.”
Now in its second year, Amuseum Naturalis was buzzing with the activity of visitors of all ages—and the sounds of frogs, bats and crickets broadcast from listening stations at the exhibits. In the theater room, short documentaries took visitors from deserted islets to deep beneath the sea. The latest addition—a mounted iguana—surveyed the main exhibit room from a central perch.
“There’s something incredibly special about having a free museum in Grand Case, especially during the Mardis de Grand Case fair,” commented Amuseum Naturalis curator Mark Yokoyama. “The atmosphere is vibrant and fun, the crowd is a great mix of all ages and people are really in the mood to discover new things.”
Amuseum Naturalis was created by Les Fruits de Mer and made possible by the generous sponsorship of Delta Petroleum and the Friends of the Amuseum. The Amuseum is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-8pm and is free for everyone. For more information, visit http://amuseumnaturalis.com