Category: Exhibits

Over 100 years ago, a pair of unique plants were discovered on St. Martin. The St. Martin Rodwood and St. Martin Milk Pea are part of this island’s unique natural heritage. New exhibit panels featuring these plants are now on display at Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House in French Quarter.

The Caribbean is home to a variety of unique plants. Many are found on only a few islands. Others, like the St. Martin Rodwood, are only found on one island. Often, these special plants have adapted to life in the most difficult spots on the island.

“The St. Martin Rodwood is only seen in dry areas of the Lowlands with limestone soil,” said exhibit co-creator Mark Yokoyama. “It is hard for plants to grow there, but the Rodwood is adapted to that habitat, so it thrives there.”

Plants that are found only in a specific habitat, like seaside cliffs, can be hard to notice. In fact, between 1954 and 2021 no one had seen or collected the St. Martin Rodwood or the St. Martin Milk Pea. Some thought these plants could even be extinct. Luckily, they were rediscovered by researchers. The Bivouac Naturaliste association rediscovered the St. Martin Milk Pea during their 2021 survey, and collaborated with the Les Fruits de Mer association on the new exhibit.

“These special plants are part of the natural heritage that everyone on St. Martin shares,” said Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes. “We’re really excited to put them in the spotlight! It’s also a reminder that if we want these unique plants to survive, we need to protect the unique wild spaces where they live.”

Amuseum Naturalis is located at The Old House in French Quarter. It is always free to visit, and all displays are now outdoors. Guests are welcome to make a self-guided visit any time during daylight hours, any day of the week. For more information, visit amuseumnaturalis.com.

This exhibit and other projects were made possible by support from the Collectivité de Saint-Martin and the Agence nationale de la cohésion des territoires.

Three new poetry exhibits at Amuseum Naturalis feature French translations of poetry by St. Martin authors. The exhibits include poems from ten different poets. The translations were done by St. Martin translator Alex Richards.

“Poetry on St. Martin is a powerful expression of culture and identity,” said Jenn Yerkes, co-curator of Amuseum Naturalis. “And poetry translation is an art. We knew it would take a specialized translator from this island to capture the nuance and spirit of these poems, so we were delighted to partner with Alex Richards on this!”

Two of the exhibits feature selections from recently published books: Reflections by Ruby Bute and SOS: Season of Storms by Fabian Badejo. The third exhibit features poems from ten different St. Martin poets.

All of these exhibits are also displayed at the Amuseum in the original English. Since English has historically been the primary language on the island, almost all St. Martin poetry has been written in English. Often, authors use St. Martin English, which has its own unique words, phrases and grammar.

“St. Martin has a rich culture that is hundreds of years old,” explained co-curator Mark Yokoyama. “In recent decades, many people have immigrated here, including many French-speakers who struggle with the island’s main language, English. French translations of local poetry create a chance for them to experience part of St. Martin’s culture. This is one step on the path to integrating new residents into St. Martin society.”

The new exhibits are on permanent display in the poetry area in front of the Amuseum. Amuseum Naturalis is located at The Old House in French Quarter. It is always free to visit, and all displays are now outdoors. Guests are welcome to make a self-guided visit any time during daylight hours, any day of the week. For more information, visit amuseumnaturalis.com.

These exhibits and other projects were made possible by support from the Collectivité de Saint-Martin and the Agence nationale de la cohésion des territoires. The exhibits were also made possible by the poets who generously gave permission for their work to be translated and exhibited.

Building a guest house, surviving a hurricane, harvesting salt, teaching painting: St. Martin people have many stories to tell. At Amuseum Naturalis, we have added an exhibit with six stories from six St. Martiners. You can read in their own words about their life experiences and accomplishments. In every story, you can learn about the way St. Martin once was, and how it came to be the way it is today.

Special thanks to the participants who shared their stories and the Les Fruits de Mer interview teams that recorded these oral histories!

Would you like to explore medicine and life on St. Martin in the 19th century? Amuseum Naturalis recently added a new exhibit featuring a 19th century medical notebook from St. Martin. The exhibit explores the text of the notebook and what it can tell us about St. Martin at that time. The exhibit is in the front yard of Amuseum Naturalis, visit any time during the day. You can also download a book on the same topic here: The Book of Cures.

We’ve got an interesting new addition to the tank, straight from the gut in Concordia. It’s an apple snail! There are quite a few different species, including some native to the Caribbean, but we haven’t figured out exactly what this one is yet. They are especially good at living in places with seasonal dry periods because they can breathe in two way: by gill or by lung.

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