Last Salute to The Commander

It is with heavy hearts that we must report the demise of The Commander. His reign as apex predator in the aquarium at Amuseum Naturalis came to an end sometime between 11pm Tuesday night and 3pm Wednesday afternoon.

Based on the remains recovered from the aquarium, it is believed that The Commander was in the process of molting when set upon by one or more of his aquarium-mates. During the molting process, The Commander would have been vulnerable while his new exoskeleton hardened.

The Commander was well-known from his appearances in print media and on television. In many ways he was the museum’s most beloved ambassador. Gone, but not forgotten, The Commander’s legacy will live on as part of a special project to be announced in the near future.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

A Night at the Amuseum

We had another great Tuesday night at Amuseum Naturalis. Each Tuesday flies by so fast, but this week we took a few photos to capture the vibe of the museum. It’s great to see people interacting with the exhibits and talking to each other about them. There are many touchable things and no signs saying Do Not Touch, but so far most things have remained essentially intact even after thousands of visitors—miracle!

If you’re in the area, be sure to come by one of the next two Tuesdays!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Discover What’s New!

The Invaders, an exhibit about introduced species, is one of the latest additions to the museum.
The Invaders, an exhibit about introduced species, is one of the latest additions to the museum.

Island residents and visitors are invited to discover the wild side of St. Martin at Amuseum Naturalis, a free pop-up natural history museum in Grand Case. The museum is open on Tuesday evenings from 6-10pm during the Mardis de Grand Case street fair.

“Amuseum Naturalis is a museum about life, which is always changing–just like the museum,” explained co-curator Mark Yokoyama. “Since we launched in January, we’ve doubled the number of exhibits and created four short nature documentaries that play in the museum’s theater. There are new wonders every week.”

The museum’s current special exhibit, Women, People of Color and the Making of Natural History in the Caribbean, has been expanded for March, Women’s History Month. The stories of five fascinating but historically overlooked figures have been added, including Catalina de Ayahibex, a 16th century Taino tribal leader who was an expert in native plants, and Charlotte Dugée, an 18th century free woman of color and skilled botanic artist from Saint Domingue who disappeared into the South American jungle during a scientific expedition.

Four short films produced by Les Fruits de Mer about Caribbean wildlife, from cave-dwelling bats to deep-sea creatures, are now playing at the Amuseum Naturalis theater.
Four short films produced by Les Fruits de Mer about Caribbean wildlife, from cave-dwelling bats to deep-sea creatures, are now playing at the Amuseum Naturalis theater.

“These pioneers in Caribbean science are not widely known–their contributions have often been hidden, or even had the credit for them stolen–but their stories are absolutely amazing,” said Jenn Yerkes, creator of the exhibit. “They reveal so much about both the history of science and the political and cultural climate of the different eras. Plus, many of these trailblazers risked perilous journeys, pirates, shipwreck, disease, venomous creatures and dangerous wildernesses to do what they loved–their lives were like real-life adventure movies!”

Amuseum Naturalis curator Jenn Yerkes discusses the current special exhibit with museum guests.
Amuseum Naturalis curator Jenn Yerkes discusses the current special exhibit with museum guests.

The public is invited to visit Amuseum Naturalis and explore the exhibits Tuesday evening from 6-10pm. Amuseum Naturalis is located at 96 Boulevard de Grand Case, and was created by the non-profit association Les Fruits de Mer and sponsored by Delta Petroleum.

New in the Tank

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.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Deep Sea Adventure

Our latest film—2000 Feet Under the Sea—premiered at the museum last night and is now available for viewing on the theater page of this site and below. It’s a “Vintage Adventure” filmed in 2009 in Roatan, Honduras.

New for Tuesday

As always, we’re working on new stuff for the Amuseum. This Tuesday, we’re relaunching the photo essay Shadow of a Drought, featuring a new exhibit on the endemic species that are found only on St. Martin and launching the world premiere of our new film 2000 Feet Under the Sea.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Invaders Launched

We are excited to launch a new exhibit telling one of the most interesting stories we know about wildlife on St. Martin: the animals that arrived on St. Martin with the human help and have transformed both the ecology and history of the island and continue to do so. The invaders have exterminated native species, spread disease and even helped cause the collapse of at least one agricultural industry.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

February Special Exhibit Launch

On Tuesday we launched the new featured exhibit in our special exhibit hall, Women, People of Color and the Making of Natural History in the Caribbean, created by Jenn Yerkes. The exhibit launched with engaging, in-depth displays on four largely unsung figures in Caribbean natural history studies: Maria Sibylla Merian, Graman Quassi, Richard Hill and Felipe Poey. The exhibit will be on display for the next month, with additional profiles to be added during that time.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Special Exhibit Launching Tuesday

This duck species was named by 19th century mixed-race Jamaican naturalist Richard Hill.
This duck species was named by 19th century mixed-race Jamaican naturalist Richard Hill.

Island residents and tourists of all ages are invited to the free grand opening of the exhibit Women, People of Color, and the Making of Natural History in the Caribbean, on Tuesday, February 9 from 6-10pm at Amuseum Naturalis in Grand Case.

The exhibit is a special series at Amuseum Naturalis, created to shine a light on the contributions of women and people of color in the study of natural history in the Caribbean, from the 1600s to the early 1900s. The exhibit brings their discoveries, explorations and stories to life with vivid biographical snapshots and reproductions of beautiful historical zoological and botanical illustrations, engravings, portraits and maps.

The exhibit spotlights women like groundbreaking naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian, who led her own scientific expedition to Suriname in 1699.
The exhibit spotlights women like groundbreaking naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian, who led her own scientific expedition to Suriname in 1699.

“The historical contributions of women and people of color to science have often been hidden, suppressed, or simply not as well publicized as those of their white male contemporaries, and this is just as true in the Caribbean as elsewhere,” explains Jenn Yerkes, Amuseum Naturalis co-curator and Les Fruits de Mer President. “We wanted to create an opportunity for people to discover the fascinating stories of these incredible women and men who helped to build the scientific heritage of the Caribbean.”

The free, public exhibit will launch Tuesday night with the first installation of the series, which will include captivating figures such as naturalist and scientific artist Maria Sibylla Merian (1647 – 1717), known for her expedition to Suriname to document Caribbean insects, reptiles, birds, and plants; Graman Quassi (ca. 1690 – ca. 1780), a renowned Surinamese healer and botanist of African descent; Richard Hill (1795-1872), a trailblazing mixed-race naturalist and anti-slavery activist from Jamaica; and Felipe Poey (1799-1891), a Cuban zoologist known for his pioneering study of Caribbean marine life. The upcoming installations will be added throughout the run of the exhibit, so there will be new additions for visitors to enjoy every week. The exhibit will coincide with Black History Month and run through International Women’s Day, March 8, 2016.

The exhibit's launch will include the 19th century mixed-race Jamaican naturalist and abolitionist Richard Hill.
The exhibit’s launch will include the 19th century mixed-race Jamaican naturalist and abolitionist Richard Hill.

Women, People of Color, and the Making of Natural History in the Caribbean will be on display in the special exhibit hall of Amuseum Naturalis, Les Fruits de Mer’s free pop-up museum of natural history located at 96 Boulevard de Grand Case. Amuseum Naturalis is open to the public on Tuesdays during the Mardis de Grand Case street fair, and is sponsored by Delta Petroleum.

2000 Feet Under the Sea

A fish is mesmerized by the lights of the Idabel.
A fish is mesmerized by the lights of the Idabel.

We’re happy to share a new trailer with you, 2000 Feet Under the Sea, a vintage adventure from 2009 when the team set out to explore the deep sea just off the coast of Roatan, Honduras with Karl Stanley in his submarine Idabel. Our quest was to find a near-forgotten shipwreck and document for rare and unusual creatures in the cold depths of the sea.

The film will be coming soon to the Amuseum Naturalis theater and a website near you.