A New Look
Just in time for our reopening this weekend, we have some new artwork on the front of the museum, two pieces by Francois Piquet. Come check us out this weekend during Fetê de la Mer, or Thursday and Sunday evenings through May!
Author: mark
Reopening
We’re excited to announce our reopening. The museum will be open during the day on May 28th and 29th during the Fête de la Mer and on Sunday and Thursday evenings throughout June. School classes and youth groups can also visit the museum during the day by appointment (email info@lesfruitsdemer.org to schedule).
See you soon! In the meantime, enjoy this short movie of Amuseum Naturalis during the 2016 Mardis de Grand Case.
The Commander Lives On!
As sad as it was to lose The Commander this week, it gives us some solace to announce that the spirit of The Commander lives on. Rhum Biologique has crafted The Commander Special Reserve. Learn more about this special tribute to our fallen friend: Rhum Biologique – TCSR.
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.
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!
Discover What’s New!
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.
“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!”
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.
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.
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.