Bug Fair 2024–Sold Out

Saturday, May 18–Sunday, May 19 | 9:30 am–5pm
Add to calendar 2024-05-18 09:30:00 2024-05-18 17:00:00 NHM - Event - Bug Fair 2024 Natural History Museum nhmla webmaster@nhm.org America/Los_Angeles public
Bug Fair 2024 art

Date

Saturday, May 18–Sunday, May 19 | 9:30 am–5pm

ico / location Created with Sketch.

Location

Natural History Museum
noun_Ticket_1703326_000000 Created with Sketch.

Tickets

Tickets are now sold out.
Butterfly Pavilion tickets are completely sold out the full weekend.
Free with paid Museum admission and to Members


Ver página en español

Over one million species. Only one Bug Fair.

Join NHM this May for a two-day festival celebrating our winged, multi-legged, and squirmy friends for the 38th annual Bug Fair! Visit a variety of exhibitors and see everything from exotic insect collections to amazing bug-related products. Experience up-close encounters with crawly creatures, learn all about insects and their unique adaptations for survival, get hands-on and crafty, and so much more! This event must be seen to be BEE-lieved so come bug out with us on May 18 & 19!

#NHMLA #BugFair 

Bug Fair - Exhibitor with tarantula

Bug Fair 2024 Exhibitors

Visit a variety of exhibitors to see exotic insect collections and to purchase bug-related products, bugs for pinning, and live bugs as well!

Schedule of Events

Ongoing from 9:30 am–5 pm

  • Welcome Tables: Great location for all Bug Fair info! 
  • Bugtopia 
  • Coloring Station 
  • Butterfly Barrette Activity 

Timed Programs/Activities

  • 10 am–5 pm | “A Real Bug’s Life” Screening: Inspired by the World of Disney and Pixar's “A Bug's Life,” this new series from National Geographic, is an incredible adventure into different micro bug worlds around the globe. 
  • 10:30 am | Lola and the Bees: Join Lola as she journeys first into the world of honeybees and then into the wider world of native bees.  Based on a true story, this tiny but mighty puppet show with live music invites us to enjoy the magical and essential world and works of bees.
  • 11 am | Baby Bugs!: A buggy program just for kids aged 3-5. Come for a storytime, craft, and meet some live baby bugs!
  • 11 am–3 pm | Building Bug Tales: Not ready for a live bug pet? Museum educators will help you befriend a toy bug, personalize it, imagine its backstory, and snap photos in bug-sized scenery before taking it home to love forever.
  • 11 am–3 pm | Explore Composting with Worms [SUNDAY ONLY]: Join us for a fascinating journey into the world of bugs and compost! Discover how these tiny creatures play a big role in nature's recycling system...composting!
  • 11:15 am | Giant Bee: Thank you to the pollinators! Enjoy this giant bee puppet and its four puppeteers bringing it to flight!

Stage Presentations

  • 11 am | Bad News Borers Threaten California’s Urban Forest [SATURDAY ONLY]: A brief overview of invasive shothole borers, small beetles that have killed hundreds of thousands of trees in Southern California over the past two decades and that recently were detected in Northern California.
  • 12 pm | Bugs on the Menu: Learn about entomophagy, the practice of eating insects, with presenter Alexandra Carlin. Come find out how insects can be both nutritious and delicious. Plus, enjoy a snack while supplies last!
  • 1 pm | Sing Move Play! – Bug Fair Edition: Come sing, move, and play with the NHM Performing Arts team for a bug-themed musical performance. Usually a Members only program, but this weekend you get to see what all the buzz is about!
  • 3 pm | Wonder Bugs!: Come meet incredible bugs from the Living Collections and learn about their super powers for survival!

Museum Display Tables

  • 11 am–2 pm | Let's Take Care of Your Bugs!: Meet with the Museum's Animal Care Specialists, along with some of our live invertebrates, and get care tips from the pros!
  • 11 am–3 pm | Museum Collections: Chat with members of our Research & Collections departments and learn about the bugs they study. 
  • 11 am–3 pm | Bugs & Gardens: Play a matching game with members of our NHM Horticulture team and learn about the relationships between plants and bugs that call the Nature Gardens their home.

Learn more about Bug Fair participants!

Photo of Alexandra Carlin

Alexandra Carlin, Presenter

Alex Carlin is currently a student at UC Santa Barbara, and will graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies in June of this year. Her interest in the field of entomophagy stems from her concern for sustainability in the agricultural sector and personal experience with edible insects in her culture. She co-founded The Edible Insect Initiative at UC Santa Barbara, which featured student, staff, alumni, and international art depicting the role of insects in cuisine and agriculture. In the future, she hopes to use this knowledge in the Environmental Public Health sector to promote traditional food systems, food sovereignty, and cultural appreciation.

Website: Edible Insect Initiative Instagram

Photo of Randall Oliver

Randall Oliver, Presenter

Based within University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program, Randall Oliver is the statewide Invasive Shothole Borers (ISHB) Communications Coordinator. Working in coordination with members of the California Invasive Species Advisory Committee and a broad coalition of public and private stakeholders, he develops, implements and manages education and outreach communications regarding the pest and related issues. He also is an active volunteer with the Irvine Ranch Conservancy.

Oliver previously had a long career in corporate communications and investor relations with several companies in the retail, electric power and hospitality industries. He holds degrees from the University of Southern California and UCLA (Anderson) Graduate School of Management.

Photo of One Grain of Sand

One Grain of Sand Puppet Theater

One Grain of Sand Puppet Theater began in the fall of 2001 with a small suitcase show and the idea that even one tiny grain of sand can tilt the balance toward a more positive future. One Grain of Sand Puppet Theater includes puppetry artists, musicians, visual artists, actors, choreographers, educators and community organizers. We focus on very small portable shows and also very large puppets for festivals, pageants, community actions and parades.  The core of the work is sharing the ordinary/extraordinary stories of everyday people. The heart lies in building communities through puppet theatricals that explore cultural reclamation, ancient myth, connection to the earth, little known community stories and the issues of our time. 

To learn more about the One Grain of Sand Puppet Theater, visit their Instagram and Facebook.

Logo of LA Compost

LA Compost

As a community based non-profit, we support a healthy transition where food is never wasted, but returned to the soil for the next cycle of life.

Website: lacompost.org 
Instagram: @lacompost

Image of Horticulture staff working in the garden

Horticulture Team
The Museum has a dedicated staff of horticulturalists that oversee the care and maintenance of our gardens. The Nature Gardens has over 600 kinds of plants, including California natives and others from around the world, that are home to a variety of birds, butterflies, lizards, squirrels, and more! This amazing team enjoys sharing their love for horticulture and gardens with the local community.
Follow Nature Gardens on Instagram @nhmla_naturegardens

Image of Living Collections team presenting a live animal

Living Collections
Did you know the museum has a team of professional animal keepers on site 365 days a year? They take excellent care of all animals on exhibit and behind the scenes at the museum, utilizing the natural history expertise of our scientists as well as our veterinarian, who advises on any medical and nutritional needs. Because even a frog needs a doctor sometimes. We have around 15-25 species of vertebrates, and 70-100 species of invertebrates at any given time.  
Follow Living Collections on Instagram @nhmla_liveanimals

Image of Museum Educator leading a Storytime program.

Museum Educators

The Museum Educator team at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County are the knowledgeable staff that enhance the visitor experience through personal interaction. Through research and training, Museum Educators create and facilitate educational programs for general museum visitors, for school groups, and for special events, both in-person and virtual.

Image of Performing Arts team members

Performing Arts

The team behind the Performing Arts department at the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County creates live theatrical performances based on our exhibits, research, collections, and events. Learn more about this unique program HERE

Image of a collection display table

Research and Collections
The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County protect and share more than 35 million specimens and artifacts, the largest natural and cultural history collection in the western United States. The Research and Collections Department is the research institution within the museums. They create new knowledge through academic scholarship in history and science. Visitors can get up close to these fascinating objects and specimens, which are sometimes displayed in exhibitions and during museum events. 

1 of 1

Alexandra Carlin, Presenter

Alex Carlin is currently a student at UC Santa Barbara, and will graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies in June of this year. Her interest in the field of entomophagy stems from her concern for sustainability in the agricultural sector and personal experience with edible insects in her culture. She co-founded The Edible Insect Initiative at UC Santa Barbara, which featured student, staff, alumni, and international art depicting the role of insects in cuisine and agriculture. In the future, she hopes to use this knowledge in the Environmental Public Health sector to promote traditional food systems, food sovereignty, and cultural appreciation.

Website: Edible Insect Initiative Instagram

Randall Oliver, Presenter

Based within University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources’ Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program, Randall Oliver is the statewide Invasive Shothole Borers (ISHB) Communications Coordinator. Working in coordination with members of the California Invasive Species Advisory Committee and a broad coalition of public and private stakeholders, he develops, implements and manages education and outreach communications regarding the pest and related issues. He also is an active volunteer with the Irvine Ranch Conservancy.

Oliver previously had a long career in corporate communications and investor relations with several companies in the retail, electric power and hospitality industries. He holds degrees from the University of Southern California and UCLA (Anderson) Graduate School of Management.

One Grain of Sand Puppet Theater

One Grain of Sand Puppet Theater began in the fall of 2001 with a small suitcase show and the idea that even one tiny grain of sand can tilt the balance toward a more positive future. One Grain of Sand Puppet Theater includes puppetry artists, musicians, visual artists, actors, choreographers, educators and community organizers. We focus on very small portable shows and also very large puppets for festivals, pageants, community actions and parades.  The core of the work is sharing the ordinary/extraordinary stories of everyday people. The heart lies in building communities through puppet theatricals that explore cultural reclamation, ancient myth, connection to the earth, little known community stories and the issues of our time. 

To learn more about the One Grain of Sand Puppet Theater, visit their Instagram and Facebook.

LA Compost

As a community based non-profit, we support a healthy transition where food is never wasted, but returned to the soil for the next cycle of life.

Website: lacompost.org 
Instagram: @lacompost

Horticulture Team
The Museum has a dedicated staff of horticulturalists that oversee the care and maintenance of our gardens. The Nature Gardens has over 600 kinds of plants, including California natives and others from around the world, that are home to a variety of birds, butterflies, lizards, squirrels, and more! This amazing team enjoys sharing their love for horticulture and gardens with the local community.
Follow Nature Gardens on Instagram @nhmla_naturegardens

Living Collections
Did you know the museum has a team of professional animal keepers on site 365 days a year? They take excellent care of all animals on exhibit and behind the scenes at the museum, utilizing the natural history expertise of our scientists as well as our veterinarian, who advises on any medical and nutritional needs. Because even a frog needs a doctor sometimes. We have around 15-25 species of vertebrates, and 70-100 species of invertebrates at any given time.  
Follow Living Collections on Instagram @nhmla_liveanimals

Museum Educators

The Museum Educator team at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County are the knowledgeable staff that enhance the visitor experience through personal interaction. Through research and training, Museum Educators create and facilitate educational programs for general museum visitors, for school groups, and for special events, both in-person and virtual.

Performing Arts

The team behind the Performing Arts department at the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County creates live theatrical performances based on our exhibits, research, collections, and events. Learn more about this unique program HERE

Research and Collections
The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County protect and share more than 35 million specimens and artifacts, the largest natural and cultural history collection in the western United States. The Research and Collections Department is the research institution within the museums. They create new knowledge through academic scholarship in history and science. Visitors can get up close to these fascinating objects and specimens, which are sometimes displayed in exhibitions and during museum events. 

Meet the Emerald Cockroach:
 

Highlights from previous Bug Fairs!

Bug Fair 2022 - Entomology table display
Bug Fair 2022 - Live bug presentation (1)
Bug Fair 2022 - Butterfly walks
Bug Fair 2022 - Bug Band on stage
Bug Fair 2022 - Honey exhibitor
Bug Fair 2022 - Bug Fair exhibitor display
Bug Fair 2022 - Exhibitor hall with guests
Bug Fair 2022 - Tarantula exhibitor with a guest
Bug Fair 2022 - Bug pinning collections for sale
Bug Fair 2022 - Bug Fair exhibitor (2)
Bug Fair 2022 - Bug collection display case
Bug Fair 2022 - Bug crafts
Bug Fair 2022 - Bug chef demonstrations
Bug Fair 2022 - Live bug presentation (2)
Bug Fair 2022 - Bug Fair exhibitor (3)
Bug Fair 2022 - Live bugs for sale
Bug Fair 2022 - Live bug presentation (3)

1 of 1