1. EXHIBITOR CATEGORIZATION
(a) EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITORS
Only the following groups will be considered as educational exhibitors:
1) Governmental agencies
2) Accredited educational institutions
3) Non-profit societies
4) Researchers
Under no circumstances will educational exhibitors be allowed to conduct commercial (for profit) business of any kind. This includes any for profit transaction and any advertisement of service for payment. Violation of this term by Educational exhibitors conducting any type of commercial business will be cause for removal from Bug Fair. The parties agree this is a reasonable limitation given the greatly reduced rate of entry for educational exhibitors. Only information on and sale of memberships for non-profit organizations is exempt from this term. Exhibitors may not solicit or take donations of any kind for any business, whether or not it is a non-profit business, during the Bug Fair.
(b) COMMERCIAL EXHIBITORS
You are a commercial exhibitor if:
1) financial transactions are expected to occur at your exhibit
2) items of any kind are for sale at your exhibit
3) you receive "for profit" payment for services you advertise at your exhibit
All commercial exhibitors are considered vendors by Bug Fair organizers and as such, rates of entry are not reduced no matter how educational you deem your exhibit to be. Even in cases where the product itself may be of an educational nature (i.e. you provide outreach programs), if there is a payment for service, then you are considered a vendor. There are no exceptions to this term. If you are not registered as a commercial exhibitor and you are discovered conducting any type of business you will be asked to leave the premises. Exhibitors may not solicit or accept donations of any kind during the Bug Fair.
2. EXHIBITOR PLACEMENT AND FEES
(a) EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITORS
All exhibitors deemed as educational will be placed on a first-come, first-serve basis in either the 1st floor diorama halls, Otis Booth Pavilion, or Nature Gardens of the Museum. Each exhibitor may request no more than three tables at a cost of $25 per table. Be prepared for local weather if outdoors.
(b) COMMERCIAL EXHIBITORS
All exhibitors deemed as commercial will be placed on a first-come, first-serve basis in either the 1st floor diorama halls, Otis Booth Pavilion, or Nature Gardens of the Museum with specific location determined by the event organizers. No spaces are reserved for commercial vendors in the Grand Foyer. Commercial vendors may obtain up to a maximum of three tables. The cost per table is $300. No percentage of vendor sales during the event will be claimed by the Museum.
3. DISPLAYING EXHIBITS
(a) GENERAL INFORMATION
The 38th annual Bug Fair will be held on site at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday May 19, 2024. The Natural History Museum is located at 900 Exposition Boulevard in Los Angeles, just south of the 10 and 110 freeway interchange, between the Los Angeles Coliseum and the USC campus.
(b) DISPLAY SET UP
There are two times assigned for the set up of displays. All exhibitors must set up displays during these times. Displays may be erected on Friday, May 17 between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Exhibitors arriving before 5 PM on Friday will not be permitted to set up early and will be asked to wait. Exhibitors arriving after 8:00 PM will not be permitted to enter the building. Please ensure that you give yourself enough time to set up your display. All exhibitors must exit the building by 8:00 PM. Displays may also be erected on Saturday, May 18 between 7 AM and 9 AM. Exhibitors arriving before 7 AM on Saturday will not be permitted to set up early. All exhibitors must have completed their set up by 9:00 AM. ANY ADDITIONAL LOAD-IN ON SUNDAY MUST BE REQUESTED IN ADVANCE AND SPECIFICALLY APPROVED BY MUSEUM STAFF.
(c) UNLOADING EXHIBITS
Exhibit items are to be unloaded via the Car Park via the Fire Lane Gate. When not loading or unloading, all exhibitors must park in the designated parking location determined by event organizers. Due to ongoing construction in the area the unloading area is subject to change. Advance notice will be provided in the event that this occurs.
(d) MUSEUM ENTRY AND EXHIBIT PLACEMENT
Only exhibitors that have registered and have submitted payment will be allowed to set up displays. Upon arrival at the Museum, a staff member will greet you and provide each exhibitor who has submitted a complete and accepted application online with an entry packet. This packet will contain Bug Fair information and the placement of your exhibit. The location of each exhibit is non-negotiable. NO registration forms or fees will be accepted at the door. No exceptions. Staff members will be on hand to guide exhibitors to their locations, however, it is the responsibility of the exhibitor to transport all display materials to the appropriate tables and set up the display. Vendors are encouraged to bring their own hand carts.
(e) EXHIBIT PARTICULARS
Chairs and tables (3' X 8') will be provided as requested to each exhibitor. Tables will be covered with table cloths (unless requested otherwise) and a metal frame with cloth back-drops may be provided. Exhibitors may replace tablecloths with a covering of their own choice and may hang banners and printed material on the backdrops where provided. The Museum reserves the right to disallow display of any material considered inappropriate for the Museum's audience. Under no circumstance can material be hung on the walls of the Museum. The Museum will ensure that the exhibit areas are well lit and, within the limits of the Museum's system, will supply electrical outlets to exhibitors wishing additional power.
It is the exhibitor's responsibility to bring any additional lighting and any extension cords that they deem necessary. The Museum does NOT supply extension cords.
(f) DURING BUG FAIR
It is the responsibility of each exhibitor to ensure that displays are attended while the event is open to the public at all times. It is not the Museum's responsibility to protect against damage to delicate items, nor is it the Museum's responsibility to ensure that valuable items are safeguarded. By agreeing to participate in Bug Fair, exhibitors hold the Museum harmless from damage or losses, and must look to their own insurance for recovery of any damage or loss.
(g) DISPLAY TAKE DOWN
All registered exhibitors are asked to delay the take down of their displays until 5 PM on Sunday. It is up to each exhibitor to ensure no items are left in the Museum. It is also the responsibility of exhibitors to completely dismantle and remove their entire exhibit. Leaving behind temporary units for display purposes will not be tolerated. Failure to remove display items (without express written permission of Museum staff) or leaving early may result in the rejection of future registration applications to Bug Fair. All exhibits must be dismantled and removed from the premises by Sunday evening. Any material still at the Museum after Sunday evening will be disposed of by the Museum and charged to the exhibitor unless prior approval has been granted in special cases. No exceptions. All exhibitors are responsible for disposing of any trash they have at the end of the event and must place all waste into trash bins.
4. MATERIAL EXHIBITED
(a) LIVE ARTHROPOD INFORMATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
NHM expects vendors of live animals to be leaders in the industry of proper handling, care, and housing of such animals (part of good welfare). All live arthropods sold to visitors must be accompanied by free written information about their care that includes the arthropod’s common and scientific name. Vendors (including anyone staffing their table) must be able to demonstrate or communicate proper care for that species at all levels of its development. Vendors must be able to answer additional basic care questions and provide further information via handouts, online links, or QR codes displayed at each table about that species at point of sale. Note: NHM staff will be asking your customers if they were offered care information, if they know the name of the live animal they bought, and what it needs to thrive.
(b) LIVE ARTHROPOD HEALTH AND WELFARE REQUIREMENTS
Live arthropods must be in observably good health, well cared-for, and displayed in appropriate sized habitats that facilitate good animal welfare (an animal’s ability to exhibit natural, species specific behaviors). Habitats should be sold with the best care and welfare for the adult animal in mind, i.e. juvenile animals should be sold with care information that includes what an adult will need.
Animals should be handled with the care, comfort, and safety of humans AND animals in mind. Any observations of a vendor mishandling an animal and causing excessive stress, risking its safety by holding it unsafely, or other inappropriate behavior such as putting an animal on an unsuspecting or uninformed person’s body, scaring people with an animal, or allowing people to take uninformed risks such as holding a venomous animal, will not be tolerated. Our Living Collections staff will be making rounds and watching for stressed or defensive animals and unprofessional behavior. Vendors that do not take appropriate care and act responsibly, professionally, and consistent with these Regulations will not be allowed back to Bug Fair.
(b) LIVE ARTHROPOD LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Live arthropods that are considered agricultural pests by the USDA and are not native to the state of California cannot be sold at Bug Fair. Under the authority of the Plant Protection and Honeybee Acts, a Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) 526 permit is required for the importation, interstate movement, and environmental release of plant pests/plant feeding insects like butterflies and moths. Vendors who attempt to sell non Californian live Lepidoptera will be reported to the USDA and all illegal species will be confiscated per the Museum’s permit obligations. Exhibitors are responsible for knowing which species are regulated and require the possession of appropriate permit documentation. For more information see: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/organism/index.shtml.
For permit questions contact: pest.permits@aphis.usda.gov
(d) DEAD ARTHROPODS
NHM’s Bug Fair is first and foremost a science-based event. All preserved specimens offered for sale or trade should be accompanied by name and locality information if they have been collected, whether they are intended for scientific use or not. This includes toys and novelties with preserved specimens. Exhibitors displaying specimens deemed by the Museum to be of absolutely no scientific value can and may be asked to remove these items from view. Any further attempt to display such items will result in ejection from Bug Fair. Local, city, county, state, and federal agencies regulate the collection or sale of some arthropods. Exhibitors are responsible for knowing which species or areas are covered by specific regulations and are required to have appropriate documentation in their possession. Failure to produce necessary permits when requested to do so will result in removal from the premises. This expectation of responsible behavior applies to anyone standing behind your table assisting customers.
(e) APPROPRIATE ITEMS
Only arthropods and their close invertebrate relatives may be exhibited and sold at Bug Fair. NO EXCEPTIONS!! Items that are not necessarily associated with arthropods may be allowable, so long as they include specimens, parts of specimens, or images that are of arthropod origin. Be sure to check with Bug Fair organizers to ensure that products you plan to exhibit or sell will be allowed BEFORE you arrive at the event and make sure that you have read the section on inappropriate items below.
(f) INAPPROPRIATE ITEMS
The Natural History Museum has identified items that are inappropriate for exhibit and sale on its premises. These include antiquities, fossils of any kind, ivory, coral, shells, shark teeth, products made (in part or in whole) from protected, rare, threatened or endangered species, or items in which wild-caught biological specimens are used solely for decoration. No representation of any sort of vertebrate may be displayed or sold. ***PLEASE NOTE*** The Museum has banned the display and sale of ALL vertebrates during Bug Fair. This includes all fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. If you have items that meet these criteria as part of your business, you are NOT allowed to bring them to this event. No exceptions! Only arthropods and their close invertebrate relatives (including annelids and certain mollusks) may be displayed or sold. Exhibitors engaged in the sale of any of these items will be asked to remove these items from view. Any further attempt to display or sell these items will result in ejection from Bug Fair and no refund will be provided. Be sure that you know the origin of the arthropods (or parts of the arthropods) before you apply for participation in Bug Fair.
The Museum reserves the right to make a judgment about material that does not support our Mission of Responsibility for our Natural and Cultural World. If you have any questions about the items you plan to sell at Bug Fair, please ask before you apply.
(g) PERMIT INFORMATION
Questions pertaining to the acquisition and trade of endangered species should be made to your local Division of Law Enforcement, US Department of Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Questions pertaining to the acquisition, importation, and transportation of live arthropods should be made to the Special Permits and Regulations section of California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Museum will be happy to refer exhibitors to governmental agencies to ensure that only legally obtained material is exhibited, but the Museum will not provide permit information and has no authority to issue permits of any kind. If there is any question about permissions to bring an animal to the Museum, please contact Leslie Gordon at lgordon@nhm.org to discuss.
5. HEALTH AND SAFETY
All exhibitors at the Museum must follow the then-current Museum COVID-19 safety protocols when on the Museum’s premises. The Museum will share the current COVID 19 Safety Plan, and by signing this Agreement, each exhibitor is agreeing to abide by the Covid-19 Safety Plan. The Museum has implemented COVID-19 safety protocols and infection control measures, including but not limited to indoor masking. You agree to comply with the Museum and applicable government guidelines, rules, regulations, and health and safety protocols related to the operation of the Event and any standards related to COVID-19 or other public health emergencies (collectively, “Operational Protocols”). Likewise, the Museum shall comply, and ensure its personnel comply, with all Operational Protocols. Operational Protocols may include, without limitation, staggered arrival and departure times, COVID-19 testing, temperature checks, pre-sanitization requirements, physical distancing, masks/face coverings, limiting the number of people at Bug Fair, food and beverage service and handling, and requiring persons testing positive for COVID-19 or developing or exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 to leave the Event. Performers, presenters, exhibitors, and vendors may be required to wear face masks indoors except when performing a task that cannot be done while wearing a mask. Notwithstanding implementation of the Operational Protocols, the parties specifically acknowledge that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, senior citizens and those with underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable. The Museum does not and cannot represent that COVID-19 is not present in its public spaces. All participants and speakers at Bug Fair voluntarily assume any and all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 at Bug Fair and hereby release the Museum and its employees, agents, contractors, and representatives from liability for negligence in connection therewith.
6. REGISTRATION
(a) EXHIBITOR APPLICATION FORM
Fill out the online application form in full. Incomplete and illegible forms will not be accepted. Be sure to describe your exhibit in the notes section and to list the number of exhibit staff planning to work your table(s). Exhibitors that misrepresent their display on the application form will be asked to leave the Bug Fair.
(b) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF REGULATIONS
All exhibitors must acknowledge that they are aware of all regulations pertaining to Bug Fair 2024 by clicking the acknowledgement of agreement box required before
beginning their online application.
(c) APPLICATION AND FEES
All applications and fees will be processed through the online ticketing system for the 2024 Bug Fair. If you are unsure whether you are an educational or commercial exhibitor under Bug Fair regulations, please contact Rocio Santoyo, at email rsantoyo@nhm.org.
(d) EXHIBITOR CONFIRMATION
Exhibitors will receive confirmation prior to the event date. Please contact Bug Fair organizers if you have questions regarding your confirmation if needed sooner.
6. INQUIRIES
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rocio Santoyo, (Program Manager, Public Programs) at rsantoyo@nhm.org. We look forward to seeing you in May!