Gifts to Bohart Museum of Entomology

Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum

There's a donate button on its website. All gifts are tax-deductible.

The Bohart Museum, home of nearly eight million insect specimens from around the world, also has a year-around gift shop (think t-shirts, posters, books, jewelry and insect-collecting equipment) and a live "petting zoo," consisting of about 200 critters, ranging from Madagascar hissing cockroaches to tarantulas to walking sticks.

Directed by Lynn Kimsey, professor of entomology at UC Davis, the museum is located in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge building. Admission is free. It's open to the public Monday through Thursday, except on holidays. (See calenar on the home page)

A little information about the Bohart Museum, per Lynn Kimsey:

• We connect with nearly 15,000 visitors, both at the museum, in classrooms and through public events
• We identify more than 1000 unknown insects each year, guiding consumers to appropriate and cost-effective control strategies when needed.
• Helping people understand insects and spiders is one of the things we do best

State budget cuts "have a deep impact on the UC system, including the Bohart Museum," Kimsey points out.  Here are examples of what donations from $20 to $1000 can mean:

• $20 donation:  A teacher can borrow "Oh, My" boxes (educational specimen displays) and live animals to enhance their lesson plans
• $100 donation: New traveling exhibit boxes can be developed to meet the educational needs of teachers
• $200 donation: Bohart educators can visit a school and work with multiple classes to teach them about insects in an engaging hands-on manner
• $1000 donation: This supports an undergraduate student working in the museum for one quarter. With tuition and fees increasing, students need paying jobs. Working in the museum alongside scientists, and learning about insects can be a life-changing experience.

Through donations, the Bohart can better serve the community  "and you (donor) may even inspire a new bug lover!" Kimsey says.  Folks can also join the Bohart Museum Society; membership has its privileges. In addition, newly discovered insects can be named for a loved one. For more information and details, contact (530) 752-0493 or bmuseum@ucdavis.edu.