In 1989, the nutty professor Wayne Szalinski accidentally shrunk his kids in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and we all got to experience the terror (and delight) of his kids, a quarter-inch tall, amid the smacking jaws of carpenter ants and the death-wielding sting of the scorpion.
You can re-experience that terror and delight firsthand this weekend with the Big, BIG BUGS! Exhibit opening at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. With sizes skewed and roles reversed, you'll be looking up at an elephant-sized atlas beetle, preying mantis, caterpillar, and more. These enlarged insects offer unique educational opportunities with the otherwise overlooked world just underfoot.
If the giant replicas pique your interest, you may also want to visit the Bug House, a dirt-walled interior showcasing "family portraits" of the insect world. Or, sign yourself up for one of the recurring sessions in the Bug Lab, where insect anatomy, life cycles, and adaptations are more closely examined.
The exhibit will run February 20 to May 31. Admission to the exhibit costs $2 in addition to general admission to the Museum ($3 for kids ages 3 to 17, $8 for adults, $7 for seniors.) On the evenings of March 1-5, April 1-9, and May 10-14 special "Bug Night" packages are available including admission to the museum and special exhibits, a planetarium show, unlimited carousel rides, and dinner for only $10.
And perhaps, just perhaps, you'll think again before squashing that ant with your shoe.
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