The Florida Museum of Natural History, on the University of Florida campus, is one of the best natural history museums in the American South. The permanent collections cover Florida's geological history, its indigenous peoples from earliest settlement through the colonial period, and the diversity of life in the state's ecosystems — from the springs and sinkholes of the interior to the coral reefs offshore.
The attached Butterfly Rainforest is the highlight for most visitors: a large screened enclosure where hundreds of tropical butterflies fly freely around visitors, landing on flowers, clothing, and occasionally people. The collection includes species from Central and South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. You can spend as long as you like inside and the best time is mid-morning when the butterflies are most active. Admission to the butterfly exhibit is charged separately; the rest of the museum is free.