Editor’s Note: In anticipation of our upcoming GEMS (Girls Exploring Math and Science) event on Feb. 8, we interviewed several women who have pursued careers in science, technology, engineering, or math. Last week, we interviewed Air Liquide’s Victoria Rockwell. This week we’re featuring Celeste Poorte, Butterfly Rearing Coordinator at the Cockrell Butterfly Center at the […]
In Part I, we talked about the Cockrell Butterfly Center’s Little Coffee Tree That Could, and how we grow, harvest, and dry coffee beans. But even after all this work, the beans are still not ready to consume. So let’s talk about how we get the dried (parchment) coffee to a state that can be enjoyed […]
When we think of coffee, we normally assume that the best quality coffee comes from Java, Colombia, Ethiopia, or Kona. But maybe it’s time to add Houston to the list! This year at the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s Cockrell Butterfly Center, we were fortunate to have a large enough crop on our coffee tree […]
Fall is coming! Leaves are changing color, temperatures start creeping down, and gardeners will be able to get back outside without the threat of heatstroke. Well, in theory. This is Houston, after all. But despite the fact that it’ll be warm until Thanksgiving, there is something we can look forward to: cooler temps! And you […]
Editor’s Note: Today’s blog comes to us from Cockrell Butterfly Center Butterfly Rearing Coordinator Celeste Poorte. The Cockrell Butterfly Center has had the privilege of witnessing a rare natural phenomenon recently. On July 10, a very unusual butterfly emerged from its chrysalis in the Museum’s greenhouses used for breeding and raising butterflies. This butterfly has […]
The tropical vegetation in the Cockrell Butterfly Center features a number of plants with edible fruits. Some, such as coffee, chocolate, pineapple and papaya, are familiar and readily available in local stores. But most visitors — unless they hail from equatorial climes — are probably unfamiliar with caimito, jaboticaba, calabash, Barbados cherry or miracle fruit. […]
Last Friday we launched our new summer program aimed at getting patrons involved in some of our behind-the-scenes, day-to-day maintenance of the Cockrell Butterfly Center: the Friday Feeding Frenzy! Every Friday this summer, the Butterfly Center staff will feed their live animal collection in the view of our patrons, allowing you guys to learn a […]
When most folks want to see the Museum for free, they come on our free day (Thursdays from 2 to 5 p.m) But one of our latest visitors did it differently: He stowed away on a cargo vessel amongst a shipment of tools — all the way from Colombia! Chico — the ingenious little iguana […]
Update! Our survey closed Monday morning with record responses. Thanks to your feedback, we’re looking forward to continuing to improve our site and getting the latest and greatest HMNS info to you as conveniently as possible. Thanks! Help me help you by helping us help ourselves. Or something. Can I get Tom Cruise on the […]
Every year, the Houston Galleria hosts Primavera: a springtime celebration of all things blooming. As in the past, the Museum got in on Primavera this year with a butterfly garden installation: Visit our flappers in their fabulous temporary digs through April 7 on the ground floor of Galleria 4, in between Ann Taylor and Gigi’s […]
