Uli goes to great heights for the Butterfly House.

5 Questions With Staff

by Uli, Butterfly House Director

1.  What do you do for the Museum?

I work at the Museum as the Director of the Magic Wings Butterfly House and Insectarium, which means that I have the office with the 10,000 sqft window. I am responsible for the care of this outstanding exhibit. I help our team of 5 employees and 15+ volunteers care for our building, the surrounding landscape and the live exhibits. I also get to plan and keep track of our budget, do a lot of our purchasing of supplies, carry ladders for our horticulturists, prune trees, wash windows, wrestle insects, fix broken exhibits, change light bulbs, clean exhibits, chat with our visitors, help with the Museum’s public relations efforts, answer phones, catch some butterflies, pull weeds, water the conservatory, assure the compliance with federal regulations and much more.

2.  What's your favorite thing about working for the Museum?

Picking a favorite is hard. Obviously, the variety of this job is what makes it exciting for me. It helps that that I get to meet a lot of curious people that love to come to our exhibit.

3.  What's one thing you have done as part of your job at the Museum that you thought you would never do?

Being trained in Agricultural Sciences and Horticulture, I am more a plant person than an entomologist. So I had to really get up my courage when I held my first tarantula and couldn’t let the guests in front of me know about my doubts and distrust in a highly venomous animal.

4.  How do you encounter science in your job?

All of my staff have advanced science degrees and have a particular science expertise. And while we usually don’t do scientific experiments, we regularly have to research information for our plants and animals. I also learn a lot from colleagues in other departments when they research new exhibits, as well as from talking to our guests. (And then there is the science of customer service!)

5.  What would you tell someone who is interested in working for the Museum?

This is a great science playground for our guests, but also for staff. It is a great place, a great looking work environment with a great mission. While day to day it is still work, it is a place worth working for.

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