Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium

Since day one, our long-term vision has been to open a tropical butterfly house and insect museum in Missoula, MT. Throughout 2022, this dream continued to move closer to reality with the ongoing construction of our future home within the Rocky Mountain Gardens and Exploration Center.Utilizing a combination of in-person and distance learning programming, throughout 2022 our education efforts continued to flourish, reaching schools throughout western Montana and across the state. Our weekly social media and online education efforts continued to engage learners of all ages. And our efforts within two community science research projects continued to evolve into powerful ways to immerse learners in hands- on education opportunities that improve scientific understanding and benefit species conservation.Some of the highlights of our education efforts in 2022 included:" School Field Trips: Utilizing a combination of online and in-person learning, we conducted a total of 229 field trips for 281 classes." Field Trip Scholarships: Thanks to our partners at the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation and the Jane S. Heman Foundation, in 2022 we were able to provide field trip scholarships for 67 classes, reaching 1,234 students." Online Bug Encounters: Throughout the past year, we went live nearly every Wednesday at 1:00PM. Coming to you via Facebook, our 10 to 15 minute Online Bug Encounters have been introducing learners of all ages to some amazing species and insect-focused topics for more than three years. In 2022 we conducted 46 live encounters with 21,206 views." What's Buzzin': 2022 marked our 8th season of bringing you What's Buzzin' over email and social media. This weekly, seasonal report spotlights some of the insect and arthropod species currently being found across western Montana. Initially starting as a staff-driven effort, it's blossomed into something much bigger with over 385 photos featured in 2022 that were submitted by bug watchers all around Montana. Notes from the Lab: This seasonal (not produced during the summer field season) report is shared on our email list. Covering topics that have ranged from insect folklore to deep dives into the interesting lives of specific species, this ongoing series is proof that there's always something new to learn. In 2022 we shared 30 Notes from the Lab reports." Community Science Research: 2022 was our third year participating in two national Community Science research projects looking at insect species diversity and abundance. Throughout the year, we were able to engage 15 community participants (ranging in age from 12 to 70) and 2 college students in these hands- on research projects - providing unique learning opportunities that covered everything from field research to DNA analysis." Bug Bytes Podcast: Throughout 2022 we continued to collaborate with Montana Public Radio in producing 30 new episodes of Bug Bytes httpswwwmtprorgpodcastbugbytes Summer Camps: Working with other education partners, we were able to hold 7 summer camps for 110 campers.2022 was the final year of our capital campaign for our new facility. We continued to be astounded by the enthusiasm and generosity expressed for our vision. By the end of the year, we successfully crossed the finish line in this significant fundraising effort by raising a total of $4,663,361 in gifts and pledges. With construction estimated to be completed by mid-August, we hope to open in late September of 2023.2022 was an extraordinary year on all fronts. We continued to expand the reach and impact of our unique education programs while taking significant strides toward realizing the dream that started our organization in 2009 - opening a facility featuring a tropical butterfly house and live insect museum. The success we had in 2022 sets the stage for a new era for our education programs and our organization as a whole, getting ready to take things to an entirely new level.