Myths Revealed:

Blind, blood-sucking, squeaky creatures that get tangled in your hair. Who wants to see an exhibit on BATS?! Visitors of Masters of the Night: The True Story of Bats soon find these beliefs to be myths that have held fast throughout the years. The exhibit explains that bats are actually gentle, beneficial little animals.

Did you know that many fruit-bearing trees in the constantly threatened rainforest depend on bats? In order to reproduce, these trees bear fruit that need seed dispersal and are ingested, often by bats. The bats, in turn spread waste material containing seeds that as dispersed, regenerate the rainforest.

With lifelike models and interactives, the ecological importance of bats is revealed, and visitors can better understand and truly appreciate the wonders of the bat world.

Hands-On Interactives:

How about trying on a pair of bat ears allowing one to experience the sensitivity of bat hearing? Or if food is more appealing, try to match the bats up with their favorite foods and look for bats masked in a variety of habitats. Other interactives help visitors learn echo-location, find where bats are located worldwide, and discover how mother bats easily find their babies.

Endorsement:

Evergreen Exhibitions contributes a percentage of all venue revenue to Bat Conservation International, for ongoing educational outreach. Dr. Merlin Tuttle, founder of Bat Conservation International, endorses Masters of the Night.

Quotable Quotes:

“Attendance was wonderful…people were emphatic when responding positively to the question of whether it was worth the price with answers like ‘absolutely!’ and ‘definitely!'”
Carrie Hageman, Manager of Special Exhibits
The Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois 

“…175,000+ guests came to visit the exhibit during its stay. The numerous surveys showed that the exhibit was a hit with all generations. Educational groups touring the Bat exhibit found it to be both fun and educational at the same time.”
Gregg Hudson, Director
The Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth, Texas

Dr. Merlin Tuttle, founder of Bat Conservation International (BCI), serves as scientific consultant. BCI is recognized as the international leader in conservation and education initiatives that protect bats and their habitats.

Content Collaborator: 
Merlin Tuttle, Ph.D.

Bat Conservation International (BCI)

Now Showing At:

Martinsville, Virginia
Virginia Museum of Natural History
February 10, 2024 – January 12, 2025

Past Venues:
Science Museum of Western Virginia, Roanoke, VA
Saskatchewan Science Center, Regina, Can
Tallahassee Mus-History/Nat.Science, Tallahassee, FL
Discovery Center Museum, Rockford, IL
Boise Nature Center, Boise, ID
North Carolina Museum of Life & Sci, Durham, NC
Coyote Point Museum, San Mateo, CA
Tulsa Zoo, Tulsa, OK
Science Center of Connecticut, W. Hartford, CT
Arkansas Museum of Science & His, Little Rock, AR
Putnam Museum of History & Nat Sci, Davenport, IA
Sloan Museum, Flint, MI
Neville Public Museum, Green Bay, WI
Discovery Center of Springfield, Springfield, MO
Lincoln Mall, Matteson, IL
Arizona Science Center, Phoenix, AZ
Sci-Port Discovery Center, Shreveport, LA
The Children’s Museum Richmond, Richmond, VA
Delaware Museum of Nat History, Wilmington, DE
Pittsburgh Zoo, Pittsburgh, PA
Heard Museum, McKinney, TX
Natural History Museum of Sternberg, Hays, KS
Echo Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, VT
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Jackson, MS
Fontano Nature Organization, Omaha, NE
Lindsay Wildlife Museum, Walnut Creek, CA
SciTech Hands-On Museum Science & Technology Interactive Center, Aurora, IL
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, Texas
Rocky Mount Children’s Museum, Rocky Mount, NC
Coyote Point Museum, San Mateo, CA
Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Dayton, OH
South Florida Science Museum,  West Palm Beach, FL
Discovery Science Center, Santa Ana, CA
The North Carolina Arboretum, Ashville, NC
High Desert Museum, Bend, OR
Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond, VA
University of Texas-Pan Am, Edinburg, TX
South Florida Museum, Bradenton, FL
Natural History Museum & Visitor Center Gray Fossil Site, Johnson City, TN
Virginia Living Museum, Newport News, VA
The Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary, McKinney, TX
Turtle Bay Exploration Park, Redding, CA
World Forestry Center, Portland, OR
San Francisco Zoo, San Francisco, CA
Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, MA
Stamford Museum & Nature Center, Stamford, CT
Museum of Natural Science, Houston, TX
Carlsbad Museum & Art Center, Carlsbad, NM
Rolling Hills Zoo, Salina, KS
Gateway Science Museum, Chico, CA
Elachee Nature Science Center, Gainesville, GA
Austin Nature and Science Center Austin, TX
Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL
Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, Mount Airy, NC
Grand Rapids Public Museum Grand Rapids, MI
Discovery Science Center, Bridgeport, CT
Flamingo Gardens, Davie, FL

Lease Information:
Call Christi Klingelhefer at 210-599-0045.