FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Flight of the Butterflies Omnitheater film to debut on October 3
at the Science Museum of Minnesota

Brand new giant screen film tells the story of a revealing ecology mission
that started with two middle school students in Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minn. This fall, visitors to the Science Museum of Minnesotas William L. McKnight-3M Omnitheater will witness a triumphant journey of endurance and perseverance that spans thousands of miles and several generations. Flight of the Butterflies, a brand new giant screen film that will make its debut on October 3, tells the moving, true story of a determined zoologist and the legion of citizen scientists who joined him on a 40-year quest to unravel the mystery of the monarch migration and find their mysterious winter haven. Complete media information and downloadable images are now online at www.smm.org/media.

Flight of the Butterflies follows the story of PS 397, the monarch butterfly tag that was released by two school boys and their teacher from the western suburbs of the Twin Cities in early August 1975. This same tag and butterfly ended up being the very one Canadian researcher Dr. Fred Urquhart found four months later in the remote Sierra Madre Mountains of Michoacán, Mexico, thus uncovering the long-sought secret hideaway of the monarchs.

Along the way, viewers will meet Dana (Danaus plexippus), a female monarch, and her offspring as they migrate north from Mexico through the United States to Canada and back again. The film features footage gathered from MRI and Micro CT scans that allow viewers to look inside a monarch chrysalis for the first time in history to witness its incredible metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly.

The butterfly bearing tag PS 397 flew over 2,000 miles and for at least two months to arrive at its destination. Dr. Urquhart discovered it five minutes after he arrived in the sanctuary for the first time truly a miraculous situation that was verified by eyewitnesses, including National Geographic photographer Bianca Lavies. Dr. Urquharts incredible story was published in the August 1976 issue of the magazine. (Copies of the National Geographic article are available upon request.)

Minnesota connection to a story about one of Earths longest migrations
James Street, one of the students who tagged monarch PS 397 back in 1975, currently resides with his family in Saint Paul. He is a family law referee in his professional life, but he continues to passionately pursue ecology as a personal hobby. He remains in contact with Jim Gilbert, his middle school science teacher who introduced him to the tagging project that led to Dr. Urquharts discovery of the monarchs overwintering site in the Sierra Madre.
Flight of the Butterflies is a production of SK Films, a leading worldwide producer and distributor of entertainment content. It received major funding from the National Science Foundation and includes an extensive Educational Outreach Program, built in partnership with the Maryland Science Center. The worlds top monarch butterfly experts, including Dr. Chip Taylor, Dr. Lincoln Brower, and the University of Minnesotas own Dr. Karen Oberhauser, served as scientific advisors. Additional major support was provided by the Mexican Federal Government (Environment & Tourism) and the States of México and Michoacán, as well as from two of the most important companies in Mexico Coca-Cola FEMSA and Grupo Bimbo, the worlds largest baked goods company.

Significant portions of the films box office revenue will go towards monarch butterfly conservation through Mexicos leading conservation organization, Fondo Mexicano para la Conservaci?n de la Naturaleza.

Live Butterfly House completes the butterfly experience
To complement the Flight of the Butterflies experience this fall, the Science Museum will host its own Live Butterfly House in the U.S. Bank Great Hall on level 4. Visitors will see dozens of butterfly species close-up, watch their natural behaviors, and learn about their life cycles and the ways they are supported by their environment. Both delicate and astonishingly complex, live butterflies will provide an unforgettable conclusion to a full day of butterfly exploration.

Admission to the Live Butterfly House requires an additional fee ($5 per person, $4 for Science Museum members, FREE for children under 4) which may be paid upon entering the exhibit.

Visitor Information
Following its October 3 opening, Flight of the Butterflies will show during regular Science Museum hours. Tickets are $8 for adults and $7 for kids ages 4 to 12 and seniors 60 and over. Combination exhibit gallery and Omnitheater admission is also available. Advance reservations are recommended to ensure that visitors get tickets to the Omnitheater show time that best suits their schedule. Reservations are available via phone at (651) 221-9444 or www.smm.org.

The Science Museum of Minnesota serves hundreds of thousands of visitors each year with its hands-on exhibits, breathtaking giant screen films, special events, and unparalleled education programs. It is located at 120 West Kellogg Boulevard in downtown St. Paul. For specific directions, parking information, hours, show times and ticket information, call (651) 221-9444 or visit www.smm.org .