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Tarantulas: Alive and Up Close Opens Jan. 30

PHILADELPHIA, November 10, 2015

Tarantulas have a reputation that precedes them—terrifying, fast, hairy, scary. This winter you can see the biggest, baddest and most fearsome of all spiders in Tarantulas: Alive and Up Close, opening Jan. 30 at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.

Visitors will come face-to-face with a wide array of live tarantulas—fangs and all. Interactive activities highlight the unique attributes of some of the 900 known species of tarantulas. These eight-legged giants of the spider world live in diverse habitats around the world, from the tallest rainforest treetops to deep underground in the most arid deserts.

Tarantulas takes visitors on a journey of scientific discovery, presenting tarantulas in a new light. Among the species that will be on display are the goliath bird-eating tarantula (the largest of all tarantulas), the rare green bottle blue tarantula, and the Indian ornamental tarantula, a species troubled by loss of habitat. And each will have a unique story to tell.

“Seeing the biggest spider in the world just a couple of inches from my nose when I first toured the exhibit was an experience I will NEVER forget,” said Academy Exhibits Director Jennifer Sontchi. “This exhibit will be an eye-opener for many reasons.”

Visitors to Tarantulas can:

  • Experience an air current and discover why tarantulas are so hairy.
  • Climb a kid-size tarantula burrow and get their photo taken.
  • Play the “Name That Tarantula” game.
  • Explore where tarantulas live with the “Tarantulas of the World” interactive map. And more!

Tarantulas: Alive and Up Close will be on view through May 30, 2016. The exhibit was created by Outhouse Exhibit Services, Inc.

Media Contact

Carolyn Belardo

Director of Public Relations

belardo@ansp.org
Phone: 215.299.1043