Do you suffer from arachnophobia, or the fear of spiders? The Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto has got an exhibit for you, “Spiders: Fear & Fascination.”
The exhibit runs from June 16, 2018 to January 6, 2019.
Here’s the details from their site:
THE EXHIBITION
Spiders are one of the most remarkable animals on the planet! They spin webs, dance, swim, and even grow back lost limbs. Entangle yourself in the world of spiders when you come face-to-face with nearly 400 amazing live and preserved arachnids in Spiders: Fear & Fascination.
Experience a web of hands-on interactives, incredible augmented reality, challenge a peacock spider to a dance-off, explore a recreated spider cave, and more! Get up close to the world of arachnids like never before with the ROM Spider Lab. See daily live specimen demonstrations – including venom milking – from our team of expert Spider Wranglers.
Dance-off with a peacock spider?
Exploring a spider cave?
Milking a spider –even if it’s just watching a Spider Wrangler do it?
And augmented reality? I love anything AR so I’m insanely curious how they used it in the exhibit. All of it sounds fun though.
Here’s a couple “Spiders: Fear & Fascination” photos from the museum’s Instagram:
Just your friendly neighbourhood #ROMspiders reminding you to come see them. ? ??
Just our rockstar spider wranglers milking our venomous spiders in the lab. The use of venom has helped spiders hunt and protect themselves for over 300 million years. The powerful concoction of chemicals in spider venom enables them to paralyze and even liquefy their prey. The venom of most spiders has little effect on humans, with the average bite less severe than a bee sting. Chemicals in venom are being studied to assist with pain management and produce safer pesticides. #ROMspiders
Nothing to Fear
I’m not afraid of spiders. Don’t get me wrong. If I see one when I’m not expecting to, they’ve startled me.
But I’m not the screaming, must kill it immediately kind. I’m not the “must kill it” kind at all.
Who knows how many “pet” spiders I have in this house. The most I do is gently relocate them outside if someone with a fear of spiders is visiting and a spider happens to make an appearance.
Otherwise, I prefer to live and let live. I’m not the best housekeeper so I prefer to believe my house spiders are eight-legged fairies helping to keep bugs at bay.
Much to my husband’s chagrin. I’m sure he’d much prefer I was a little more consistent with the dusting, vacuuming and mopping.
Are you afraid of spiders? Do you think an exhibit like this could help conquer your fear?
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
Loading ...