Norman museum to host bug invasion

The spider's dramatic appearance was designed to highlight two new exhibits that open Friday featuring spiders and other creepy-crawlies.

“The weather just didn't cooperate,” said spokeswoman Jennifer Tregarthen.

Crews finally inflated the spider for temporary display on a museum plaza. If weather conditions improve, the spider will be mounted on the roof next week, Tregarthen said.

A public reception set for 6 to 8 p.m. Friday will celebrate the opening of “Bugs … Outside the Box” and “Beautiful Beasts: The Unseen Life of Oklahoma Spiders and Insects.”

Each exhibit showcases the wonder and beauty of bugs in different ways.

“Bugs … Outside the Box” presents a selection of greatly enlarged insect sculptures, each designed to reveal the beauty hidden within the mini-beasts of the natural world.

Butterflies with 5-foot wingspans and 4-foot-long beetles are just two examples of the unique sculptures included in the exhibit.

Using powerful magnification and actual specimens of each animal, artist Lorenzo Possenti painstakingly created each sculpture with remarkable accuracy.

“Beautiful Beasts: The Unseen Life of Oklahoma Spiders and Insects” features immense color macro photographs by Thomas Shahan along with descriptions of where and how the photographs were taken.