What to Know
- Spider Pavilion at the Natural History Museum
- Sept. 17 through Nov. 26, 2023
- $8; you'll also need to purchase general museum admission; free for museum members (reservations are required for the 30-minute time slots)
Every season has its timeless symbols, from the fruits of early summer to the schoolbooks of late August to the festive gifts of December.
September brims with beauty, all around, but one of its most iconic sights is one you might see at night or dawn: A strong spidery strand, one that reaches from a tree branch to a telephone pole.
Or, of course, the entire orb, if you are lucky.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
We're now in the wonderfully webby thick of Orb-weaver-tember, and while this isn't an official month, arachnid aficionados understand that the weeks leading up to the autumnal equinox are some of the most spectacular on the spider calendar.
It's also the time when Spider Pavilion, that remarkable realm of eight-legged critters, debuts at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
The popular seasonal pop-up's 2023 run will stretch, silkily, from Sept. 17 through to Nov. 26.
"Wander through the open-air pavilion to see a series of spectacular webs, speak to educators about the various featured species, peer through glass into enclosed habitats, and fall in love with some of nature's most misunderstood creatures," suggests the museum.
Knowing a carapace from an egg sac is not a prerequisite for visiting Spider Pavilion; super-smart spider-o-logists will be standing by to fill out the wondrous world of spiderdom, from how they make webs to what they love to chow upon.
Hundreds — yes, hundreds — of spiders will be in the house, or, er, pavilion, giving spider-obsessed humans plenty of ooh/aah moments, which surely will outweigh any goosebumps.
Tarantulas are among the superstars getting their due, as is, oh yes, wait for it, jumping spiders, which may be viewed through glass.
If only all earthlings rocked a well-known handle that clearly explained one of their most commonly performed actions. (Which makes one ponder what their own nickname might be.)
Spiders, of course, are central players in our marvelous natural world, bringing so much good to various ecosystem, including their eternal appetite for pests.
Stop by and pay your respects to these multi-eyed icons, admire their webs, and get close, though not too close, to their amazing worlds while Orb-weaver-tember is here.
