MARION — The Natural History Museum now has new, more comfortable chairs for its programs courtesy of the Island Foundation. The museum also has a new projector and screen, which it hopes to put to use with a new nature film series this year. The museum will also offer new programs for adults and seniors this year, some of which will be lecture-based and some of which will be participatory.  

The museum will expand its opening time on Wednesday by two hours, opening at 10 a.m. It also offers Marion residents the chance to use its virtual reality set by appointment. 

On Feb. 26 at 10:30 a.m. The “Butterfly Man,”Joe Dwelly, a Yarmouth resident, will be visiting the Marion Natural History Museum to share what he knows about local species.

Dwelly will give advice about where butterflies can be found and how community members can attract them.  After an overview of habitat and migration patterns, Dwelly will profile plant and butterfly “pairings,” and highlight a handful of his favorites for the area.

“We are limited up north because of our particular climate,” Dwelly says. “But by becoming familiar with the exceptional grasslands and plant habitats, we can support a diverse range of unique butterflies.”

Program participants should contact the museum in advance so organizer know how many chairs to set up. The museum’s phone number is 508-748-2098 and its email is director@marionmuseum.org.The museum is located at 8 Spring Street, above the Elizabeth Taber Library.