Instagram story viewer> @may.museum> Posts

May Museum

@may.museum

2.6K

followers

1268

following

𝚆𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚟𝚎𝚕 𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚜 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎. 𝚅𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙼𝚊𝚢 𝙼𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚞𝚖. 🦋

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

After your museum tour be sure to check out our gift shop where you'll find the perfect Colorado souvenir - The Colorado Springs Monopoly Edition. 🎲 This official version includes none other than yours truly, the May Museum along with Herkimer, the World's Largest Beetle! 🪲 For just 100 Monopoly dollars, you can own the museum! It's great fun for the entire family. #MayMuseum #HerkimerTheWorldsLargestBeetle #Monopoly #ColoradoSpringsMonopoly #VisitPikesPeak. taken in May Natural History Museum by @may.museum

34

2

a year ago

Herkimer the World’s Largest Beetle has been the trademark of the May Museum since 1952. He is a male specimen replica of one of the world’s largest beetles, Dynastes Hercules, that is native to the West Indies. He is 48 times larger than an actual Hercules beetle! 🪲The statue was designed by May Museum founder, John May, along with a local Colorado Springs sculptor named Vern Siebert.

Herkimer has been in his current location, standing guard at the entrance to Rock Creek Canyon along Highway 115 for more than sixty years. Prior to this time, he was part of the traveling May Tropical Exhibition. When the collection was located in Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida in the 1950s, Herkimer marked the entrance to the exhibit.

Actual Hercules beetles can be seen in the museum collection. Specimens can be up to nine inches long, weigh half a pound, and often males can carry females around in their large jaws. Have you visited Herkimer? Share your experience! #MayMuseum #HerkimerTheWorldsLargestBeetle #ColoradoSprings #VisitCos taken in May Natural History Museum by @may.museum

136

6

a year ago

Join us at the May Museum to explore the amazing world of tropical insects 🐞on International Museum Day. Bring your family for a day of fun, and discovery! What insect are you most excited to see? Don't miss out on this unique experience! #MayMuseum #Herkimer #TheWorldsLargestBeetle #Museum #FamilyFun #InternationalMuseumDay taken in May Natural History Museum by @may.museum

77

1

a year ago

We have over 7,000 specimens on display here at the May Museum. Which specimen is your favorite? #MayMuseum #HerkimerTheWorldsLargestBeetle #Butterflies #VisitCOS #SummerFun by @may.museum

23

0

a month ago

Showcasing Insects from Around the World

May Museum: 100 Years of Entomological History

With a history dating back more than 100 years, the May Natural History Museum attracts curious kids, tourists and trained entomologists from all over the world to investigate the 7,000-plus insects on display. Started by James Frederick May, a naturalist who collected insects over his lifetime, the museum is one of the largest private collections of tropical insects in the United States.

Set on Golden Eagle Ranch, the May Museum is a family-owned and operated business located in Colorado Springs since the 1950s. Families and visitors of all ages visit the museum and picnic on the grounds, which are home to hiking trails and wildlife.

To explore the full article from our August 2025 issue, revisit the issue on our website.

✍: Lindsay Tallman
📷: May Museum

#coloradomuseums #coloradosprings #coloradospringslifestylemag taken in Colorado Springs, Colorado by @may.museum

27

0

2 months ago

Fun awaits you here at the May Museum. We're open every day from 9AM-6PM so be sure to visit this summer. #MayMuseum #HerkimerTheWorldsLargestBeetle #SummerFun #VisitPikesPeak by @may.museum

27

0

2 months ago

The May Museum cordially invites you to celebrate our 75th season in Colorado Springs. 🥳Tomorrow, August 1st from 10AM - 3PM we are hosting a picnic with food trucks, vendors, games, prizes, and FREE admission to the museum. 🪲We would love to see everyone there. 🦋Mark your calendars and bring your friends! #MayMuseum #HerkimerTheWorldsLargestBeetle #VisitCOS #Anniversary by @may.museum

22

0

3 months ago

Calling all photographers! 📷The May Museum is a great place to capture some very unique shots. 🦋Each summer, our guests get some really beautiful pictures of the collection. 🪲Set up your tour today! Don't miss out on this unique photo opportunity! Have you ever photographed an insect up close? #MayMuseum #HerkimerTheWorldsLargestBeetle #Photography #InsectPhotography #ColoradoSprings by @may.museum

42

0

3 months ago

Explore One of Colorado’s Most Unique Attractions at the John May Museum! ✨🦋 @may.museum

Step into a world of giant beetles, colorful butterflies, fascinating spiders, and thousands of incredible insect specimens from around the globe. With over 7,000 insects on display, the John May Museum Center is a must-see destination for curious minds of all ages.

📍 710 Rock Creek Canyon Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80926

Bring your camera, explore the collection, and meet Herkimer, the museum’s famous giant beetle landmark!
Plan your visit today and discover why bugs are some of nature’s most amazing creatures!

They are celebrating their 75th anniversary on August 1st! Come check it out!!

#JohnMayBugMuseum #MayNaturalHistoryMuseum #BugMuseum #ColoradoSprings #FamilyFun by @may.museum

17

0

3 months ago

Spraycation Mural Tour Day 6 : Adventures in Colorado Springs!!

This is a longer-format video for those of you with an attention span longer than 20 seconds. Stay with us here! 🐞✨ Check out this deep dive into one of my favorite places that I’ve discovered along the Spraycation Mural Tour — the May Natural History Museum, one of the most incredible museums I’ve ever experienced. To learn more follow: @may.museum

I had an amazing opportunity to sit down with Nik, fifth-generation successor of the family-run museum to do her very first interview about the history, legacy, and magic of the May Museum. It’s an honor to share this with y’all 💖

If you’re like me and you love bugs, history, strange and beautiful things, family legacies, roadside gems, or just places that make you feel wildly curious again… this is for you!!

Support this incredible museum, give them a follow, and add it to your Colorado Springs must-see list. 🦋 Check out Nik’s creations @anthropod.artistry!!

#Spraycation #MayNaturalHistoryMuseum #ColoradoSprings #BugMuseum RoadsideAmerica taken in May Natural History Museum by @may.museum

71

11

3 months ago

Did you know that beetles make up one out of every four animals on Earth?
Beetles live everywhere.
Beetles can be noisy.
Some beetles glow in the dark.
Come check out our collection of beetles here at the May Museum. You are sure to find one that you like! Don't miss out! Which beetle would you like to see the most? #MayMuseum #HerkimerTheWorldsLargestBeetle #Beetles #VisitColorado by @may.museum

40

0

3 months ago

The Fourth of July—also known as Independence Day or July 4th—celebrates the birth of American independence from the British Empire. On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence.

Designated as a federal holiday across the United States in 1938, Independence Day celebrations have existed as far back as the 18th century and even the American Revolution. Festivities range from fireworks, parades, and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues. How are you celebrating this Fourth of July? Let us know in the comments! #MayMuseum #HerkimerTheWorldsLargestBeetle #4thofJuly #IndependenceDay #FourthOfJuly #VisitCOS by @may.museum

8

0

4 months ago