This is looong overdue. I composed a draft weeks ago, then promptly forgot about it. -_-' This is the last from my trip to Cebu.
The Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary and Art Gallery is a cozy little treasure tucked away in the middle of Cebu City. (Even taxi drivers don't know where it is!) Built in 1974, it's actually a modest-looking house that has been converted into a museum/sanctuary/art gallery. It is the legacy of Professor Julian Jumalon, the late Cebuano artist-turned-lepidopterist (a person who studies butterflies and moths). He was a graduate of Fine Arts, but his passion was butterflies. He traveled wordwide, collecting butterflies and trading local Philippine species for foreign ones. The Sanctuary is filled with "food plants" planted by the Professor himself to attract butterflies. He also caught live specimens and released them in his garden.

The tour started with a fascinating talk encompassing entomology, art, conservation, and culture. Humaida Jumalon, Prof. Jumalon's daughter, is very articulate and enthusiastic about lepidoptera. She talked about breeding, collecting, and preserving butterflies; butterfly food plants; the butterfly life cycle; the millions of species found all over the world. You would think that such subjects wouldn't hold your attention for an hour, but the way they are presented is very engaging. The numerous visuals and specimens made tremendous visual aids. And Ms. Jumalon accepts any and all questions. I learned a lot! The talk alone is worth a visit to the Sanctuary.

The talk was held in a living room-turned-museum, filled with amazingly well-preserved butterfly and moth specimens. We were permitted to take photos without flash. The place was littered with homemade posters presenting little-known facts about the insects.


After the talk, we went to the garden/sanctuary to spot some butterflies. Unfortunately, we didn't see many because (1) it wasn't the right season, and (2) we got there near closing time, when most of them were asleep.