Larger than life models of insects, interactive digital displays and a live bug zoo fill the Fantastic Bug Encounters exhibition hall at the Field Museum in downtown Chicago, which opened to the public on Friday.

"We have 15 species of insects and bugs on display at the exhibit," said Jessica Wadleigh, bug zoo facilitator at the Field Museum of Natural History, at the media preview on Tuesday.

The exhibit is built around four immersive chambers elaborately decorated with colorful larger than life insect models, along with interactive panels that let visitors have hands-on activities. The touch screen reveals a lot of information on insects and bugs.

At one station, visitors can create and fly their own origami butterflies in a wind tunnel.

A "bug zoo" at the exhibit features a dozen live bug species and visitors can learn about them and even touch some of them.

"There will be a 20-minute demonstration of live bugs every hour from 10 am to 3 pm except noon during the exhibition," said Wadleigh, who was showing a gigantic tarantula spider in her hands as she spoke. "This tarantula is 12 years old," she said.

"It's a female," she continued. "A male is smaller in size and normally lives only for three or four years."

Wadleigh said that the exhibit is very family-friendly.  There are many engaging hands-on activities for visitors of all ages, and also plenty of scientific information.

Petra Sierwald, Field Museum associate curator, said the Field Museum has one of the largest collections of insects in the world, with "over 4.5 million pinned insects and another million or so in alcohol preserved collections, including many species from Southeast Asia and China."

"Insects are small and used to be difficult to display," Sierwald said. "Now, with large model building and digital displays, they are far more accessible to the public."

"Many people fear insects," said Robin Delapena, collections assistant. 

"But insects play an integral role in our lives, pollinating our crops, doing natural biological pest control and even providing food as a protein source."

Delapena told the Xinhua News Agency that the goal of the exhibit is to "reduce people's fear of bugs" and "increase their respect and admiration for them."

The exhibition, presented in both English and Spanish, comes from New Zealand's world-famous museum Te Papa, said Delapena.

"The world-famous museum worked with five-time Academy Award-winning studio Weta Workshop to create this exhibit," said Delapena. "Weta Workshop was instrumental in making The Lord of the Rings trilogy."

The Fantastic Bug Encounters exhibit will run until April 2020.