Smithsonian Events

IMAX Films at the Samuel C. Johnson IMAX Theater

Sunday, February 12, 2012

For information on films, show times, and prices, visit the IMAX Theaters website.

Note:
- For after-hours shows, use the Constitution Ave. entrance.

More info: www.si.edu…

Natural History Museum Exhibition Interpreters/Navigators

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Museum volunteer interpreters welcome visitors, answer questions, and help visitors navigate exhibitions. Interpreters may be stationed in several of the following exhibitions at various times throughout the day, subject to interpreter availability:

Against All Odds: Rescue at the Chilean Mine (through May 2012)

Written in Bone: Forensic Files of the 17th-Century Chesapeake (through January 6, 2013)

The David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins: What Does It Mean To Be Human?

The Sant Ocean Hall

Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals

Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life

Albert Einstein Planetarium

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Embark on an astronomical adventure at the Einstein Planetarium. For information on Planetarium shows, show times, and prices, visit the IMAX Theaters and Einstein Planetarium website.

More info: www.si.edu…

IMAX Films at the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Explore our fascination with flight through the air and in space. View Earth from the open cargo bay of the Space Shuttle. Journey to natural and man-made wonders of the world. These and other thrills await you in the National Air and Space Museum's Lockheed Martin Imax Theater. Films are projected on the five-story-high screen with six-channel digital surround sound. For information on films, show times, and prices, visit the IMAX Theaters website.

More info: www.si.edu…

IMAX Films at the Airbus IMAX Theater

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Explore our fascination with flight through the air and in space. View Earth from the open cargo bay of the Space Shuttle. Journey to natural and man-made wonders of the world. These and other thrills await you in the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center's Airbus IMAX Theater. Films are projected on the five-story-high screen with six-channel digital surround sound. For information on films, show times, and prices, visit the IMAX Theaters website.

More info: www.si.edu…

Power of Chocolate Festival

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 10 am – 4:30 pm

This two-day celebration of one of the world’s favorite flavors includes traditional dance performances by Tradiciones Bolivianas and Sangre Boliviana; live food demonstrations and free chocolate samples (while supplies last!); a talk focused on the health and nutrition benefits of cacao and chocolate with Catherine Kwik-Uribe of Mars Botanical; and presentations from one of the world’s greatest chocolate makers, The Historic Division of Mars; as well as “Make Your Own Paper Mola” hands-on activities for kids and families!

Encounter Invertebrates

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 10 am – 3 pm

Explore the complex and fascinating world of invertebrates: corals and crabs, ants and anemones, snails and spiders. Staff will be feeding the animals and answering questions every 1/2 hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Great Cats Viewing

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 10 am – 4 pm

The lions and tigers are on exhibit from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.

Haudenosaunee Room

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 10 am – 4:45 pm

Haudenosaunee Room 10am - 4:45 PM

Butterfly Pavilion

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 10:15 am – 5 pm

Take a stroll among live butterflies and exotic plants! Located adjacent to Partners in Evolution, this tropical oasis offers visitors a rare opportunity to get close to a variety of living butterflies from all over the world.

Regular Hours:

Daily: 10:15 AM-5:30 PM; last timed ticket at 5 PM.

More info: www.butterflies.si.edu

Discovery Room

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 10:30 am – 3:30 pm

The Discovery Room is a hands-on room for families with children and students. The room features activities using real museum objects and artifacts that allow visitors to explore the natural world at their own pace, guided by their own interests and sense of wonder. Visitors can look at fossils, skulls, shells, and minerals; use a microscope; try on costumes from around the world; and much more. Docents are available to assist and answer questions.

Entry Procedures:
• Individuals:
- For families with children and students. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

September 6 through early June:
• Tues.-Thurs.: 12 Noon-2:30 PM
• Fri.: 10:30 AM-2:30 PM
• Sat. & Sun.: 10:30 AM-3:30 PM

• School Groups:
October-May: by reservation only; 3-week notice required; call 202-633-1079 or 202-633-9287 (TTY); for information, visit the Web at www.mnh.si.edu/education/discoveryroom.htm

Interactive Carts (10:30 am - 3:00 pm)

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 10:30 am – 3 pm

(for all ages) Docents stationed at carts help visitors get their hands on history and learn about the museum's collections. Activities include operating a cotton gin, peeking through a stereoscope, experiencing what it felt like to wear a corset, using a press to print a card, and copying a letter the way Jefferson did.

Year-Round:
• Available most days between 10:30 AM and 3 PM

Note
- Activity subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.

Spotlight Tours (10:30 am - 3:00 pm)

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 10:30 am – 3 pm

Docents offer a 15-minute overview of an exhibition or briefly discuss a favorite museum object.

Year-Round:
• Most days: Available between 10:30 AM and 3 PM

Notes
- Look for the "Docent on Duty" signs posted outside the exhibition entrances.
- Tours subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.

Forensic Anthropology Lab

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 11 am – 4 pm

(for all ages) The Forensic Anthropology Lab is a hands-on room where families with children learn that forensic science is far more mysterious and engaging than forensic fiction. Visitors use real human bones to solve cases, identify people from the past, and
draw conclusions about their lives.

Entry Procedures:
• Individuals:
- Walk-in. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

September 5 through mid-June:
- Mon., Tues., Thurs., and Fri.: 1-5 PM
- Sat. & Sun.: 11 AM-4 PM

• School Groups:
October-May: by reservation only; 3-week notice required; for information and reservations, visit the Web at Forensic Lab or call 202-633-1085 or 202-633-9287 (TTY).

More info: www.mnh.si.edu…

Book Signing: George Norfleet

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 12 – 5 pm

George Norfleet signs copies of his book A Pilot's Journey: Memoirs of a Tuskegee Airman, Curtis Christopher Robinson.

More info: www.nasm.si.edu…

Book Signings: Col. Wolfgang Samuel

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 12 – 5 pm

Col. Wolfgang Samuel signs copies of his books Glory Days, Watson's Whizzers, American Raiders, The War of Our Childhood, German Boy, I Always Wanted to Fly, and Coming to Colorado.

More info: www.nasm.si.edu…

Art a la Cart: Family Program

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 1 – 4 pm

(for ages 7-12) Travel through the galleries and handle brushes, palettes, bison hide, and bottle caps at interactive carts.

More info: www.americanart.si.edu…

Book Signing: Thomas D. Jones

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 1 – 3 pm

Thomas D. Jones signs copies of his books Planetology: Unlocking the Secrets of the Solar System, Hell Hawks: The Untold Story of the American Fliers Who Savaged Hitler's Wehrmacht, and Skywalking: An Astronaut's Memoir.

More info: www.nasm.si.edu…

Luce Unplugged with The Torches

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 1:30 – 3:30 pm

Luce Unplugged, an acoustic concert series, invites emerging musicians to play after staff-led art talks.

Join us today at 1:30 p.m. for an art talk on a piece selected by The Torches. The local musical group will perform a mixture of rock and folk music at 2 p.m. in the Luce Foundation Center following the talk.

Visit the Luce Center's website for additional dates and information.

Chocolate Festival: From Bean to Beverage - Hands-On Activities

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 1:30 – 4:30 pm

Grind your own cacao seeds, froth the cacao, and explore the spices used to create traditional drinking chocolate.

Chocolate Festival: Cultural Uses of Chocolate in Mexico

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 2 – 3:30 pm

Natividad Estrada (Mazatec) explains the cultural and spiritual significance of cacao to her indigenous community in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Chocolate Festival: Family Activity - Make Your Own Paper Mola

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 2 – 4 pm

Find out how the Kuna people of Panama and Colombia create artistic textiles called molas. Then, make your own paper mola celebrating cacao!

Recommended for Ages 6+ Up

FREE timed entry tickets required, available outside Activity Center

Chocolate Festival: The Health Benefits of Chocolate

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 2 – 3 pm

This special presentation by Dr. Catherine Kwik-Uribe of Mars Botanical provides a fascinating illustrated overview of some of the historical uses of cacao, as well as the latest scientific research on chocolate and cocoa.

Dr. Kwik-uribe is the Director of Research and Development for Mars Botanical, a scientific division of Mars Incorporated. Since joining Mars Inc. in 2002, Dr. Kwik-Uribe has managed a research program within Mars Inc. that examines the potential role of specific cocoa-derived compounds—the cocoa flavanols—to support human health.

All about Body Art

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 2 – 4 pm

(recommended for ages 13 to adult) Artist and educator Jay Coleman takes you on an exploration into urban tattoo consciousness, reasoning, and subject matter. Explore the history of tattooing, as well as the cultural, diplomatic, and social importance of the art form. You will also learn about the health risks and myths about tattoos.

Portrait Story Days: Toni Morrison

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 2 – 5 pm

(for ages 5 and up with adult) Drop in to listen to a story about a person who has influenced American history and culture and to create a special piece of art. Today, learn about African American novelist Toni Morrison.

James Renwick Alliance Distinguished Lecture with Debra Fritts

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 2 – 3 pm

Join ceramicist Debra Fritts as she shares stories about her work and process. Through exploration of terracotta and the female form, she creates works that revolve around the mysteries and joys of daily living.

Foreign-Language Highlights Tour: Spanish

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 2 – 3 pm

Look for our friendly docent who will give a tour in Spanish of the highlights of the museum.

Year-Round:

1st, 2nd, and 4th Sunday of each month, 2 PM

Note
- Tour subject to docent availability and visitor requests.

Interpretive Programs

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 2 – 4 pm

Cultural interpreters offer kids and families a hands-on learning cart, a hands-on activity, a storytelling program, or a tour in the galleries.

Through February 2012:
• Most Tues., Thurs., Sat., and Sun.: 2-4 PM

Note
- Subject to Cultural Interpreter availability.

Portrait Discovery Kit Activity

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 2 – 5 pm

(for families with children ages 5 and up) Are you looking for a new way to visit the National Portrait Gallery with family and friends? Borrow a Portrait Discovery Kit – a self-guided, interactive, and imaginative way to learn more about the "sitters" (people in the portraits) and their contributions to American history. The kit includes seek-and-find cards, self-portrait pads, portrait detective and historian guides, and a compare-and-contrast activity using a doll. A museum educator explains how to use the kit before sending you to explore the galleries.

Image: Martin Luther King, Jr. / Boris Chaliapin / Watercolor and pencil on board, 1957

Meet a Great Cats Keeper

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 2:30 – 3 pm

Lions and tigers are beautiful and powerful animals come learn all about them.

Meet a Reptile

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 3 – 3:15 pm

Get an introduction to one of the Zoo's fascinating reptiles.

Octopus Feeding

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 3 – 3:15 pm

The giant Pacific octopus is a predator that demonstrates dynamic hunting behaviors.

Historic Theater: Join the Student Sit-Ins at the Greensboro Lunch Counter

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 3 – 3:20 pm

(for all ages) Meet a Civil Rights activist in 1960, just after the Greensboro student sit-in began. Take part in a training session based on an actual 1960s manual and prepare for your first sit-in. Would you have the courage to fight for justice during the Civil Rights movement? These 15- to 20-minute performances reveal the people behind the objects on view and the emotion in their stories.

February 2012:

Most Sundays at 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 3:00 PM, and 4:30 PM

Most Fridays at 3:00 PM and 4:30 PM

Please check listings for the day of your visit.

More info: www.youtube.com…

Animation Celebration!, Part I

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 3 – 4 pm

Amaqqut Nunaat/The Country of Wolves
Agua en Nuestras Colonias/Water in Our Neighborhoods
How the Chipmunk Got Its Stripes
Neil Discovers the Moon
Elal y los Animales/Elal and the Animals
Raven Tales: Raven and the First People

U.S. Custom House tour.

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 3 – 4 pm

Museum ambassador Alen Iliev provides a 45 minute in-depth look at the unique architecture of the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Customs House,home of the National Museum of the American Indian in NY.

Highlights of the Portrait Gallery

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 3:15 pm

Look for our friendly docent who will give a tour of the highlights of the gallery.

Year-Round:

Most Mon.-Fri.: 11:45 AM and 2:15 PM

Most Sat. and Sun.: 11:45 AM and 3:15 PM

Note
- Tours subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.

Chocolate Festival: Tradiciones Bolivianas and Sangre Boliviana Dance Performances

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 3:30 – 4:30 pm

Tradiciones Bolivianas was founded in 1997 by mothers and young people of different regions of Bolivia in order to preserve and demonstrate the culture, music, customs, and traditions of their country as a tribute of love and respect to their ancestral home. It is currently directed by founder Julia Garcia and William Tono Vargas.

For 25 years, Sangre Boliviana has been the home of hundreds of dancers and young people who have since gone on to be leaders in the community; it is because of this legacy that they have earned the name "Academy of Folklore." Their goal is to share and preserve the rich cultures, traditions and customs of Bolivia.

Crustacean Feeding

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 3:30 – 3:45 pm

Come see the crabs, lobsters, shrimp and crayfish get their dinner!

Historic Theater: Broad Stripes and Bright Stars

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 3:30 – 3:50 pm

(for all ages) Meet Mary Pickersgill, the seamstress who sewed the Star-Spangled Banner in 1813. Help her assemble the huge garrison flag and learn about its history. These 20-minute performances reveal the people behind the objects on view and the emotion in their stories.

February 2011:

Most Sundays and Mondays at 10:30, 12:30, 2:00 and 3:30

No shows February 19, 20, 26

Please check listings for the day of your visit.

More info: www.youtube.com…

February Daily Films: Nikamowin/Song

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 3:30 – 4 pm

In honor of Black History Month, the museum presents two films that explore identity, community, and tradition:

Nikamowin/Song (2007, 11 min, Canada, directed by Kevin Lee Burton (Swampy Cree), in English and Cree with English subtitles and voice-over) This experimental film ponders the indelible human connection to language and the alarming demise of Native languages, transforming the sounds of a Cree narrative into parallel landscapes and soundscapes.

Special Exhibitions Highlights Tour of the American Art Museum

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 4 pm

Look for our friendly docent who will give a highlights tour of The Great American Hall of Wonders exhibition.

Year-Round:
Special Exhibition Tours of the American Art Museum
• Most Sundays at 4 p.m.

Notes
- No tours on 2nd Tuesday of each month.
- No tours on federal holidays.
- Tours subject to docent availability.

Historic Theater: Join the Student Sit-Ins at the Greensboro Lunch Counter

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 4:30 – 4:50 pm

(for all ages) Meet a Civil Rights activist in 1960, just after the Greensboro student sit-in began. Take part in a training session based on an actual 1960s manual and prepare for your first sit-in. Would you have the courage to fight for justice during the Civil Rights movement? These 15- to 20-minute performances reveal the people behind the objects on view and the emotion in their stories.

February 2012:

Most Sundays at 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 3:00 PM, and 4:30 PM

Most Fridays at 3:00 PM and 4:30 PM

Please check listings for the day of your visit.

More info: www.youtube.com…

Docent's Choice Tour of the Portrait Gallery

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 4:30 pm

Look for our friendly docent who will give a tour of one of the following: highlights of the museum, the America's Presidents exhibition, or one of the special exhibitions currently on view.

Year-Round:

Most Mon.-Fri.: 1 PM and 3:30 PM

Most Sat. and Sun.: 1:30 PM and 4:30 PM

Note
- On the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month, the 1:30 PM tour may be offered in Spanish (depending upon demand).
- Tours subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.

The Emerson String Quartet

Sunday, February 12, 2012, 6 pm

Join us for a diverse set of music ranging from Bach to Jazz, including some Brazilian Choro music. This program features violist Lawrence Dutton and bassist John Patitucci.

View more details

IMAX Films at the Samuel C. Johnson IMAX Theater

Monday, February 13, 2012

For information on films, show times, and prices, visit the IMAX Theaters website.

Note:
- For after-hours shows, use the Constitution Ave. entrance.

More info: www.si.edu…

Natural History Museum Exhibition Interpreters/Navigators

Monday, February 13, 2012

Museum volunteer interpreters welcome visitors, answer questions, and help visitors navigate exhibitions. Interpreters may be stationed in several of the following exhibitions at various times throughout the day, subject to interpreter availability:

Against All Odds: Rescue at the Chilean Mine (through May 2012)

Written in Bone: Forensic Files of the 17th-Century Chesapeake (through January 6, 2013)

The David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins: What Does It Mean To Be Human?

The Sant Ocean Hall

Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals

Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life

Albert Einstein Planetarium

Monday, February 13, 2012

Embark on an astronomical adventure at the Einstein Planetarium. For information on Planetarium shows, show times, and prices, visit the IMAX Theaters and Einstein Planetarium website.

More info: www.si.edu…

IMAX Films at the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater

Monday, February 13, 2012

Explore our fascination with flight through the air and in space. View Earth from the open cargo bay of the Space Shuttle. Journey to natural and man-made wonders of the world. These and other thrills await you in the National Air and Space Museum's Lockheed Martin Imax Theater. Films are projected on the five-story-high screen with six-channel digital surround sound. For information on films, show times, and prices, visit the IMAX Theaters website.

More info: www.si.edu…

IMAX Films at the Airbus IMAX Theater

Monday, February 13, 2012

Explore our fascination with flight through the air and in space. View Earth from the open cargo bay of the Space Shuttle. Journey to natural and man-made wonders of the world. These and other thrills await you in the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center's Airbus IMAX Theater. Films are projected on the five-story-high screen with six-channel digital surround sound. For information on films, show times, and prices, visit the IMAX Theaters website.

More info: www.si.edu…

Castle Highlights Tour

Monday, February 13, 2012, 9:30 am

Look for our friendly docent who will give a tour of the highlights of the Smithsonian Castle. Visitors learn about the Institution's benefactor, James Smithson, and the architecture of the building while on a tour of the public areas of the Castle, which include James Smithson's crypt, the Great Hall, and the West Wing.

Year-Round:

Mon. and Fri.: 9:30 AM

Sat.: 9:30 AM and 10:30 AM

Sun.: 10:30 AM

Note
- Tour subject to docent availability; last-minute cancellations may occur.