Play Date at NMNH: Backyard Bird Count!
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
This Tuesday we invite you to join us to celebrate birds! Together through play and art-making, families will engage in different ways to observe and record their own observations of birds they see outside (or even inside) the museum as well as learn about the Backyard Bird Count event happening February 13-16 all around the world!
The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early learners and their caregivers and families. Activities are designed with early learners in mind, but all ages are welcome.
Location: This program is held in Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center, on the Ground Floor of the museum. Please enter through the Constitution Avenue entrance. Q?rius is located on the right as you enter the museum.
Accessibility: Access services such as American Sign Language interpretation, real-time captioning (CART), or audio-description are available…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center (Ground Floor). Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
(Rescheduled from Jan 26) Behind the Science: Herbivores That Chewed Through Time: How Insects and Pathogens Responded to Earth’s Biggest Events
Announcing a new After-Hours series at the National Museum of Natural History:
Behind the Science
A monthly after-hours series featuring NMNH scientists and researchers
Each month, join the National Museum of Natural History for the new series, Behind the Science, where NMNH researchers share insights into their latest discoveries and explore the fascinating questions driving their work—from the origins of life to the future of our planet. Come learn what’s happening behind the scenes and how science shapes our understanding of the natural world.
Programs take place in Q?rius, the Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center.
Topics and speakers announced on a rolling basis, but save the dates now!February 10 (RESCHEDULED FROM JAN 26): Conrad Labandeira, Paleobiology, The leaves of plants are everywhere. They provide the primary documentation of insect and pathogen feeding styles – or herbivory – on plants in the modern and fossil records. Leaves also are the most abundant, macroscopic item in the fossil…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: National Museum of Natural History (Ground Floor). Cost: Free; registration is required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/58024102/behind-the-scienceherbivores-that-chewed-through-timehow-insects-and-pathogens-responded-to-earths-biggest-events-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. Ocean Valentine's Day
Fall in love with the ocean! From corals that can’t live without their algae friends to penguins that use pebbles to propose to heart-shaped critters, the ocean is full of fascinating relationships, animals, and habitats. Come to the Sant Ocean Hall to learn from our scientists and educators about curious ocean connections!
Image credit: Mary Hannon.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, The Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, February 12, 2026, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
The Geoheritage Sites of the Nation
Can you think of a landscape or a place in nature that you find beautiful, or that has a special significance to you? At the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Geoheritage Sites of the Nation project identifies geoheritage sites in all 50 US states, showcasing the geodiversity of the United States. Come talk to USGS Physical Scientist Christina DeVera and explore how geology has shaped society throughout history.
Image Credit: Christina DeVera.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 2nd Floor, Cellphone Exhibition Hall. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Friday, February 13, 2026, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Play Date at NMNH: Prehistoric Sea Creatures
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
This Tuesday is all about prehistoric creatures of the Cretaceous ocean! Families can learn about and make close observations of select pieces from our specimen collection, see a mosasaur in a nearby exhibit, and create your own Cretaceous ocean mural. Come and join us for a fun time learning through play and exploration all about these prehistoric sea creatures.
The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early learners (ages 0-5) and their caregivers and families. Activities are designed with early learners in mind, but all ages are welcome.
Location: This program is held in the Explorer Theater in the Sant Ocean Hall. Ocean Hall is on the 1st floor. Please note that space is dependent on the location of that week's event. Some locations have less capacity than others. It is possible that the program might be at capacity when you arrive. If this happens, please enjoy…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, Explorer Theater in Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
The Grandmother Hypothesis and Human Origins
Extended postmenopausal longevity, pair bonding, and helpless (adorable) babies are aspects of life history that distinguish us from other great apes. How did they evolve?
Kristen Hawkes, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the University of Utah, will show how the grandmother hypothesis can explain the evolution of these human features, using lessons from her ethnographic fieldwork with hunter-gatherers in Paraguay and Tanzania. Moderator: Briana Pobiner, paleoanthropologist and educator at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
This program is part of the ongoing HOT (Human Origins Today) Topic series and will be presented as a Zoom video webinar. A link will be emailed to all registrants.
Event Location: Online; Internet connection required. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/42064960/the-grandmother-hypothesis-and-human-origins-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: Captioning.
Thursday, February 19, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. The Impact of Human Origins on People's Understanding of the World
Join the National Museum of Natural History’s Human Origins Program for a discussion on how the program developed from the Smithsonian's cutting-edge research, a permanent exhibition, and public engagement efforts in human evolution. Human Origins Program Director Rick Potts will present examples of how human origins research impacts the understanding of our species and of the world around us, followed by reflections by two members of the Human Origins Program’s Broader Social Impacts Committee, Fatimah Jackson and Wes McCoy.
This program will be presented as a Zoom video webinar. A link will be emailed to all registrants.
Image: Reproduction of handprints, Canyon de Chelly (Arizona)
Credit: NMNH Human Origins Program.
Event Location: Online; Internet connection required. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Related Exhibition: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/exhibits/david-h-koch-hall-human-origins. Accessibility: Captioning.
Sunday, February 22, 2026, 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM.
Play Date at NMNH: Creature Features - Fossil Edition
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
This Tuesday we will explore fossils! At this Play Date, families can learn about and make close observations of fossils from our collection to explore some of the features these prehistoric animals had! Come and join us for a fun time learning through play and exploration!
The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early learners and their caregivers and families. Activities are designed with early learners in mind, but all ages are welcome.
Location: This program on the 1st Floor inside the David H. Koch Hall of Fossils - Deep Time exhibit. We will be in the Warner Age of Humans Gallery across from the Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops. Please note that space for this program is dependent on the location of that week's event. Some locations have less capacity than others. It is possible that the program might be at capacity when you arrive. If this happens, please enjoy…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor - David H. Koch Hall of Fossils - Deep Time exhibit. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Beyond the Exhibition: 250 Years of Messaging
In celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, explore the ways humans have stayed connected; from the Pony Express to amateur radio to emojis and more. Enjoy exclusive after-hours access to the Cellphone: Unseen Connections exhibit and talk to experts: Moving the Mail: The Pony Express with National Postal Museum education specialists MaryBeth Wagner and Maureen Leary , Explore the role of ham amateur radio in communication and demo equipment with NMNH museum specialists Tim Gooding and Rob Wardell from the Smithsonian HAM Radio Club , Test your knowledge on communication methods through time with NMNH exhibit educators: Match Emoji icons with their official names and the emotion or mood they represent , Decode a Morse Code message , Compare modern smartphones with old phone models , , The Transatlantic Telegraph Cable and amateur radio in WWII with National Museum of American History curator in the Division of Work and Industry Hal Wallace , Messenger pigeons and the story of Cher Ami, …
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: National Museum of Natural History (2nd floor). Cost: Free; registration is required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/58024102/behind-the-scienceherbivores-that-chewed-through-timehow-insects-and-pathogens-responded-to-earths-biggest-events-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, February 26, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. Play Date at NMNH: Mineral Rainbow
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
This Tuesday we will be exploring color with minerals! Come play, make art, and make up-close observations of colorful mineral specimens.
The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early learners (ages 0-5), their caregivers, and families
Location: This program is held in Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center, on the Ground Floor of the museum. Please enter through the Constitution Avenue entrance. Q?rius is located on the right as you enter the museum.
Accessibility: Access services such as American Sign Language interpretation, real-time captioning (CART), or audio-description are available with advanced notice. However, accommodations may not be possible with less than two-weeks advanced notice. To request this service, please call (202) 633-5238 or e-mail NMNHAccessibility@si.edu. Image: Tectosilicate Mineral Amethyst
Image copyright: Smithsonian.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center (Ground Floor). Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Play Date at NMNH: Save a Spider Day!
Join us for special family Tuesday play date with museum educators!
This Tuesday is all about spiders! Come join us as we have an early celebration of "Save a Spider Day" and learn the many wonderful ways spiders help our planet. Families will be able to explore through play, art, and select specimens from our collection.
Want even more spider and arachnid fun? Join us on Saturday, March 14th for our annual "Save a Spider" The World & Me program!
The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early learners (ages 0-5) and their caregivers and families. Activities are designed with early learners in mind, but all ages are welcome.
Location: This program is held in Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center, on the Ground Floor of the museum. Please enter through the Constitution Avenue entrance. Q?rius is located on the right as you enter the museum.
Accessibility: Access services such as American Sign Language interpretation,…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center (Ground Floor). Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Behind the Science: What Was the Real “Paleo” Diet?
The modern "paleo" diet movement makes many assumptions about what ancient humans ate. Are these assumptions accurate based on what we know about past diets? Paleoanthropologist Briana Pobiner explores the significant changes in the evolution of human diets over time, with a focus on meat-eating, through a variety of lines of evidence for prehistoric human diets including living human and chimpanzee diets, fossils of early humans, animals, and plants, and ancient stone tools and DNA.
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About the Series: Behind the Science
A monthly after-hours series featuring NMNH scientists and researchers, Each month, join the National Museum of Natural History for the new series, Behind the Science, where NMNH researchers share insights into their latest discoveries and explore the fascinating questions driving their work—from the origins of life to the future of our planet. Come learn what’s happening behind the scenes and how science shapes our understanding of the natural world. Programs take place…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: National Museum of Natural History (Ground Floor). Cost: Free; registration is required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/53305807/behind-the-sciencewhat-was-the-real-paleodiet-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. The World & Me: Save a Spider!
Let's celebrate SPIDERS!
Join us Saturday, March 14th, for a celebration of "Save a Spider Day"! See spider specimens and other arachnids up close, make observations at live tarantula feedings, and learn about the amazing diversity found within the different spider and arachnid species. Scientists from our museum will also share about the science they do to learn more about spiders and will help us debunk common spider myths. Families can join at any time during the duration of the event and stay as long as suits each family.
Location: This program is held in Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center, on the Ground Floor of the museum. Please enter through the Constitution Avenue entrance. Q?rius is located on the right as you enter the museum.
Accessibility: Access services such as American Sign Language interpretation, real-time captioning (CART), or audio-description are available with advanced notice. However, accommodations may not be possible with less than two-weeks advanced notice.…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Ground Floor, Q?rius: The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, March 14, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM.
Play Date at NMNH: Teeth in the Ocean
Join us for special family play dates with museum educators!
This Tuesday is all about ocean animal teeth! Families can make close observations of different sizes and shapes of ocean animal teeth and learn about how different shaped teeth help animals eat. Come and join us for a fun time learning through play, art, and exploration!
The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early learners (ages 0-5), their caregivers, and families.
Location: This program is held in the Explorer Theater in the Sant Ocean Hall. Ocean Hall is on the 1st floor. Please note that space is dependent on the location of that week's event. Some locations have less capacity than others. It is possible that the program might be at capacity when you arrive. If this happens, please enjoy other areas of the museum and try again later in the program.
Accessibility: Access services such as American Sign Language interpretation, real-time captioning (CART), or audio-description…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, Explorer Theater in the Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Play Date at NMNH: Nature Explorations
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
This Tuesday is all about exploring your connection with nature! This Play Date is designed around the theme of your family's connections to nature and the nature around you. Make nature journal, see specimens that you might find out in our pollinator garden, and much more!
The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early learners aged 0-5 and their caregivers and families. Activities are designed with early learners in mind, but all ages are welcome.
Location: This program is held in Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center, on the Ground Floor of the museum. Please enter through the Constitution Avenue entrance. Q?rius is located on the right as you enter the museum.
Accessibility: Access services such as American Sign Language interpretation, real-time captioning (CART), or audio-description are available with advanced notice. However, accommodations…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center (Ground Floor). Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, March 31, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Behind the Science: April
Save the date for Behind the Science: April! Speaker and topic to be announced.
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About the Series: Behind the Science
A monthly after-hours series featuring NMNH scientists and researchers, Each month, join the National Museum of Natural History for the new series, Behind the Science, where NMNH researchers share insights into their latest discoveries and explore the fascinating questions driving their work—from the origins of life to the future of our planet. Come learn what’s happening behind the scenes and how science shapes our understanding of the natural world. Programs take place in Q?rius, the Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center.
Topics and speakers announced on a rolling basis, but save the dates now! Upcoming Dates: Jan 26: rescheduled due to weather
Feb 10: Conrad Labandeira, Paleobiologist, Mar 10: Briana Pobiner, paleoanthropologist, Apr. 14: TBA
May 11: TBA
Jun. 9: TBA
Jul. 14: TBA
Aug. 11: TBA
Sep. 15: TBA
Oct. 13: TBA
Nov. 10: TBA
Dec. 8: TBA.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: National Museum of Natural History (Ground Floor). Cost: Free; registration is required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/70749438/behind-the-scienceapril-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com.