Play Date at NMNH: Creature Features - Fossil Edition
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
Wednesday is National Fossil day! Come celebrate a day with Play Date and 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…
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, October 13, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Behind the Science with Paleontologist and Curator of Dinosauria Dr. Matthew Carrano
Is the 21st Century the real Age of Dinosaurs?
Today, more paleontologists are discovering more dinosaur fossils from more places in the world than ever before. Our understanding of these amazing creatures has leapt forward while their popularity has surged. Museums sit at the junction of these phenomena.
The Smithsonian has been a center for dinosaur research for more than a century, and its collections include many iconic and scientifically important specimens. Today, Smithsonian researchers continue to discover new dinosaurs, but they are also uncovering more information about the ones we already know and love. New techniques and approaches allow them to investigate aspects of dinosaur biology, ecology, and evolution in ways that would have been inconceivable to early paleontologists. The result is an ever-improving understanding of dinosaurs as living, breathing, and thriving animals.
This month, go behind the science with paleontologist Dr. Matthew Carrano, Curator of Dinosauria at the National Museum…
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/86562911/behind-the-scienceoctober-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. National Fossil Day at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Save the date for some fossil fun on Wednesday, October 14th!
Celebrate National Fossil Day with real fossils and free, family-friendly activities in the museum’s Hall of Fossils – Deep Time! Scientists and educators from the Smithsonian will be on hand to welcome families and anyone interested in exploring Earth’s deep past. No registration required.
Visitors can: Touch and hold real fossils, Observe experts at work in the FossiLab Get up-close to the Nation’s T. rex, And more! Image Information (credit): Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops horridus (Department of Paleobiology, Smithsonian Institution)
View fossil photos, videos, and more.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, October 14, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Neandertal Adaptations to Ice Age Eurasia: Warmbloods in Cold Times
While primates are tropical in origin, Neanderthals survived in the brutally cold climates of Eurasia through multiple glacial phases. How did they endure these extreme environments?
Dr. Trent Holliday, Professor of Anthropology at Tulane University, will present evidence for cultural and biological adaptations to cold in our ancient cousins.
Moderator: Dr. Briana Pobiner, paleoanthropologist and educator at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
This program is part of the ongoing HOT (Human Origins Today) Topics series and will be presented as a Zoom video webinar. A link will be emailed to all registrants. Image caption: An illustration of Neanderthals in a cold environment, Image credit: Smithsonian Human Origins Program/Karen Carr.
Event Location: Online; Internet connection required. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/62648600/neandertal-adaptations-to-ice-age-eurasiawarmbloods-in-cold-times-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: Captioning.
Thursday, October 15, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. An Evening With Smithsonian Secretary Emeritus Wayne Clough
Dr. G. Wayne Clough, geotechnical engineer and Smithsonian secretary emeritus, shares the latest research and personal stories about how nature has transformed the Georgia coast across millions of years and how human impact continues to shape its future.
Join us at the National Museum of Natural History for a conversation with Clough and CW Whitney Associate Director of Science and Chief Scientist Rebecca Johnson about the past and future of the birds, sea turtles, dolphins, whales, plants and trees that make the Georgia coast their home.
Copies of the Clough’s new book, The Ever-Changing Georgia Coast: A Natural History of Its Creation, Transformation, and Future, will be available for purchase and signing at the program.
Registration is encouraged. Space is filled on a first come first served basis. Image caption: Aerial view, Little Tybee Island.
Image credit: M. Loftman.
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/41810296/an-evening-with-smithsonian-secretary-emeritus-wayne-clough-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, October 15, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. Play Date at NMNH: Awesome Arachnids!
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
Come join us as we celebrate the many wonderful ways arachnids help our planet, make observations of different arachnid species, and create art inspired by the different colors and shapes found on arachnids! Families will be able to explore through play, art, and select specimens from our collection.
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, real-time captioning (CART), or audio-description are available with advanced notice.…
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, October 20, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
An Evening With Chris Geremia and Tom Murphy: Return of the Last Wild Bison Herd in Yellowstone
The American bison, our national mammal, once roamed much of North America in numbers so vast the herds were measured in miles, not numbers. By the turn of the 20th century, they were nearly extinct.
In their new book, Yellowstone Bison: Return of the Last Wild Herd, biologist and Yellowstone National Park’s bison manager Chris Geremia and photographer Tom Murphy trace the remarkable recovery of bison in Yellowstone National Park.
Join us at the National Museum of Natural History for a conversation with Geremia, Murphy and Sant Director Kirk Johnson. Copies of the their new book, Yellowstone Bison: Return of the Last Wild Herd, will be available for purchase and signing at the program.
Before and after the program, chat with an educator from the Smithsonian National Postal Museum about the U.S. Postal Service American Bison stamp released in May 2026 that features one of Tom Murphy’s photographs and how it connects to the bronze bison and Bison: Standing Strong exhibit at the National Museum of Natural…
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/93569146/an-evening-with-chris-geremia-and-tom-murphyreturn-of-the-last-wild-bison-herd-in-yellowstone-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. A Safari Adventure with WETA PBS Kids & the National Museum of Natural History!
Learn more about your place in the world through explorations of nature and culture with museum educators and our friends from WETA!
Join us on Saturday, October 24, for a special African safari adventure with our friends from WETA PBS Kids, the Smithsonian's National Zoo, and a special guest—Elmo! Explore the animals that live on the African savanna, create art inspired by a safari, and watch Elmo’s safari adventure in Sesame Street and the Great Elephant Adventure! In Sesame Street’s first-ever safari, our friends embark on an unforgettable journey of discovery. They travel from the caring confines of the elephant sanctuary into the unpredictable African bush, where they come face-to-face with some of nature’s most iconic wildlife, including lions, zebras, giraffes, and hippos. Families with learners of all ages are invited to explore different stations, observe specimens from our collection, and engage in play and art-making. They can meet costume character Elmo in person and capture a memorable moment…
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, October 24, 2026, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Play Date at NMNH: Bats!
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
Tuesday, October 27th, is all about bats! Families can celebrate Bat Week by making observations of different bat species for our specimen collection, explore different elements of play related to bats, and learn why almost all bat species hang upside down! 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 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…
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, October 27, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Ocean Hall-o-ween
Visitors beware, you're in for a scare! Join us for an eerie educational experience in the Ocean Hall, where costumed scientists will share curious creatures and spooky specimens in the spirit of the season!
Photo of Chimaera by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, The Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: The Sant Ocean Hall. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, October 29, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
The World & Me: Bat Week Extravaganza with special guests…Arachnids!
Join us for a special program celebrating Bat Week!
Come help us celebrate bats as we learn about how important bats are to our planet. Help us also shine the light on the importance of spiders! See bat and spider specimens up close, make art celebrating bats and spiders, and learn other ways you can support bats and spiders all year long! Feel free to wear your favorite bat or spider attire. 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. To request this service, please…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Ground Floor, Q?rius: The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families.
Saturday, October 31, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM.
Play Date at NMNH: Animal Spotlight - Bison!
Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators!
This week is a special animal spotlight on bison! Families can celebrate our national mammal by making observations of bison specimens from our education collection, learn about ways they help their ecosystem, and explore how bison have been portrayed in art.
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 the Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals exhibit on the 1st floor of the museum. 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…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals (1st Floor). Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
The World and Me: National Bison Day
Learn more about your place in the world through explorations of nature and culture.
Join us Saturday, November 7th, as we celebrate National Bison Day! Discover different bison adaptations and learn how the bison almost went extinct but are now rising in numbers. Families with learners of all ages will be invited to explore different stations, make observations of museum specimens up close, and explore bisons through play and art.
This is a drop-in event. Families can drop in anytime from 10:00am - 12:30pm and stay for as long as your family would like. No registration is required. Cost: Free.
Location: Meet at the entrace of Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center, on the Ground Floor of the museum. Q?rius is located next to the Constitution Avenue entrance.
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…
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.
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM.
Behind the Science with Research Anthropologist and Curator of Human-Environment Interactions Dr. Torben Rick
“The Fascinating Origins of Tuna and Billfish Fisheries”
Tuna and billfish are among the world’s most important large ocean predators and an important global food source. Millions of tons are caught every year. Despite significant declines in their populations, we know relatively little about tuna and billfish harvest prior to 20th century industrial exploitation. Smithsonian scientists are conducting archaeological, historical, and ecological research to understand the deep history of the fishery and help plan for the future sustainability of these critical fish.
This month, go behind the science with Research Anthropologist and Curator of Human-Environment Interactions Dr. Torben Rick who is exploring this untold history through archaeology and the restudying archaeological and historical tuna and billfishes in museum collections and in the field.
Bonus: find out how Dr. Torben Rick’s research connects the December Behind the Science expert, Dr. Katherine Bemis.
Registration is encouraged. Space is…
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/32430410/behind-the-sciencenovember-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. Natural History on the Big Screen: The Great American Bison Roadtrip
In March 2026, three monumental bronze bison embarked on an unlikely road trip bound for the Smithsonian and the fulfillment of a century-old promise. On March 19th, 2026, just in time for America’s 250th birthday, they arrived at the entrance of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History after an unlikely migration across the bison’s former range from Colorado to the National Mall.
Join us for a screening of The Great American Bison Roadtrip, the fast and fun documentary that follows their journey. Smithsonian Sant Director Kirk Johnson, sculptor Gary Staab, and filmmaker Trevor Hawkins lead us on a kinetic, funny, and deeply moving adventure through the bison’s near-eradication, survival, and extraordinary return, exploring what America nearly lost and what we still have the power to restore.
After the screening, join Kirk, Gary, and Trevor for a conversation and audience Q&A about the film and their adventures.
Registration is requested. Space is filled on a first come, first served basis. The…
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/33853644/natural-history-on-the-big-screenthe-great-american-bison-roadtrip-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Films. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Wednesday, November 18, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. Paleoproteomics in Paleoanthropology
The diversity and variation of Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene species of early humans in southern Africa has been characterized based on the fossil evidence alone – until recently, with the emergence of paleoproteomics, the study of ancient proteins.
Dr. Palesa Madupe, postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, will present recent paleoproteomic research based on dental enamel proteins extracted from specimens of Homo naledi, Paranthropus robustus, and Australopithecus africanus.
Moderator: Dr. Briana Pobiner, paleoanthropologist and educator at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
This program is part of the ongoing HOT (Human Origins Today) Topics series and will be presented as a Zoom video webinar. A link will be emailed to all registrants. Image caption: SK-48, a Paranthropus robustus fossil from Swartkrans, South Africa, Image credit: Smithsonian Human Origins Program.
Event Location: Online; Internet connection required. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/34567475/paleoproteomics-in-paleoanthropology-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: Captioning.
Thursday, November 19, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. Behind the Science with National Systematics Lab Research Zoologist and Curator of Fishes Dr. Katherine Bemis
"Mola molas and More: The Biology of Ocean Sunfishes"
Known for centuries for basking and seemingly sluggish behavior at the water’s surface, recent tagging studies show that ocean sunfishes swim over great horizontal and vertical distances in the water column at higher speeds than previously thought. NOAA and Smithsonian scientists are using new information about their natural history and behavioral ecology to reinterpret the evolution of the many unusual anatomical features of sunfish and its extreme body form.
This month, go behind the science with Dr. Katherine (Kate) Bemis, Research Zoologist at NOAA Fisheries’ National Systematics Lab and Curator of Fishes at National Museum of Natural History who is studying these unusual fishes in the field and in museum collections.
Read more about this work (link to come for NOAA article by end of September).
Registration is encouraged. Space is filled on a first come first served basis. Image caption: Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola) have some of the most unusual…
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/50387828/behind-the-sciencedecember-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Tuesday, December 8, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. Natural History Research Experiences (NHRE) For Undergraduates 2027: How to Apply INFO Session - December Session
The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Smithsonian Institution, hosts a world-class research staff and unparalleled scientific research collections. NHRE summer internships pair undergraduates with museum scientists to complete a research project in Anthropology, Botany, Entomology, Invertebrate Zoology, Mineral Science, Paleobiology, or Vertebrate Zoology. Although most of the internship time is spent working on the research project, there are additional events including lectures, tours of museum collections, and other activities related to natural history research.
The NMNH is located on the National Mall in the heart of Washington DC. The program runs for 10 weeks starting the day after Memorial Day, June 1st through August 6, 2027. Participating students will receive a stipend of $8,250, and up to $800 for travel to the DC area. We also cover housing in Washington DC area dorm style housing in single-occupancy rooms.
Previous research experience is not required.
Questions about NHRE? Contact…
Event Location: Online; Internet connection required. Cost: Free. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: Captioning.
Monday, December 14, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Wildlife and Wildfires: Chimp Behavior and Early Human Implications
How do chimpanzees and other wildlife respond to fire in an East African mosaic–woodland ecosystem?
Dr. Alexander Piel, Associate Professor of Anthropology at University College London, will describe some species’ exploitation of burned landscapes as well as the costs and benefits associated with living with annual fires. These patterns provide insight into how animals adapt to increasingly frequent and widespread fires and highlight fire as a key selective pressure in African ecosystems. Ultimately, these findings offer a comparative framework for understanding how early hominins may have navigated fire-prone environments, shaping the evolutionary context of human-fire interactions.
Moderator: Dr. Briana Pobiner, paleoanthropologist and educator at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
This program is part of the ongoing HOT (Human Origins Today) Topics series and will be presented as a Zoom video webinar. A link will be emailed to all registrants. Image caption: Chimpanzees from the Issa…
Event Location: Online; Internet connection required. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/40369754/wildlife-and-wildfireschimp-behavior-and-early-human-implications-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: Captioning.
Thursday, December 17, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com.