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Coral Reef Tank Talk

Swim by the Sant Ocean Hall to meet some of the coral reef species that call the Smithsonian NMNH home! Hosted by an Ocean Educator, this interactive cart experience will walk you through the world of saltwater fish, coral colonies, and invertebrates galore! Image Credit: Phillip Lee, Smithsonian. Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, The Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: The Sant Ocean Hall. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, May 22, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

Keeping Up With Human Evolution

The study of human origins is changing rapidly, not only in what we know but in how we come to know it. Much of our knowledge about early humans has come from slow, painstaking study, but this field also holds plenty of surprises based on new evidence and new methods. What can a mere science-adjacent writer do to help the interested public keep track of it all? Sandra J. Ackerman, a Contributing Editor to American Scientist Magazine, will discuss some of the challenges and rewards that come with writing about human evolution for nonspecialist readers. 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. Photo credit: Chip Clark/Smithsonian Institution. Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Online; Internet connection required. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/48108999/keeping-up-with-human-evolution-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: Captioning. Thursday, May 22, 2025, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM. For more info visit www.etix.com.

Coral Reef Tank Talk

Ocean Topics Cart Chat

Looking for a deeper dive into ocean topics? Come and find one of our Ocean Educators to explore some of the latest discoveries in marine science, stationed at an interactive cart in the Sant Ocean Hall. Image Credit: Phillip R. Lee, Smithsonian Institution. Sponsor: Natural History Museum. 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. Friday, May 23, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

National Mall Bird Walk

As we have since 2022, the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum will host spring bird walks on the National Mall and Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Garden. We are teaming up with DC Bird Alliance, so gather your family and friends and join us for some fun as we celebrate nature in the Nation’s Capital — no experience or equipment required. Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Co-sponsor: DC Bird Alliance. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Steps to main entrance of the National Museum of Natural History at Madison Drive NW and 10th Street (south side on the Mall). Cost: Free. Registration is required. Register. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/68323933/national-mall-bird-walk-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: Workshops. Related Events: Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Garden Bird Walk, May 31st. Related Exhibition: Birds of DC, Ground Floor. Saturday, May 24, 2025, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM.

Play Date at NMNH: Birds!

Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! On Tuesday, May 27, we invite you to join us in celebrating birds and birdwatching! 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. 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 (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… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. 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, May 27, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Ocean Topics Cart Chat

The Ocean Around Us Tour

Explore the Sant Ocean Hall to learn about some of the exciting animals and habitats featured and how they are connected to your everyday life no matter where you live. This is a 30-minute interactive walking tour where you can meet a North Atlantic Right Whale, find out what is the most productive marine ecosystem, touch coral, and so much more. Registration is required for this small group tour of up to 10 people. Each visitor may bring up to 3 guests, but the total number of visitors on the tour will be capped at 10. Photo by Phillip R. Lee, Smithsonian Institution. Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, The Sant Ocean Hall, Under the Large Jellyfish. Cost: Free. Registration is required. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: The Sant Ocean Hall. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, May 30, 2025, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM.

Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens Bird Walk

As we have since 2022, the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum will host spring bird walks on the National Mall and Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens. We are teaming up with DC Bird Alliance, so gather your family and friends and join us for some fun as we celebrate nature in the Nation’s Capital — no experience or equipment required. Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Co-sponsor: DC Bird Alliance. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Visitor Center (outside), 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20019. Cost: Free. Registration is required. Click here to register. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/59063230/kenilworth-park-and-aquatic-garden-bird-walk-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: Workshops. Kids & Families. Related Events: National Mall Bird Walk, May 24th. Related Exhibition: Birds of DC, Ground Floor. Saturday, May 31, 2025, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM.

Exploring Animal and Human Brain Evolution

Got brains on your mind? Ever wonder how animal and hominin brains evolved? Join anthropologist and neuroscientist Dr. Chet Sherwood in the Hall of Human Origins to talk about brain evolution and learn more about how our ancestors' brains influenced their behavior and evolution! Presented by: Chet Sherwood, Professor of Anthropology, The George Washington University Image courtesy of Chet Sherwood. Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, The David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Monday, June 2, 2025, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.

Archaeology and Indigenous Knowledge along a Bountiful Subarctic Coast

Arctic Studies Center - Ernest "Tiger" Burch Memorial Lecture Series, 2025 Presented by: Aron L. Crowell, Arctic Studies Center, Anchorage, AK Sugpiaq and Tlingit communities along the Gulf of Alaska are highly attuned to the dynamic climate, environment, and ecology of this subarctic sea, harvesting subsistence bounties of fish, birds, and sea mammals by applying the cumulative knowledge and cultural inheritance of 10,000 years. The history of Alaska Native adaptation to the Gulf, including ancestral responses to dramatic and recurring environmental change, is accessible through community-based studies that integrate oral knowledge, archaeology, and paleoenvironmental sciences. The talk features Arctic Studies Center field projects and videos that highlight community participation and perspectives. Dr. Aron L. Crowell is an Arctic archaeologist and former Alaska Director of the Smithsonian Institution’s Arctic Studies Center in Anchorage. His research in collaboration with Alaska Native communities has… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Online; Internet connection required. Online Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/j/84339984497?pwd=xtUIf7hTrfIR79jauK7OwFjTeFazgA.1. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Lectures & Discussions. Webcasts & Online. Tuesday, June 3, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM.

Natural History on the Big Screen: Walking With Dinosaurs

Twenty-five years ago, Walking With Dinosaurs changed the way we viewed the prehistoric world. With this exciting reimagining of one of the BBC’s best-loved shows, each episode tells the dramatic story of an individual dinosaur whose remains are currently being unearthed by the world’s leading dinosaur hunters. Thanks to cutting-edge science, experts can reveal how these prehistoric creatures lived, hunted, fought, and died more accurately than ever before. Join the National Museum of Natural History for a screening of episode one and stay for a conversation with guests from the series’ team and NMNH. PBS’s Eons Kallie Moore moderates a discussion with NMNH research geologist and curator of Dinosauria Matthew Carrano, paleontologist and curator at the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum in Alberta, Canada featured in episode five, Emily Bamforth, Walking With Dinosaurs executive producer Andrew Cohen, Senior Director of Multiplatform Programming and Development for PBS, Diana El-Osta, and paleontological… Sponsor: Natural History 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/57491888/natural-history-on-the-big-screenwalking-with-dinosaurs-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Films. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. ASL-interpreted program. Captioning. Tuesday, June 3, 2025, 6:45 PM – 8:45 PM. For more info visit www.etix.com.

World Ocean Day

Celebrate World Ocean Day with the National Museum of Natural History on Thursday, June 5, 2025. Join ocean scientists, researchers, and educators in the Sant Ocean Hall for an exciting series of interactive experiences celebrating our blue planet and exploring all the ways science and community action can connect us to our waterways. See the full list of the museum's World Ocean Day events. Photo credit: Teodor Drobota on Unsplash. Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, The Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Celebrations. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 5, 2025, 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM.

World Ocean Day Play Date: "Don't Eat the Cleaners" with Susan Stockdale

Join us for a special edition of Play Date for World Ocean Day featuring a story time with special guest author and artist, Susan Stockdale! We are so excited to welcome Susan Stockdale to read and demonstrate how she created her new picture book, Don’t Eat the Cleaners! – the ninth book she has written and illustrated with the research assistance of our very own museum’s scientists. Children will learn how ocean animals visit “cleaning stations” at coral reefs around the world. While there, tiny but mighty cleaner fish and shrimp remove their pesky parasites in return for a tasty meal. And animals ranging from manta rays to sharks must remember the golden rule if they want a washing by the scrubbing crew: Don’t Eat the Cleaners! Susan will engage children as “picture detectives” to uncover the changes she made from her first sketches to her final, splashy illustrations, and encourage them to create their own books! Museum educators will also be facilitating multiple hands-on stations throughout the Sant… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, The Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Shopping/Book Signing. Thursday, June 5, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

An Evening With Finspan: World Ocean Day Board Game Night

From the world of game developer Elizabeth Hargrave’s hit board game Wingspan comes Finspan, a deep dive into aquatic life of the world’s seas and oceans. Celebrate World Ocean Day with the National Museum of Natural History and join in the conversation with Finspan designer David Gordon and zoologist in the Division of Fishes at NMNH Matt Girard moderated by Associate Director for Science and Chief Scientist at NMNH Rebecca Johnson. , After the conversation, stick around to enjoy exclusive after hours access to Sant Ocean Hall and play Finspan – beginners and enthusiasts welcome. Labyrinth Games will help with set up and instruction. Copies of the Finspan boardgame will be available for purchase. Registration is free and highly encouraged. Space is filled at a first come first served basis. Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: National Museum of Natural History (Ground Floor and First Floor). Cost: Free; registration is required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/74563023/an-evening-with-finspanworld-ocean-day-board-game-night-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Films. Related Events: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/events/festivals-and-event-series/world-ocean-day. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Thursday, June 5, 2025, 6:30 PM – 9:30 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! On Tuesday, June 10th, 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:… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. 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, June 10, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Marvelous Meteorites

Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! Tuesday, June 17th, is all about exploring the colors, shapes, and textures of objects from space! Families can learn about and make close observations of meteorites from our collection, explore different colors of planets, and create your own play telescope. 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 (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… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. 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, June 17, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Colorful Corals

Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! Tuesday, June 24th is all about exploring coral reefs! Families will learn about coral polyps (the tiny animals that help to build-up the reef), create their own artwork inspired by coral reefs, and look up close at coral specimens from the museum’s 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), their caregivers, and families. Location: This program is held in the Explorer Theater in the Sant Ocean Hall 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 Sign Language interpretation, real-time captioning (CART), or… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, Explorer Theater in Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, June 24, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

The World & Me: Caring for the Future of our Planet with Company E and Sound Impact

Join us for a special The World & Me as we celebrate diversity found in nature, movement, and the planet we call home with local dancers from Company | E, musicians from Sound Impact, and educators from the National Museum of Natural History. Watch a performance titled Letters to Earth*, explore different hands-on activities with museum specimens, and discover ways to make an impact in taking care of Earth for future generations. Performances will be 10:20 - 10:50 & 11:30 - 12:00. Hands-on stations and activities will be open 10:50 - 11:30. More about Letters to Earth The Earth is made of the magic of nature. Wondrous ecosystems – biomes – which make up the world we call home. For one special morning, the dancers and storytellers of Company | E and the Musicians of Sound Impact invite you to explore the Letters we write to Earth. A celebration and, at the same time, a cautionary tale of our impact on those biomes as told in the stories of “We Hear You – A Climate Archive.” 77 young people from around the… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Ground Floor. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Kids & Families. Performances. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Saturday, July 12, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.