Natural History Museum » One-Time Events

play, date, nmnh, national

Washington, DC — Eastern Time

This hCalendar-compliant page is optimized for search engines. View this calendar as published at naturalhistory.si.edu.

A Twist on Ancient Technology: Fiber, String, and More

The early archaeological record consists primarily of two things- stones and bones. And yet, we know that the material culture of the past had to be predominantly organic in nature. Plants, particularly those that produce long thin fibers, would have been invaluable. And once our ancestors figured out that a twisted fiber was even better, a revolutionary technology was born. But when did this occur? And how do we find evidence for a technology that is made from perishable materials? Bruce Hardy, Professor of Anthropology at Kenyon College, will examine the evidence, direct and indirect, for the emergence of fiber technology in the Paleolithic and explore the implications of this often neglected but transformative skill. 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… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Online; Internet connection required. Cost: Free; Registration Required. Get Tickets/Register: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/72885666/a-twist-on-ancient-technologyfiberstringand-more-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: Webcasts & Online. Accessibility: Captioning. Thursday, September 18, 2025, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM. For more info visit www.etix.com.

CANCELLED - Wetlands: Why Do They Matter?

This program has been cancelled for September 19th. Our water gets cleaned for free, and floods are stopped in their tracks? Discover the magic of wetlands, our planet's unsung heroes! These amazing spaces are like nature's sponges, but they're disappearing. Learn how communities can work together to bring them back to life and keep our areas safe and healthy. Presented by: Everett Craddock - Coastal Policy Specialist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Sea Grant , Dr. Isabel Butler-Viruet - Biogeochemist and Wetland Scientist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Knauss Marine Policy Fellows, Photo Credit: DebMurphy, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0. Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Co-sponsor: 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. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Friday, September 19, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Colorful Corals

Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! This Tuesday 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 audio-description are… 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, September 23, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Ship to Shore: Live from the Science Vessel Point Sur

Travel with us to the Gulf far off the coast of Alabama as we chat - live- with scientists and experts onboard the ship Point Sur who are working to restore and learn more about deep seafloor habitats. Join us for a chance to ask these experts questions about these exciting restoration efforts taking place in the Gulf! Photo Credit: Michael Viveiros URI Inner Space Center, NOAA. Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Co-sponsor: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, Explorer Theater in the Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, September 24, 2025, 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM.

Ship to Shore: Live from the Science Vessel Point Sur

Q?rius After Hours - September

Join us for another evening of Q?rius After Hours in the Coralyn W. Whitney Q?rius Science Education Center stocked with science and joy, crafts, puzzles, and games. Come explore NMNH collections and meet these NMNH experts: The Art of Preserving Plants featuring hands-on botany specimen preparation with museum specialist Erika Gardner , The Evolution of Domestication (crops and dogs!) with curator of archaeogenomics and archaeobotany Logan Kistler , Mass Extinctions in Ancient Oceans with paleobiology postdoctoral fellow Sarah Leventhal , Ocean Biology with ocean educator Bayley McKeon , The Dynamic Mangrove Forests Through the Eyes of Satellites with post doctoral research scientist Suvarna Punalekar , Deep-Sea Habitats with Peter Buck postdoctoral fellow Melissa Betters, Register Here About the series: If you think back to a time when you were having fun as a kid, what were you doing that made you so happy? Odds are it included some of the universal elements of play – a concept we know is critical… 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/76665037/qrius-after-hours-september-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, September 24, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM. For more info visit www.etix.com.

Play Date at NMNH: Mighty Megalodon!

Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! This Tuesday we will learn about the mighty Megalodon! While Megalodons, an ancient shark that lived 23 – 3.5 million years ago, are no longer swimming in our ocean, people of all ages are fascinated by its size and large teeth! Together we will learn about this ancient shark that used to roam the ocean, make our own wearable artwork inspired by Megalodon teeth, and have the chance to hold a real Megalodon tooth! 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. Accessibility: Access services such as American Sign Language interpretation, real-time captioning (CART), or audio-description are available with advanced notice. However,… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, Explorer Theater in the Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, September 30, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Spots & Stripes

Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! Tuesday, October 7th is about different patterns found in nature! Families can make close observations of select pieces from our collection, learn why some animals have spots or stripes, and create their own take-home artwork inspired by patterns in nature! The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early learners (0-5) and their caregivers and families. 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 Sign Language interpretation, real-time captioning (CART), or… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals (1st Floor). Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, October 7, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Aquaculture in the Neighborhood

Have you ever thought about where most of the seafood in U.S. grocery stores comes from? The answer might surprise you. Aquaculture – growing fish, shrimp, bivalves, and seaweed – can supplement fishing while contributing to clean water and healthy ecosystems. Aquaculture can also exist in many spaces alongside other ocean uses and build resilient working waterfronts. Presented by: Elizabeth Martin and Claire Gonzales, marine scientists, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Photographs courtesy of Elizabeth Martin and Claire Gonzales. Thumbnail photo: NOAA Fisheries. Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Co-sponsor: 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. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, October 7, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

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. Wednesday, October 8, 2025, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM.

National Fossil Day at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Save the date for some fossil fun on Wednesday, October 15! Celebrate National Fossil Day with real fossils and free, family-friendly activities in the museum’s Hall of Fossils – Deep Time, Ocean Hall, and Hall of Human Origins! 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). Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Wednesday, October 15, 2025, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: National Fossil Day

Wednesday, October 16th, is National Fossil Day! Come celebrate with us in our Deep Time fossil hall. At this special Play Date, families can learn about and make close observations of fossils from our collection and 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. 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… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. 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. Wednesday, October 15, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Awesome Arachnids!

Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! Tuesday, October 21 is all about arachnids! 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 different arachnid postage stamps! 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… 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, October 21, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

The Ocean Around Us Tour

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… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Ground Floor, Q?rius: The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Saturday, October 25, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Bats!

Tuesday, October 28th, 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 advanced notice. However, accommodations may not be possible with less… 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, October 28, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: National Bison Day

Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! Tuesday, November 4th, is a special celebration for bison! National Bison Day is November 1st, and we are celebrating it for this week's Play Date. 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 stamp art. Our friends from the National Postal Museum will be here to celebrate alongside us as we learn together through play, exploration, and 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… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. 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 4, 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, December 2nd, 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, December 2, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Lights, Color, Action!

Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! Tuesday, December 9th, is all about exploring bioluminescent animals! Did you know that many animals in the ocean (and even some animals on land) are able to produce and give off light? Living organisms that can produce and emit light are called bioluminescent. During this Play Date at NMNH, families will learn reasons why bioluminescence might be important, make observations of different bioluminescent animals, and play with light in different ways. 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… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, Explorer Theater in the Sant Ocean Hall. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Pockets & Pouches

Tuesday, December 16th, is all about ocean animals with pockets and pouches! Families will learn look up close at specimens that have pockets and pouches and learn what they hold in their pocket or pouch. Families will also be invited to create their own pouch to carry their own favorite or special item. 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 Sign Language interpretation,… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals (1st Floor). Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Tuesday, December 16, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.