Natural History Museum

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CANCELLED: Dive into the Deep

One-Time Events Have you ever wondered what lives in the deepest parts of our ocean? Deep-sea ecosystems - from bioluminescent fish to giant tube worms around hydrothermal vents - thrive in these extreme environments. These mysterious habitats cover most of our planet, yet remain largely unexplored. Come learn how scientists explore these remote habitats and why protecting these ecosystems matters for our planet’s future! Presented by: Garret O’Donnell - Marine Biologist, NOAA Knauss Marine Policy Fellows Alyssa Schultz - Marine Scientist & Geographer, NOAA Knauss Marine Policy Fellows Jason Gronich - Marine Ecologist & Geographer, NOAA Knauss Marine Policy Fellows Photos above courtesy of Garret O'Donnell, Alyssa Schultz, and Jason Gronich Thumbnail image: NOAA Ocean Exploration. 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. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Monday, October 20, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

CANCELLED: Play Date at NMNH: Awesome Arachnids!

One-Time Events UPDATE: Play Date for Tuesday, October 21st is cancelled. 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,… 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. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, October 21, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

CANCELLED: The Ocean Around Us Tour

One-Time Events 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. Tuesday, October 21, 2025, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM.

CANCELLED: Science on a Sphere

Ongoing Tours & Activities Come explore our blue planet with NMNH Ocean Educators. Through NOAA’s Science on a Sphere technology, you’ll encounter a series of interactive visualizations projected on the Sant Ocean Hall’s giant globe. Watch sea turtles migrate coast to coast, track ships through global waters in real-time, explore the changing climate patterns shaping our planet, and much more! Photo credit: Jennifer Renteria, 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. Topics: Science & Nature. Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

CANCELLED: The World & Me: Bat Week Extravaganza with special guests…Arachnids!

One-Time Events UPDATE: The World & Me for Saturday, October 25th is cancelled. 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… 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. Event Group: Earth Optimism LSP. Featured Event: Central OPA use ONLY. Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Saturday, October 25, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM.

NMAAHC Kids: Learning About Spiders & Kente at NMNH

One-Time Events Please note this event takes place at The National Museum of Natural History! No tickets or registration required. The World & Me: Bat Week Extravaganza with special guests…Arachnids! Join NMAAHC Kids and our friends at the National Museum of Natural History in celebrating some of October's favorite creatures: bats and spiders! See bat and spider specimens up close and learn how to support them all year long! , Make bat and spider inspired art!  , Visit the NMAAHC Kids station to learn how spider webs inspired the creation of kente cloth! , Wear your favorite bat or spider attire!   Families can join at any time throughout the duration of the event and stay as long as suits each family. 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. Sponsor: African American History and Culture Museum. Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: NMNH Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center. Cost: FREE. Categories: Kids & Families. Saturday, October 25, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM. For more info visit naturalhistory.si.edu.

CANCELLED: Play Date at NMNH: Bats!

One-Time Events UPDATE: Play Date for Tuesday, October 28th is cancelled. 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… 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. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

CANCELLED: Coral Reef Tank Talk

Ongoing Tours & Activities 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 R. Lee, Smithsonian Institution. 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. Topics: Science & Nature. Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

CANCELLED: Ocean Topics Cart Chat

Ongoing Tours & Activities 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. Topics: Science & Nature. Thursday, October 30, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

CANCELLED: Ocean Hall-o-ween

One-Time Events 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). 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. Related Exhibition: The Sant Ocean Hall. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Central OPA use ONLY. Topics: Science & Nature. Friday, October 31, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: National Bison Day

One-Time Events 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. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, November 4, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Marvelous Meteorites

One-Time Events 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. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, December 2, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Lights, Color, Action!

One-Time Events 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. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Pockets & Pouches

One-Time Events 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. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, December 16, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.