Natural History Museum

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The World & Me: Life ON and IN the Water!

One-Time Events Join us for a special The World & Me as we explore life IN and ON the water with our friends from Living Classrooms and the crew of the historic Living Classrooms Foundation vessel MILDRED BELLE, a 1948 Chesapeake Bay Buyboat! Join these professional mariners to explore the maritime history of the Chesapeake Bay, learn about traditional sailing tools, and try your hand at tying a variety of practical knots. About Living Classrooms Foundation The Living Classrooms Foundation (LCF) Department of Maritime Education has provided students with unique, hands-on programs since 1985. These dynamic, “learning by doing” programs emphasize applied learning in STEM and history. Leadership and teamwork are key objectives as students work together to support the operation of historic ships, trawl for marine life, perform scientific tests and explore the commerce, history, natural resources, and ecosystems of the Chesapeake Bay. Location: This program is held in Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center, on… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Ground Floor. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Kids & Families. Event Group: Earth Optimism LSP. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Central OPA use ONLY. Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Saturday, August 2, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: At Home in a Habitat

One-Time Events Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! Tuesday, August 5th is all about the rainforest! During this program, families will be able to make observations of different rainforest animals from our collection (including a leafcutter ant and a sloth) and learn about how the rainforest provides a safe place for many different animals to live. Families will also be invited to take a look at the rainforest area of the exhibit! The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early learners, their caregivers, and families to explore different natural history themes through art, play, and exploration. 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,… 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, August 5, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

eDNA Detectives: Using Environmental DNA to Read the Story of an Ecosystem

One-Time Events How do you study an animal that you can’t catch, touch, or even see? You can use environmental DNA (eDNA)! All living things have DNA which they are constantly shedding into their environment. Come learn about how scientists can collect trace amounts of DNA in the environment to detect organisms that are otherwise difficult to study. Aiman Raza, Biologist, NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Fellow in NOAA Fisheries Image from Aiman and Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication. 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. Event Group: Earth Optimism LSP. Related Exhibition: The Sant Ocean Hall. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Friday, August 8, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: World Elephant Day!

One-Time Events Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! This Tuesday is a special celebration for elephants! World Elephant Day is August 12th! Come explore different elephant teeth, make your own habitat for our elephant toys, and create your own artwork on "elephant-made" paper!  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. Event Group: Earth Optimism LSP. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, August 12, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Cool Science: remote sensing and adaptation to temperature extremes at the ends of the earth

One-Time Events The Arctic and Antarctic remain the most remote and least understood regions on Earth. The harsh environment tests the limits of our most intrepid explorers, while other species have found extraordinary ways to thrive. Come learn about the ways we study a region so uninhabitable to people, the amazing animals that call it home, and how we’re more closely linked than we may realize. Presented by: Dr. Angela Liang and Evelyn Strombom, Glaciologist & Knauss Marine Policy Fellow and Fisheries ecologist & Arctic scientist, NOAA and NOAA NMFS; University of Minnesota Image credit: Andreas Wolden. 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. Event Group: Earth Optimism LSP. Related Exhibition: The Sant Ocean Hall. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

Q?rius After Hours - August

One-Time Events Q?rius After Hours is back! You have one more chance to hang out in the Coralyn W. Whitney Q?rius Science Education Center after hours this summer. The evening will feature NMNH collections specimens, crafts, puzzles, and games, and these featured experts:  Dune-esque Ancient Worms NMNH Deep Time Peter Buck postdoctoral fellow Kat Turk  , Mass Extinctions in Ancient Oceans with NMNH paleobiology postdoctoal fellow Sarah Leventhal  , Putting Plant-damaging Insects of the Past to Work: The History of Insect Herbivory with NMNH paleoecologist Conrad Labanderia  , The Art of Preserving Plants featuring hands-on botany specimen preparation with NMNH museum specialist Erika Gardner   , Fossil hunting and sorting   Last chance this summer: Register here for Q?rius After Hours on August 13  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 for… 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/54009825/qrius-after-hours-august-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Event Group: Earth Optimism LSP. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Wednesday, August 13, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM. For more info visit www.etix.com.

Play Date at NMNH: World Orangutan Day!

One-Time Events Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! This Tuesday is a special celebration for orangutans! World Orangutan Day is August 19th! Come learn through play about these animals, about make your own habitat for our orangutan and other primate toys, and create your own orangutan with arms built for climbing and hanging!  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… 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. Central OPA use ONLY. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, August 19, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Dive into the Deep Sea

One-Time Events Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! This Tuesday will be all about taking a closer look at what life is like in the deep sea at the bottom of the ocean! Even though it is very dark (except for the bioluminescent animals), the deepest parts of the ocean are still full of life.  Together we will learn about some of the unique animals that have adapted to live in the deep sea, make artwork inspired by the deep sea, and have the chance to see specimens that once lived at the bottom of the ocean! 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… 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. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, August 26, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Little Beasts

One-Time Events Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! This Tuesday is all about exploring artful connections to nature as we celebrate our collaboration with the National Gallery of Art! Check out "little beasts" inspired specimens from education collection and create artwork inspired by artworks on display at the National Gallery of Art!  Extend the fun and explore the exhibition Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World in the National Gallery of Art’s West Building. This exhibit features specimens from the National Museum of Natural History’s collection and artworks from the National Gallery of Art. Interested in exploring more “Little Beasts” in Natural History’s collections? Head on over to the Natural History Museum and check out the Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals on the 1st floor, Bone Hall on the 2nd floor, and the O. Orkin Insect Zoo on the 2nd floor! The event is part of our drop-in program, Play Date at NMNH. Play Date at NMNH is a program designed for early… 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, September 2, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Little Beasts at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden

One-Time Events The World & Me team is traveling outside of Natural History this month! Pack a picnic blanket and snacks for activities in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden! Educators from the National Museum of Natural History will be in the garden in celebration of the National Gallery of Art's monthly family program, First Saturdays (held concurrently in the East Building Atrium of the National Gallery of Art from 10am - 3pm). Come explore artful connections with the flora and fauna around you, paint your own little beast, make observations of specimens from the National Museum of Natural History's education collection, and more!   Extend the fun and explore the exhibition Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World in the National Gallery of Art’s West Building. This exhibit features specimens from the National Museum of Natural History’s collection and artworks from the National Gallery of Art. Interested in exploring more “Little Beasts” in Natural History’s collections? Head on over to the Natural… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Co-sponsor: National Gallery of Art. Event Location: National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Cost: Free. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Central OPA use ONLY. Topics: Science & Nature. Saturday, September 6, 2025, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Volcanic Explorations

One-Time Events Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! This Tuesday is all about exploring volcanoes! Families will learn about different types of lava flow, create their own lava-flow inspired volcano artwork, and look up close at Igneous rock specimen (rocks that are formed when magma or lava cools and solidifies) 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 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.… 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, September 9, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Investigating Insects

One-Time Events Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! This Tuesday is all about insects! Families can make close observations of select pieces from our insect collection, learn about what makes an insect an insect, and create their own take-home craft to help them remember key physical traits of insects!  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. However, accommodations may not be possible… 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, September 16, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

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

One-Time Events 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. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Thursday, September 18, 2025, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM. For more info visit www.etix.com.

Play Date at NMNH: Colorful Corals

One-Time Events 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. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, September 23, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Mighty Megalodon!

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