Coral Reef Tank Talk
One-Time Events
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.
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.
Monday, July 7, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Ocean Topics Cart Chat
One-Time Events
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Ocean Topics Cart Chat
One-Time Events
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.
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, July 9, 2025, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
Ocean Topics Cart Chat
One-Time Events
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.
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, July 10, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Science on a Sphere
One-Time Events
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.
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.
Friday, July 11, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Stories from Space
One-Time Events
Meteorites are rocks that came from space, fell through the sky and crashed to Earth. Each meteorite records the story of the formation and evolution of our solar system. Come touch a meteorite and talk to Dr. Glenn Macpherson, Curator of Meteorites, about the science stories from the National Meteorites Collection.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 2nd Floor, Geology, Gems, and Minerals Hall. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: The Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Central OPA use ONLY. Topics: Science & Nature.
Friday, July 11, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
The World & Me: Caring for the Future of our Planet with Company E and Sound Impact
One-Time Events
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…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Ground Floor. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Kids & Families. Performances. Event Group: Music Event. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Central OPA use ONLY. Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature.
Saturday, July 12, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Ocean Topics Cart Chat
One-Time Events
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.
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, July 17, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Q?rius After Hours - July
One-Time Events
Q?rius After Hours is back! You have two more chances to hang out in the Coralyn W. Whitney Q?rius Science Education Center after hours this summer. Both nights will feature NMNH collections specimens, crafts, puzzles, and games, but check out these featured experts for July: The Biology of Berries with NMNH botany laboratory technician Gabriel Johnson , Knot tying, Chesapeake Bay Maritime History and Sailing Tools with the crew of Mildred Belle, the Living Classrooms Foundation’s Chesapeake Bay buyboat. , What Was Insect Pollination Like before the Origin of Flowering Plants? NMNH paleoecologist Conrad Labandeira , The Art of Preserving Plants featuring hands-on botany specimen preparation with NMNH botany collections manager Erika Gardner , Try your hand at painting insect art with micro-photography Register here for the July 17th program.
After July, your last chance to catch Q?rius After Hours this summer is on August 13th. Register here!
This program is designed for adults. Registration 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/51366481/qrius-after-hours-july-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature.
Thursday, July 17, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM.
For more info visit www.etix.com. Privacy, Security, and Safety in Digital Space
One-Time Events
How privacy-aware are you online? Is it safe to share personal information in a group text? How do targeted ads work? Come chat with a team of computer scientists and privacy researchers from the John Hopkins University and the University of Notre Dame. Ask them about digital privacy and test your skills at being safe online!
Presented by:
Dr. Yaxing Yao, Computer Science Professor, Johns Hopkins University
Dr. Toby Li, Computer Science Professor, Johns Hopkins University
Lanjing Liu, Privacy Researcher, University of Notre Dame
Chaoran Chen, Privacy Researcher, University of Notre Dame
Julia Qian, Engineering Professor, University of Notre Dame
Photographs courtesy of the presenters (left to right): Chaoran Chen, Julia Qian, Lanjing Liu, Toby Li, and Yaxing Yao.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 2nd Floor, Cellphone Exhibition Hall. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: Cellphone: Unseen Connections. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature.
Friday, July 18, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Ocean Topics Cart Chat
One-Time Events
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.
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.
Monday, July 21, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Science on a Sphere
One-Time Events
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 22, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Oyster EMTs: Environmental Monitoring Technicians of the Sea
One-Time Events
Did you know that oysters are nature’s first responders to environmental change? Join our experts as they answer questions about how seashells form, the role oysters play in cleaning our coastal waters, and the challenges and solutions surrounding their growth.
Presented by: Dr. Carly LaRoche and Dr. Elizabeth (Lizz) Whitney, Marine Chemists, The College of William and Mary and the University of Delaware
Photos from Dr. Carly LaRoche (left) and Dr. Elizabeth (Lizz) Whitney (right).
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: Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature.
Wednesday, July 23, 2025, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Tiny Critters, Big Jobs
One-Time Events
They are tiny, but plankton power the planet! In life, these ocean critters create the oxygen we breathe and feed the food web. When they die, plankton sink to the seafloor, where they preserve a time capsule of Earth’s changing climate.
Come learn more about Earth’s unseen engineers and historians – they help us survive and understand how our planet works!
Presented by: Dr. Maddie Wood and Dr. Allie Smith, Marine Geochemist and Marine Biogeochemist, University of California, Santa Cruz and University of South Alabama/Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Photograph of diatoms arranged on a microscope slide by W.M. Grant.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/casgeology/8982703970/.
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.
Wednesday, July 23, 2025, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Busy Beavers: Restoring Riverscapes
One-Time Events
Beavers are ecosystem engineers that build dams and lodges. Today, beaver populations are lower than their historic amount, but we still need beavers to shape streams. So, some restoration efforts are taking inspiration from beavers! Learn about Beaver Dam Analogs as one example of low-tech process-based restoration techniques that improve water quality, fish habitat, and water table levels.
Presented by: Christy Mueller, Watershed Restoration Ecologist, Knauss Marine Policy Fellow, Connecticut Sea Grant
Images from Christy Mueller.
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, Hall of Mammals. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: The Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature.
Wednesday, July 23, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Ocean Topics Cart Chat
One-Time Events
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.
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, July 24, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Ocean Topics Cart Chat
One-Time Events
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.
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, July 30, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Coral Reef Tank Talk
One-Time Events
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.
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.
Thursday, July 31, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Ocean Topics Cart Chat
One-Time Events
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.
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.
Friday, August 1, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
The World & Me: Life ON and IN the Ocean!
One-Time Events
Join us for a special The World & Me as we explore life IN and ON the ocean with our friends from Living Classrooms! Come learn from educators about sailors, working on a boat, how boats communicate with one another, and where you can visit the Mildred Belle, a Chesapeake Bay buyboat. Look up close at oysters and specimens from our museum's collections while being inspired to design your own postage stamp in celebration of buyboats like the Mildred Belle.
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…
Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Ground Floor. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Kids & Families. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Central OPA use ONLY. Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature.
Saturday, August 2, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 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,…
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.
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,…
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, August 12, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.
Q?rius After Hours - August
One-Time Events
Q?rius After Hours is back! You have two more chances to hang out in the Coralyn W. Whitney Q?rius Science Education Center after hours this summer. Both nights will feature NMNH collections specimens, crafts, puzzles, and games, but check out these featured experts for August: 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 botany collections manager 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…
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. 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…
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, 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…
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…
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.
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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.