Natural History Museum

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Art Workshop: What is the Upper Holocene?

One-Time Events PRESENTED BY: Jonathon Keats, Experimental Philosopher Nicholas Pyenson, Curator of Fossil Marine Mammals and Chair of the Department of Paleobiology For over a decade, geologists have searched for the right site to strike an official "golden spike" marking the start of the Anthropocene. But the spike remains unstruck. But what if, instead of confirming the Anthropocene , we identified a broader Holocene with humans as part of nature rather than apart from it? Join us as we attempt to answer this question in an art workshop. Through a sequence of questions and ideas to think about, participants will learn what a ”golden spike” is while also envisioning the world we want future generations to inherit. Thoughts and ideas shared by participants will be transcribed and used as qualitative data for a future research paper focused on the public’s understanding of geological time. Consent from all participants will be requested before activity begins. Location: This program is held in Q?rius, The Coralyn W.… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Q?rius, The Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center (Ground Floor). Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Workshops. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Central OPA use ONLY. Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Saturday, August 15, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM.

What is the Upper Holocene?

One-Time Events PRESENTED BY: Jonathon Keats, Experimental Philosopher Nicholas Pyenson, Curator of Fossil Marine Mammals and Chair of the Department of Paleobiology For over a decade, geologists have searched for the right site to strike an official "golden spike" marking the start of the Anthropocene. But the spike remains unstruck. But what if, instead of confirming the Anthropocene , we identified a broader Holocene with humans as part of nature rather than apart from it? Join us as we attempt to answer this question in an activity together inside the Age of Humans Gallery in Deep Time. Through a sequence of questions and ideas to think about, participants will learn what a ”golden spike” is while also envisioning the world we want future generations to inherit. Individuals or small groups will go through the experience one at a time. A seating area for participants to wait will be available. Thoughts and ideas shared by participants will be transcribed and used as qualitative data for a future research paper focused… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Warner Age of Humans Gallery, David H. Koch Hall of Fossils - Deep Time (1st Floor). Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Central OPA use ONLY. Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Monday, August 17, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.

CANCELLED - 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 World Orangutan Day (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 such as… 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 18, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

What is the Upper Holocene?

One-Time Events PRESENTED BY: Jonathon Keats, Experimental Philosopher Nicholas Pyenson, Curator of Fossil Marine Mammals and Chair of the Department of Paleobiology For over a decade, geologists have searched for the right site to strike an official "golden spike" marking the start of the Anthropocene. But the spike remains unstruck. But what if, instead of confirming the Anthropocene , we identified a broader Holocene with humans as part of nature rather than apart from it? Join us as we attempt to answer this question in an activity together inside the Age of Humans Gallery in Deep Time. Through a sequence of questions and ideas to think about, participants will learn what a ”golden spike” is while also envisioning the world we want future generations to inherit. Individuals or small groups will go through the experience one at a time. A seating area for participants to wait will be available. Thoughts and ideas shared by participants will be transcribed and used as qualitative data for a future research paper focused… Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: Warner Age of Humans Gallery, David H. Koch Hall of Fossils - Deep Time (1st Floor). Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Central OPA use ONLY. Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, August 18, 2026, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

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. Event Group: World Ocean Month (June). Related Exhibition: The Sant Ocean Hall. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Topics: Science & Nature. Monday, August 24, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: From These Lands

One-Time Events Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! Come join us as we celebrate our upcoming exhibit, From These Lands! This exhibit will explore the story of our nation through our collections. In this week's Play Date, we will be learning about different mineral science specimens highlighted in the new exhibit as well as some minerals and volcanic rock from our education collection. Families will be able to explore through play, art-making, and storytelling. 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… 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. Event Group: Early Learning. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, August 25, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

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. Event Group: World Ocean Month (June). Related Exhibition: The Sant Ocean Hall. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, August 25, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

American Bison Cart Chat

Ongoing Tours & Activities Join educators in the "Bison: Standing Strong" exhibit to discover more about the Nation's Mammal - the American Bison. Learn how these fascinating animals alter their ecosystem in ways that benefit other animals and their habitat, as well as their importance to humans.  Image by Jean Beaufort, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83971372 . Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 2nd Floor, Bison: Standing Strong exhibit. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Topics: Science & Nature. Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

Better Together: The Benefits of Learning from One Another

One-Time Events Do primates learn from one another? Did early humans learn in the same way? How can scientists uncover evidence of learning from the past? Come chat with Dr. Elaine Miller to explore the evolution of learning! An expert in evolutionary brain anatomy and function, Dr. Miller will use puzzles to illustrate the advantages of learning from one another, examine how this shaped the lives of early humans, and explore the clues these behaviors left behind in the archaeological record. Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 1st Floor, Hall of Human Origins. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Related Exhibition: The David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Topics: Science & Nature. Friday, August 28, 2026, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.

American Bison Cart Chat

Ongoing Tours & Activities Join educators in the "Bison: Standing Strong" exhibit to discover more about the Nation's Mammal - the American Bison. Learn how these fascinating animals alter their ecosystem in ways that benefit other animals and their habitat, as well as their importance to humans.  Image by Jean Beaufort, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83971372 . Sponsor: Natural History Museum. Venue: Natural History Museum. Event Location: 2nd Floor, Bison: Standing Strong exhibit. Cost: Free and open to the public. Categories: Gallery Talks & Tours. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Topics: Science & Nature. Sunday, August 30, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Animal Spotlight - Bison!

One-Time Events Join us on Tuesdays for special family play dates with museum educators! Tuesday, September 1st, is a special animal spotlight on bison! 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 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 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… 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, September 1, 2026, 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.… 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 8, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Play Date at NMNH: Megalodon Day!

One-Time Events Join us Tuesday, September 15th, for a belated celebration of Megalodon Day (June 15th)! 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 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… 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. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Behind the Science with Zoologist and Curator of "Bison: Standing Strong" Dr. Melissa Hawkins and Genomics Researcher Dr. Sarah Johnson

One-Time Events “Bison Bones and Genomes” For millennia, bison roamed the North American continent unimpeded. Numbering in the tens of millions, their presence on the Great Plains allowed the grassland ecosystems to thrive. However, over a few decades at the end of the 19th century, bison nearly went extinct with less than 1,000 animals remaining, irrevocably altering the genetic landscape of this species. Smithsonian scientists are now extracting DNA from skeletal remains collected from across the continent throughout the 19th and 20th centuries to quantify just how much genetic diversity was lost during the population crash and what it might mean for conservation efforts in the future. This month, go behind the science with two NMNH researchers, Dr. Melissa (Missy) Hawkins, zoologist and curator of the “Bison: Standing Strong” exhibit, and Dr. Sarah Johnson, a postdoctoral research fellow at the museum, who are working together to analyze DNA from these historic specimens. Read more about their work in this Smithsonian… 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/80750497/behind-the-scienceseptember-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Event Group: Earth Month Every Month. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Central OPA use ONLY. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM. For more info visit www.etix.com.

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, September 22, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM.

Behind the Science with Paleontologist and Curator of Dinosauria Matthew Carrano

One-Time Events Save the date for Behind the Science: October, ft. Matthew Carrano, Paleontologist and Curator of Dinosauria for our Fossil Day celebration. More details coming soon.  ---------------- About the Series: Behind the Science A monthly after-hours series featuring NMNH scientists and researchers, Each month, join the National Museum of Natural History for the new series, Behind the Science, where NMNH researchers share insights into their latest discoveries and explore the fascinating questions driving their work—from the origins of life to the future of our planet. Come learn what’s happening behind the scenes and how science shapes our understanding of the natural world. Programs take place in Q?rius, the Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center. Topics and speakers announced on a rolling basis, but save the dates now! Upcoming Dates: Jun. 9: Matt Girard, Zoologist Jul. 14: Torsten Dikow, Entomologist and Curator of Flies Aug. 11: Nick Pyenson, Paleontologist (Marine Mammals) Sep. 15: Missy Hawkins,… 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/86562911/behind-the-scienceoctober-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Event Group: Earth Month Every Month. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Central OPA use ONLY. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM. For more info visit www.etix.com.

Behind the Science: November

One-Time Events Save the date for Behind the Science: April! Speaker and topic to be announced.   ---------------- About the Series: Behind the Science A monthly after-hours series featuring NMNH scientists and researchers, Each month, join the National Museum of Natural History for the new series, Behind the Science, where NMNH researchers share insights into their latest discoveries and explore the fascinating questions driving their work—from the origins of life to the future of our planet. Come learn what’s happening behind the scenes and how science shapes our understanding of the natural world. Programs take place in Q?rius, the Coralyn W. Whitney Science Education Center. Topics and speakers announced on a rolling basis, but save the dates now! Upcoming Dates: Jun. 9: Matt Girard, Zoologist Jul. 14: Torsten Dikow, Entomologist and Curator of Flies Aug. 11: Nick Pyenson, Paleontologist (Marine Mammals) Sep. 15: Missy Hawkins, Research Zoologist and Curator of our upcoming Bison: Standing Strong Exhibit Oct. 13: … 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/32430410/behind-the-sciencenovember-washington-national-museum-of-natural-history. Categories: After Five. Lectures & Discussions. Event Group: Earth Month Every Month. Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Featured Event: Museum Level Featured Event. Central OPA use ONLY. Topics: Science & Nature. Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:15 PM. For more info visit www.etix.com.