Events

    2023 Oct 07

    National Fossil Day

    1:00pm to 4:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    What treasures are found in the Harvard University paleontology collections? Meet Harvard paleontologists to find out! See their favorite fossils, learn about their research, and ask them your questions.

    Learn about local fossils and where to find them, see what new techniques and technologies are being used to study fossils, and hear about current research projects. Join us to celebrate National Fossil Day with short talks and table-top presentations for all ages.

    Regular museum admission rates apply.

    ...

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    2023 Sep 23

    Rat Embalming Workshop

    3:00pm to 4:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Learn about the history and art of specimen embalming, starting with the early work of Dutch anatomist Frederik Ruysch. Then prepare your own rat specimen in a glass jar using non-formalin preservative. You will leave with a tool set and your rat specimen which you will transfer safely into alcohol after three weeks, following the instructions provided. This class involves needles and syringes. PPE provided.

    This workshop is for adults (18+) only.

    Cost: $80 members; $90 nonmembers

    ...

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    2023 Sep 23

    Pinning and Learning: Caucasus Beetle

    1:00pm to 2:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Explore impressive insects by preparing and preserving a sustainably sourced caucasus beetle of your own. You will receive a set of illustrated instructions, tools, and your finished specimen to display at home. With newfound knowledge, explore the arthropod gallery to take in the subtle nuances of Earth’s invertebrate species.

    This workshop is for adults (18+) only. 

    Cost: $80 members; $90 nonmembers

    ...

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    2023 Sep 23

    Pinning and Learning: Giant Soldier Ant

    11:00am to 12:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Explore impressive insects by preparing and preserving a sustainably sourced giant soldier ant of your own. You will receive a set of illustrated instructions, tools, and your finished specimen to display at home. With newfound knowledge, explore the arthropod gallery to take in all the subtle nuances of Earth’s invertebrate species.

    This is a fun and engaging activity that can be enjoyed by anyone. Students under 12 must be accompanied by an adult chaperone who can work with them, at no additional charge. If the chaperone wishes to complete their own project, a second...

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    2023 Sep 23

    Pinning and Learning: Sky Blue Morpho Butterfly

    9:00am to 10:00am

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Explore impressive insects by preparing and preserving a sustainably sourced blue morpho butterfly of your own. You will receive a set of illustrated instructions, tools, and your finished specimen to display at home. With newfound knowledge, explore the arthropod gallery to take in the subtle nuances of Earth’s invertebrate species.

    This is a fun and engaging activity that can be enjoyed by anyone. Students under 12 must be accompanied by an adult chaperone who can work with them, at no additional charge. If the chaperone wishes to complete their own project, a second...

    Read more about Pinning and Learning: Sky Blue Morpho Butterfly
    2023 Sep 17

    ¡Celebremos El Salvador!

    12:00pm to 3:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Celebrate the vibrant culture and natural history of El Salvador. Enjoy captivating folk dances by Grupo Torogoz and try hands-on activities including corn grinding and painting with cochineal insects. Go on a scavenger hunt and discover the rich heritage of animals, minerals, and artifacts from the region. Join an archaeologist for a live-streamed tour of Joya de Cerén, the Pompeii of Latin America. Take a break with Spanish Story Time, enjoy traditional Salvadoran cuisine (available for purchase), and enter a raffle to win a museum gift basket.

    All are welcome to explore,...

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    2023 Jun 21

    Summer Solstice 2023: Night at the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture

    5:00pm to 9:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museums of Science & Culture, 11 Divinity Ave., Cambridge

    Join the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture on the longest day of the year—free of charge—to explore the galleries and new exhibitions at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, and the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East.

    Step outdoors to enjoy lively musical and circus performances, play mini-golf, and make a flower crown. Ice cream, mocktails, and snacks will be available to purchase from food trucks and vendors. Don’t miss out on this popular event for all ages...

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    2023 Jun 12

    Climate Health Summer Welcome Reception

    5:00pm to 7:30pm

    Location: 

    Malkin Penthouse, Harvard Kennedy School, 79 John F. Kennedy St., Cambridge

    Are you a student or resident looking to plug into the climate space in Boston? Please join climate-passionate students, interns, residents, fellows, and faculty from across the Harvard health sciences schools and the affiliated hospitals for a welcome reception. At this event, you will have the opportunity to learn about the climate landscape at Harvard and find ways to plug in during your time in Boston. Refreshments will be served.

    ...

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    2023 May 13

    Science Spotlights

    2:00pm to 3:30pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Meet up-and-coming scientists and learn about questions at the forefront of research today in this series of short talks. Perhaps you’ll discuss how studying dog reactions help us learn about the evolution of social behavior? Maybe you’ll consider the regrowth of a microscopic worm after injury and what that can teach us about any animal cell. Will you look at how trees manage the tradeoffs of building woody tissue or look for geological evidence of Earth’s first billion years? Each Science Spotlight in the series will include several short research talks.

    Ages 10–Adults....

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    2023 May 08

    Next in Food Sustainability and Climate Change

    2:00pm

    Location: 

    Online or at Knafel Center, 10 Garden St., Cambridge

    What does climate change mean for our food systems? How do our food production and consumption habits contribute to the climate crisis? Speakers will explore the complex interplay of food and climate change, challenging and illuminating our unsustainable relationships with meat and water, soil and sea.

    Learn more and RSVP.

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    2023 May 07

    Frog-Legged Beetle Dome

    1:30pm to 4:30pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Prepare and pose an iridescent frog-legged beetle specimen and mount it in a miniature environment of your creation, all enclosed within a three-inch glass dome. Materials are included but participants are encouraged to bring rocks, crystals, dried flowers, or other materials to further enhance their insect’s home.

    Open to children with adult supervision and those ages 12 and up.

    Cost: $95 members / $115 nonmembers

    ...

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    2022 Dec 03

    Birds & Blooms

    11:00am to 3:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Did you know that many of the birds in the Northeastern United States spend the winter in Latin America socializing and eating among tropical trees and flowers? Explore the lives and behaviors of these birds in our Birds of the World gallery and learn about flowers from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico in the Blaschka Glass Flowers gallery. Try some hands-on activities led by Hear Me Out/Escúchame teens, see their newest mini exhibit, decorate a bird or flower mask, and brighten the dark season!

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    2022 Nov 12

    Swimming with Sharks: A Photographic Journey

    2:00pm to 3:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Join renowned photographer Keith Ellenbogen as he takes the audience on an awe-inspiring underwater journey into a dynamic marine environment. Through the art of underwater photography and environmental storytelling, Ellenbogen will showcase stunning images from his recent expeditions that include apex predators such as great white sharks, ocean giants like humpback whales, and giant bait balls of migrating fish. Many of his images are featured in the new exhibition Swimming with Sharks at the Harvard Museum of Natural History.

    Appropriate for ages 10 and...

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    2022 Oct 08

    National Fossil Day: More Than Dinosaurs!

    1:00pm to 4:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Paleontology is about more than dinosaurs! Harvard paleontologists study amazing non-dinosaur fossils including early mammals, ancient invertebrates, whales, crabs, and more! Meet members of the Stephanie E. Pierce Lab for Vertebrate Paleontology and the Ortega-Hernández Lab for Invertebrate Paleontology to see their favorite fossils, learn about their research, and ask them your questions. See what new techniques and technologies are being used to study fossils, learn what fossils can teach us about evolution, and hear about current research projects. Join us to celebrate National...

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    2022 Sep 25

    Pinning and Learning: Forest Scorpion

    3:30pm to 5:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Explore amazing arthropods from an evolutionary perspective with a hands-on look at an impressive species! Utilizing sustainably sourced specimens, students will learn about arthropod development and anatomy by preparing and preserving specimens of their own. Each student will get to keep a set of illustrated instructions, tools, and their own finished specimen to display at home. With newfound knowledge, students can explore the museum’s arthropod gallery to take in all of the subtle nuances of Earth's invertebrate species.

    These are fun and engaging...

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    2022 Sep 25

    Pinning and Learning: Giant Purple Grasshopper

    1:30pm to 3:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Explore amazing arthropods from an evolutionary perspective with a hands-on look at an impressive species! Utilizing sustainably sourced specimens, students will learn about arthropod development and anatomy by preparing and preserving specimens of their own. Each student will get to keep a set of illustrated instructions, tools, and their own finished specimen to display at home. With newfound knowledge, students can explore the museum’s arthropod gallery to take in all of the subtle nuances of Earth's invertebrate species.

    These are fun and engaging...

    Read more about Pinning and Learning: Giant Purple Grasshopper
    2022 Sep 25

    Pinning and Learning: Rhinoceros Beetles

    11:30am to 1:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Explore amazing arthropods from an evolutionary perspective with a hands-on look at an impressive species! Utilizing sustainably sourced specimens, students will learn about arthropod development and anatomy by preparing and preserving specimens of their own. Each student will get to keep a set of illustrated instructions, tools, and their own finished specimen to display at home. With newfound knowledge, students can explore the museum’s arthropod gallery to take in all of the subtle nuances of Earth's invertebrate species.

    These are fun and engaging...

    Read more about Pinning and Learning: Rhinoceros Beetles
    2022 Sep 25

    Pinning and Learning: Empress Cicadas

    9:30am to 11:00am

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Explore amazing arthropods from an evolutionary perspective with a hands-on look at an impressive species! Utilizing sustainably sourced specimens, students will learn about arthropod development and anatomy by preparing and preserving specimens of their own. Each student will get to keep a set of illustrated instructions, tools, and their own finished specimen to display at home. With newfound knowledge, students can explore the museum’s arthropod gallery to take in all of the subtle nuances of Earth's invertebrate species.

    These are fun and engaging...

    Read more about Pinning and Learning: Empress Cicadas
    2022 Sep 20

    Preserving Plant Diversity

    10:00am to 12:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge

    Join an exploration of plant diversity and an introduction to methods of plant preservation. Using plant cuttings brought from home, carefully observe and compare morphological characteristics, discuss why they may have been favored over evolutionary time, and learn how to press specimens for scientific study. Following the workshop, the group will tour the Harvard University Herbaria to learn about the importance of preserved specimens and to see how scientists use them for scientific research.

    Cost: $54 members / $60 nonmembers

    Presented...

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    2022 Sep 06

    Why Sharks Matter: Shark Science and Conservation

    6:00pm to 7:15pm

    Location: 

    Virtual and In-Person – Harvard Museums of Science & Culture, Haller Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge

    Sharks are some of the most fascinating, most ecologically important, most threatened, and most misunderstood animals on Earth. Join award-winning marine conservation biologist Dr. David Shiffman, author of the new book Why Sharks Matter: A Deep Dive with the World's Most Misunderstood Predator, for a conversation about what's new and what's next in the world of shark science and conservation.

    Presented by the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture and the Harvard Museum of Natural History

    ...

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