Events

    2023 Nov 30

    ArtsThursdays: AR/VR Explorations

    5:00pm to 9:00pm

    Location: 

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

    Join us for a free art + science night at the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology!

    This month, we are exploring virtual and augmented reality within the galleries. Meet geologists visualizing seismic events. Try your hand at painting in 3D space using an Oculus headset. Watch how paleontologists digitize research specimens with handheld 3D scanners. Shape landscapes and study water flow in the AR sandbox.

    Artisanal cocktails and mocktails by CraftHouse Bartending will be available for purchase. Valid government ID...

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    2023 Oct 19

    Astronomy is for All of Us: Celebrating Women Astrophysicists and the History of Cosmic Discovery

    5:00pm to 8:00pm

    Location: 

    Harvard College Observatory Plate Stacks, 47 Concord Ave., Cambridge

    During Massachusetts STEM Week, join us for an evening celebrating remarkable women in astronomy from across the galaxy. Enjoy a dynamic lecture on exciting applications of astronomy, explore a captivating exhibition in the Great Refractor, engage in family-friendly STEM activities, and cap off the night with fall refreshments and stargazing.

    • Remarks from Professor Lisa Kewley, Director, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
    • Welcome remarks from Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, highlighting...
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    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 Oct 01

    Magic Milk!

    12:00pm to 4:00pm

    Location: 

    Kendall/MIT Open Space, 292 Main St., Cambridge

    How do you turn ordinary milk into an explosion of color?! With just a few common kitchen items, we will show you how to turn milk into a rainbow created by hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules in these ingredients. It’s fun science that you can explore and do at home!

    Part of the 2023 Cambridge Science Festival.

    Learn more....

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    2023 Sep 30

    Cambridge Explores the Universe

    1:00pm

    Location: 

    The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, 60 Garden St., Cambridge

    Become an astronomer for a day! Come visit us on Observatory Hill, and see what the Center for Astrophysics has been up to. Enjoy exploration stations that include hands-on activities, telescope tours, and solar observing. There’s even an opportunity to ask our scientists all of your burning space questions at our “Ask an Astronomer” tables.

    Find out the latest discoveries about the sun, exoplanets, and black holes and take your own telescope images using our robotic telescopes, or go on a virtual tour of space using the World Wide Telescope visualization lab- It’s out of this...

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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 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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    2023 Apr 08

    Science Spotlights

    2:00pm to 3:30pm

    Location: 

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

    Meet Harvard scientists and learn about questions at the forefront of research today in this series of short talks on the following topics:

    • 2:00pm: Sweaty Shrubs with Melissa Mai, Holbrook Lab
      How do plants deal with too much salt? From the world’s driest desert and tropical coastlines to your own neighborhood, plants get exposed to more salt than they’d like. Some plants have developed unique adaptations to handle extra salt, including a shrub that sweats! I explain how multiple branches of science come together to help us unearth this shrub’s...
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    2023 Mar 11

    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 Feb 11

    I Heart Science

    1:00pm to 4:00pm

    Location: 

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

    Break out of the winter doldrums and let your inner scientist loose. Meet amateur and professional scientists who study and collect mushrooms, shells, insects, and minerals. Talk with experts who build telescopes, create chocolate, and grow carnivorous plants. Try your hand at finding bugs or exploring sand. Be creative designing an imaginary insect or crafting a button to display your passion for exploration. Watch a live ice sculpture demonstration in front of the museum. Enjoy hot cocoa and chocolate bars available for purchase from Goodnow Farms Chocolate. This popular annual event...

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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!

    ... Read more about Birds & Blooms
    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

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