March | April | May | June | July | August | September

Carnegie Museum of Natural History is committed to providing a wide range of lectures, workshops, and classes that tie in with our exhibitions and special events.  Check these pages often for updates!

Adult Programs | Free Activities for Families | Tours for Schools & Groups

Image: Humpback calf, courtesy Dr. Ingrid Visser,
Orca Research Trust

Whales | Tohorā
Through May 2
R.P. Simmons Family Gallery, Third Floor

Developed and presented by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. This exhibition was made possible through the support of the New Zealand Government and the Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsored in part by:

Boy Scout Day 2010
Saturday, March 20
10:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

All Cub Scouts, Webelos, Boy Scouts, and Leaders are invited to attend! The day’s events include Scouts-only activities with an emphasis on the new, exciting Dinosaurs in Their Time and the traveling exhibition Whales | Tohorā.  All activities fulfill some component of badge requirements and are for Boy Scouts only. Please note: Boy Scout merit badge workshops will not be available on this day.

Fee
$10 per participant—includes museum admission, activities, and a custom-made embroidered patch for Scouts. One adult for every five Scouts admitted free.

Registration
Contact Group Visits at 412.622.3289 or GroupVisits@carnegiemuseums.org.

Lord of the Crane Flies
Through June 21
3rd Floor Exhibition Foyer

This exhibition focuses on Invertebrate Zoologist Chen Young's nearly 30 years of work on crane flies. The exhibition includes photographs, illustrations, specimens and video all about crane flies—what they are, where they live, how they are collected and studied, and why they are an important part of the planet we share.

Photo: Pedicia albivitta by Donna Race

Overnight Adventures
Bring your sleeping bags for a "camping" experience inside Carnegie Museum of Natural History! Sleep tight in the company of a rhinoceros, or roll out your sleeping bag in the high meadow next to a grizzly! Visit the Overnight Adventures page for program descriptions and registration information.

Nighttime on the Nile March 5
Career Capers March 19
Dino-ROAR! March 26

Free Winter Activities at Powdermill Nature Reserve

Powdermill Nature Reserve is the biological research station of Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Located in Rector, PA, amidst the rolling Laurel Highlands, wildflowers, trees, songbirds, and salamanders can be examined by eye, ear, magnifying glass, and camera. The world-class research programs at Powdermill, including the renowned bird-banding laboratory, take advantage of the biodiversity of the Allegheny Mountains. For more information or directions, click here to visit the Powdermill Web site or call 724.593.6105.

Winter Nature Hikes
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Free; no registration required

On Saturdays, join Senior Environmental Educator Joe Stavish for family-appropriate, seasonal nature hikes. These hour-long hikes take place in snow, rain, wind, or cold, so please dress appropriately.

Scientific Lecture Series for Adults
Sunday, 1 p.m.
Free; no registration required

On Sundays throughout winter, enjoy a scientific lecture series given by naturalists, scientists, and researchers from Powdermill Nature Reserve and Carnegie Museum of Natural History, as well as some special guest speakers. Talks are geared toward adults and last between 30 and 60 minutes in the Parker Room of the Nature Center.

• March 14: Pennsylvania Owls
  Joe Stavish, Senior Environmental Educator
• March 21: Vernal Pools
  Joe Stavish, Senior Environmental Educator
• March 28: Common Trees of Pennsylvania
  Joe Stavish, Senior Environmental Educator

Support for free weekend programming provided by:

Free Family Activities

Free with museum admission. Check at any Information desk for a list of the day's events!

Geology Hike
For more information, contact Albert D. Kollar, Geologist/Collection Manager, at kollara@carnegiemnh.org or 412.622.5513.

March 7
Geology of Frick Park
Hike in collaboration with Nine Mile Run Watershed Association
1–3:30 p.m.

Homeschool Programs
Visit the Homeschool Programs page for program descriptions and registration information.

Ages 4 & 5
Going on Safari March 16

Ages 6 & 7
What If I Were A Paleontologist? March 16

Ages 8 & 9
Reuse & Recycle March 16

Ages 10–12
Like A Rock March 16

Girl Scout Cadettes and Seniors Interest Project
Plant Life
March 6

Spring is the time to think of gardens and plants in bloom. Discover the world of plants at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and learn how museum scientists work to keep plant life healthy and diverse. Visit the Scouts page for registration information. Image: Jane Hyland

Educator Workshop
Gems, Minerals, and Geology
Saturday, March 27
Center for Museum Education
9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Participants earn five Act 48 hours

Carnegie Museum of Natural History has one of the finest mineral collections in the United States, and the most beautiful exhibition hall. Tour Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems and Wertz Gallery: Gems and Jewelry, experience rocks and minerals first-hand in our classroom, and discover activities you can take back to your students.

Fee:
$45 per participant. Pre-registration is required. Call 412.622.3288 or email ProgramRegistration@carnegiemuseums.org.

Population Impact
New permanent exhibition

What part do humans play on ecosystems? What part do ecosystems play on humans? Population Impact focuses on populations—of humans, plants, and other animals—and regional and global ecosystems: how they are endlessly connected, and how they are affected by human decisions on the use of resources. Explore the current topics of human population growth, tree cloning, biodiversity, and more through specimens, photographs, text, and graphic elements, with a special focus on the research being done by Carnegie Museum of Natural History scientists.

Image: Humpback calf, courtesy Dr. Ingrid Visser,
Orca Research Trust

Whales | Tohorā
Through May 2
R.P. Simmons Family Gallery, Third Floor

Developed and presented by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. This exhibition was made possible through the support of the New Zealand Government and the Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsored in part by:

Egg-cellent Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 3
10:30 a.m.–2 p.m.
Free with museum admission

On this day, Carnegie Museum of Natural History is all about EGGS! These aren’t your ordinary hidden eggs. Travel all over the museum on a scavenger hunt for egg-related, hands-on activities. The first 1,000 participants receive a “field guide” to help in the hunt.

Lord of the Crane Flies
Through June 21
3rd Floor Exhibition Foyer

This exhibition focuses on Invertebrate Zoologist Chen Young's nearly 30 years of work on crane flies. Exhibition includes photographs, illustrations, specimens and video all about crane flies—what they are, where they live, how they are collected and studied, and why they are an important part of the planet we share.

Photo: Pedicia albivitta by Donna Race

Overnight Adventures
Bring your sleeping bags for a "camping" experience inside Carnegie Museum of Natural History! Sleep tight in the company of a rhinoceros, or roll out your sleeping bag in the high meadow next to a grizzly! Visit the Overnight Adventures page for program descriptions and registration information.

Rock Around the Clock April 9
Slumber Safari April 23

Earth Day All Month Long
April 3, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25
10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Free with museum admission

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, so we want to make the occasion special! Celebrate every weekend in April with special activities for all ages.

Boy Scout Merit Badge
Geology
April 17

Rocks and fossils rule! Visit the museum that was built for and built of fossils. Explore how minerals play an important role in our lives, and how rocks and fossils are a key to Earth’s history. Visit the Scouts page for registration information. Photo: Deb Wilson

Western Pennsylvania Geology Series
For more information, contact Albert D. Kollar, Geologist/Collection Manager, at kollara@carnegiemnh.org or 412.622.5513.

April 7–May 5
Geology of the Montour Trail
University of Pittsburgh Osher Institute
1–3 p.m.

Homeschool Programs
Visit the Homeschool Programs page for program descriptions and registration information.

Ages 4 & 5
Spring into Action April 6
April Fooling April 20

Ages 6 & 7
These Feet Can't Be Beat! April 6
Fun and Games April 20

Ages 8 & 9
Going Places April 6
Into Africa April 20

Ages 10–12
Take A Hike April 6
Lovely Lepidoptera April 20

Population Impact
New permanent exhibition

What part do humans play on ecosystems? What part do ecosystems play on humans? Population Impact focuses on populations—of humans, plants, and other animals—and regional and global ecosystems: how they are endlessly connected, and how they are affected by human decisions on the use of resources. Explore the current topics of human population growth, tree cloning, biodiversity, and more through specimens, photographs, text, and graphic elements, with a special focus on the research being done by Carnegie Museum of Natural History scientists.

The R.W. Moriarty Science Seminar Series
April 7
Noon–1 p.m., Earth Theater

Join us for this series of scientific seminars on current research at Carnegie Museum of Natural History! Hear Carnegie scientists and invited researchers discuss their latest findings on a wide variety of science topics. Free with museum admission, no registration required.

Sandra Olsen, PhD
Curator of Anthropology and Head of Section
A Holistic Approach to Documenting Early Horse Domestication in Northern Kazakhstan, circa 3500 BCE

Sandi Olsen is a world-renowned researcher on the history of human interaction with horses. Join us for this fascinating discussion of Olsen's findings on the earliest uses of horses in human society.

Western Pennsylvania Geology Series
For more information, contact Albert D. Kollar, Geologist/Collection Manager, at kollara@carnegiemnh.org or 412.622.5513.

April 11
Geology and Natural History of the Montour Trail
Peters Creek Valley Hike
9:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Image: Humpback calf, courtesy Dr. Ingrid Visser,
Orca Research Trust

Whales | Tohorā
Last Day: May 2
R.P. Simmons Family Gallery, Third Floor

Developed and presented by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. This exhibition was made possible through the support of the New Zealand Government and the Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsored in part by:

Educator Workshop
Songbirds
Saturday, May 15
Powdermill Nature Reserve
8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Participants earn five Act 48 hours

Powdermill Nature Reserve is one of the wonders of Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Visit the bird banding station at Powdermill, where more than 400,000 birds have been banded over the past fifty years. Also learn about other avian research conducted at Powdermill, such as the bioacoustical monitoring of night migratory birds. Bird banding begins at 4:00 a.m., and will still be in progress when the workshop begins. For more information and directions to Powdermill, visit www.powdermill.org.

Fee:
$45 per participant. Pre-registration is required. Call 412.622.3288 or email ProgramRegistration@carnegiemuseums.org.

Lord of the Crane Flies
Through June 21
3rd Floor Exhibition Foyer

This exhibition focuses on Invertebrate Zoologist Chen Young's nearly 30 years of work on crane flies. Exhibition includes photographs, illustrations, specimens and video all about crane flies—what they are, where they live, how they are collected and studied, and why they are an important part of the planet we share.

Photo: Pedicia albivitta by Donna Race

Overnight Adventures
Bring your sleeping bags for a "camping" experience inside Carnegie Museum of Natural History! Sleep tight in the company of a rhinoceros, or roll out your sleeping bag in the high meadow next to a grizzly! Visit the Overnight Adventures page for program descriptions and registration information.

Biodiverse Beasts May 7

Population Impact
New permanent exhibition

What part do humans play on ecosystems? What part do ecosystems play on humans? Population Impact focuses on populations—of humans, plants, and other animals—and regional and global ecosystems: how they are endlessly connected, and how they are affected by human decisions on the use of resources. Explore the current topics of human population growth, tree cloning, biodiversity, and more through specimens, photographs, text, and graphic elements, with a special focus on the research being done by Carnegie Museum of Natural History scientists.

Western Pennsylvania Geology Series
For more information, contact Albert D. Kollar, Geologist/Collection Manager, at kollara@carnegiemnh.org or 412.622.5513.

April 7–May 5
Geology of the Montour Trail
University of Pittsburgh Osher Institute
1–3 p.m.

May 2
Geology of the Montour Trail
Bike ride in collaboration with Venture Outdoors
11 a.m.

National Lab Day
May 1

National Lab Day is more than just a day! It's a nationwide initiative to bring scientists, engineers, and members of the community together with educators to deliver science discovery experiences to students in grades K-12. Over 200 organizations and 6 million professionals are expected to participate in the 2010 event!

On this day, enjoy hands-on, discovery-based activities throughout the museum as you join the nationwide community of science lovers of all ages.

The R.W. Moriarty Science Seminar Series
May 5
Noon–1 p.m., Earth Theater

Join us for this series of scientific seminars on current research at Carnegie Museum of Natural History! Hear Carnegie scientists and invited researchers discuss their latest findings on a wide variety of science topics. Free with museum admission, no registration required.

James Hayden, PhD
Rea Post-doctoral Fellow, Invertebrate Zoology
Morphological and ecological diversity of pyraloid Lepidoptera, the 'middle kingdom' of moths

2010 Rachel Carson Legacy Award and Symposium on Biodiversity
May 27

Summer Camps at Carnegie Museums of Natural History and Powdermill Nature Reserve
June 14–August 13

Museum summer camps deliver the world! The entire museum campus is a field for discovery and creativity, where kids investigate Earth, art, dance, science, and more through behind-the-scenes tours, hands-on encounters, and exciting activities. Weeklong half- and full-day camps accommodate children from ages 4 through 13, with additional programs available for preschoolers and high school students.

Visit the Camps Web site for program listings and registration information!

Lord of the Crane Flies
Last day: June 21
3rd Floor Exhibition Foyer

This exhibition focuses on Invertebrate Zoologist Chen Young's nearly 30 years of work on crane flies. Exhibition includes photographs, illustrations, specimens and video all about crane flies—what they are, where they live, how they are collected and studied, and why they are an important part of the planet we share.

Photo: Pedicia albivitta by Donna Race

Pittsburgh Adorned: Classic to Contemporary
Opens June 12
Wertz Gallery: Gems & Jewelry in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems

More than 60 exquisite pieces from private local collections and Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History celebrate the many passions—including love, status, and even political beliefs—that jewelry evokes. The exhibition explores design trends of the past 200 years and features works by Alexander Calder, Barry Kieselstein-Cord, and David Webb, as well as contemporary local designers ROY and Ronald McNeish.

Free Family Activities

Free with museum admission. Check at any Information desk for a list of the day's events!

The R.W. Moriarty Science Seminar Series
June 2
Noon–1 p.m., Earth Theater

Join us for this series of scientific seminars on current research at Carnegie Museum of Natural History! Hear Carnegie scientists and invited researchers discuss their latest findings on a wide variety of science topics. Free with museum admission, no registration required.

Michael Habib, PhD
Assistant Professor of Biology, Chatham University
Launch Mechanics of Giant Pterosaurs

Research Associate Michael Habib's theory on how flying reptiles launched themselves into flight was named among Discovery magazine's Top 100 science stories of 2009.

Life: A Journey Through Time
Opens June 19

Frans Lanting's epic multi-year project is a lyrical interpretation of life on earth from its earliest beginnings to its present diversity. In 2000, Lanting set off on a journey of photographic discovery that parallels new scientific insights about the story of life on earth. His search was wide-ranging and provocative, leading him into primordial landscapes that preserve time capsules of life's history, and into unique museum collections of fossils and microscopic life. The result is a celebration of the planet, that aims to educate and inspire through images and stories of the amazing biodiversity that surrounds us.

Population Impact
New permanent exhibition

What part do humans play on ecosystems? What part do ecosystems play on humans? Population Impact focuses on populations—of humans, plants, and other animals—and regional and global ecosystems: how they are endlessly connected, and how they are affected by human decisions on the use of resources. Explore the current topics of human population growth, tree cloning, biodiversity, and more through specimens, photographs, text, and graphic elements, with a special focus on the research being done by Carnegie Museum of Natural History scientists.

The museum is closed on Independence Day: Sunday, July 4

Summer Mondays: The museum is open on Mondays, July 5–August 30.

Polar Day
Date TBD

Take a cool break from the hot summer with a museum's worth of activities related to the icy north! Free with museum admission.

Life: A Journey Through Time

Frans Lanting's epic multi-year project is a lyrical interpretation of life on earth from its earliest beginnings to its present diversity. In 2000, Lanting set off on a journey of photographic discovery that parallels new scientific insights about the story of life on earth. His search was wide-ranging and provocative, leading him into primordial landscapes that preserve time capsules of life's history, and into unique museum collections of fossils and microscopic life. The result is a celebration of the planet, that aims to educate and inspire through images and stories of the amazing biodiversity that surrounds us.

Pittsburgh Adorned: Classic to Contemporary
Through October 17
Wertz Gallery: Gems & Jewelry in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems

More than 60 exquisite pieces from private local collections and Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History celebrate the many passions—including love, status, and even political beliefs—that jewelry evokes. The exhibition explores design trends of the past 200 years and features works by Alexander Calder, Barry Kieselstein-Cord, and David Webb, as well as contemporary local designers ROY and Ronald McNeish.

Summer Camps at Carnegie Museums of Natural History and Powdermill Nature Reserve
June 14–August 13

Museum summer camps deliver the world! The entire museum campus is a field for discovery and creativity, where kids investigate Earth, art, dance, science, and more through behind-the-scenes tours, hands-on encounters, and exciting activities. Weeklong half- and full-day camps accommodate children from ages 4 through 13, with additional programs available for preschoolers and high school students.

Visit the Camps Web site for program listings and registration information!

Population Impact
New permanent exhibition

What part do humans play on ecosystems? What part do ecosystems play on humans? Population Impact focuses on populations—of humans, plants, and other animals—and regional and global ecosystems: how they are endlessly connected, and how they are affected by human decisions on the use of resources. Explore the current topics of human population growth, tree cloning, biodiversity, and more through specimens, photographs, text, and graphic elements, with a special focus on the research being done by Carnegie Museum of Natural History scientists.

Summer Mondays: The museum is open on Mondays through August 30.

Summer Camps at Carnegie Museums of Natural History and Powdermill Nature Reserve
June 14–August 13

Museum summer camps deliver the world! The entire museum campus is a field for discovery and creativity, where kids investigate Earth, art, dance, science, and more through behind-the-scenes tours, hands-on encounters, and exciting activities. Weeklong half- and full-day camps accommodate children from ages 4 through 13, with additional programs available for preschoolers and high school students.

Visit the Camps Web site for program listings and registration information!

Life: A Journey Through Time

Frans Lanting's epic multi-year project is a lyrical interpretation of life on earth from its earliest beginnings to its present diversity. In 2000, Lanting set off on a journey of photographic discovery that parallels new scientific insights about the story of life on earth. His search was wide-ranging and provocative, leading him into primordial landscapes that preserve time capsules of life's history, and into unique museum collections of fossils and microscopic life. The result is a celebration of the planet, that aims to educate and inspire through images and stories of the amazing biodiversity that surrounds us.

Pittsburgh Adorned: Classic to Contemporary
Through October 17
Wertz Gallery: Gems & Jewelry in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems

More than 60 exquisite pieces from private local collections and Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History celebrate the many passions—including love, status, and even political beliefs—that jewelry evokes. The exhibition explores design trends of the past 200 years and features works by Alexander Calder, Barry Kieselstein-Cord, and David Webb, as well as contemporary local designers ROY and Ronald McNeish.

Free Family Activities

Free with museum admission. Check at any Information desk for a list of the day's events!

Population Impact
New permanent exhibition

What part do humans play on ecosystems? What part do ecosystems play on humans? Population Impact focuses on populations—of humans, plants, and other animals—and regional and global ecosystems: how they are endlessly connected, and how they are affected by human decisions on the use of resources. Explore the current topics of human population growth, tree cloning, biodiversity, and more through specimens, photographs, text, and graphic elements, with a special focus on the research being done by Carnegie Museum of Natural History scientists.

The museum is closed on Labor Day: Monday, September 6

Pittsburgh Adorned: Classic to Contemporary
Through October 17
Wertz Gallery: Gems & Jewelry in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems

More than 60 exquisite pieces from private local collections and Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History celebrate the many passions—including love, status, and even political beliefs—that jewelry evokes. The exhibition explores design trends of the past 200 years and features works by Alexander Calder, Barry Kieselstein-Cord, and David Webb, as well as contemporary local designers ROY and Ronald McNeish.

Life: A Journey Through Time

Frans Lanting's epic multi-year project is a lyrical interpretation of life on earth from its earliest beginnings to its present diversity. In 2000, Lanting set off on a journey of photographic discovery that parallels new scientific insights about the story of life on earth. His search was wide-ranging and provocative, leading him into primordial landscapes that preserve time capsules of life's history, and into unique museum collections of fossils and microscopic life. The result is a celebration of the planet, that aims to educate and inspire through images and stories of the amazing biodiversity that surrounds us.

Population Impact
New permanent exhibition

What part do humans play on ecosystems? What part do ecosystems play on humans? Population Impact focuses on populations—of humans, plants, and other animals—and regional and global ecosystems: how they are endlessly connected, and how they are affected by human decisions on the use of resources. Explore the current topics of human population growth, tree cloning, biodiversity, and more through specimens, photographs, text, and graphic elements, with a special focus on the research being done by Carnegie Museum of Natural History scientists.