When plants or animals are so rare, we don’t even know if they need protection. So knowing they exist is the first step in conservation. Over the past couple of years, our researchers succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations at rediscovering lost species. Read more.
San Diego County has an embarrassment of riches, with more species of plants and animals than any other comparable area in the continental U.S. But we also have another claim to fame: this area is also extremely rich in gem and mineral deposits. Read more.
Halloween. Dia de los Muertos. National Deviled Egg Day. This time of year, it is hard not to think about the underworld and its ruler. In addition to having many names, the devil has a surprising number of species named after him. Read more.
We have been turning the pages in our rare books as frequently as every three months to protect the beautiful hand-colored images, and even then, we need to allow the books themselves to “rest.” This means removing them from public display and bringing out different objects, giving visitors the opportunity to see something new next time they visit. Read more.
Bearded millennials and hipsters, your day is here! International Beard Day is September 1 this year. Some folks <he writes while staring at his reflection in a laptop monitor> are not blessed with the thickest lumberjacky of beards. This can result in what some have called, beard envy. Laugh, but it is for real. Read more.
Once, while walking around the Museum, I saw a young boy about four years old looking at one of our exhibits of a marine mammal skeleton. Shortly after taking a gander at the specimen, he turned to his dad and asked, “Is that real, Daddy?” Young kids have a way of cutting to the chase, don’t they? Yes, they have a million questions about this new world that they are learning about, but “is it real?” is one of the first and foremost. And here’s the deal: at The Nat, we specialize in real. Real bones, real minerals, real butterflies, real birds, real bugs and snakes and spiders and everything in between. Read more.
Considering San Diego’s status in the craft beer industry, people should not have a problem locating an establishment that will pour a celebratory frothy beverage on August 3, International Beer Day. In the grand tradition, crowds will convene at their favorite local tasting room, raise a pint, and enthusiastically declare the traditional International Beer Day toast, “Thank the gods for herbivorous insects!” Or at least that is how it should be. Read more.
Museums for All, a signature access program of the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), encourages families of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build a lifelong affinity for arts and culture. The Nat is a proud participant in this program, which serves low-income families by offering free admission to the Museum year-round with the presentation of an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or Women, Infants & Children (WIC) card. Read more.
If you are interested in birds and have yet to visit Unshelved: Cool Stuff from Storage, our exhibition that reveals specimens from our hidden storage areas, you need to hustle on over and check it out. A stroll through Unshelved quickly reveals an abundance of “all things birdy” to appreciate, including more than 46 birds, 6 nests, and no less than 24 sets of bird eggs. Read more.
National Sugar Cookie Day falls on July 9, so break out the flour, sugar, and icing and take part in the time-honored summer tradition of making natural-history themed cookies. I’m personally a fan of insect-shaped cookies. I think I might just be trying to mentally prepare myself for the day when insects become the primary source of protein for the human population—that day might be closer than you think. Read more.