Curator's Cupboard

Special Offsite Event: Santa Monica Mountains Science Festival with the National Park Service @ Paramount Ranch

Saturday, April 27, 2013; 10:30 am-4:00 pm

Activities for people of all ages, including talks, hands-on demonstrations, nature walks, family activities, live animal displays, and a chance to meet and talk with the scientists. We invite you to come out and explore the natural and cultural resources within the Santa Monica Mountains and learn about the scientific research that helps us all better understand and protect those resources!

 

Many of our Natural History Museum's curators and collections managers will be out in full force to showcase some of our amazing items at this event. Stop by our NHM tables and say hello! 

 

For more information, please visit http://www.nps.gov/samo/sciencefestival.htm

 

Active Research

Any visit to the Natural History Museum is guaranteed to be filled with amazing discoveries about the awe-inspiring diversity of life and the forces that shape our world. But did you know that the displays and exhibits that spark your wonder and curiosity are only the tip of the iceberg? It's true. For every exotic gemstone, rare and beautiful animal specimen, cultural artifact and dinosaur fossil, there are millions more in the vaults — our Curator's Cupboards — far from the lights of the display cases, waiting for you to see them.   

The Natural History Museum isn't just about putting an awesome collection on display. Just beyond the exhibit halls, there's a whole world of active research going on as our curators and researchers examine the more than 35 million objects in our archive and uncover the secrets they reveal of our natural world.

Curator's Cupboards are a chance for curators and Museum visitors to meet, and share a glimpse of the amazing specimens and artifacts you won't get to see on a routine visit to the Museum. In past events, our curators have shared rare marine and mammal specimens, actual meteorites, and dinosaur fossils, and insect critters so exotic you'd think they were from Mars.

2013 Topics and Dates

The Mysterious and Bizarre Saturday, March 9, 2013

Our collections contain some of the strangest specimens in the world! Meet our researchers and join behind-the-scenes tours to see where these treasures are housed.

Finds from 1913 Sunday, June 9, 2013

We are celebrating NHM's 100th anniversary on June 9 and are excited to highlight our amazing collection of specimens from the 1910s.

Urban Biodiversity Saturday, August 17, 2013

Come and see what specimens have been collected in the L.A. Basin. You'll be amazed by the variety, shapes, and species. Our new habitat spaces around the Museum have attracted an impressive diversity of animals.

Conserving our Collections Saturday, October 12, 2013

In conjunction with National Fossil Day, Curator's Cupboard will be at the Page Museum. Take a close look at some of our Ice Age finds and listen to experts discuss how specimens are collected, preserved, and protected from damaging pests.

For more information about Curator's Cupboard, call (213) 763-ED4U or email educate@nhm.org.