Museum & Foundation Highlights | July - September 2021

Summer is Here & the DynaTheater is Open!

The Museum is the perfect place to keep cool during the summer heat. If you haven’t been back since the reopening, now is a great time to come see us because the DynaTheater is reopening on July 8! Check our website for showtimes and pricing.

If you need to renew your Museum membership or need to rejoin, visit our website, call us at (505) 841-2851, or just stop by the Membership Desk inside the Museum.

Need to reserve your tickets for the Museum or DynaTheater? Just call the Membership Desk at (505) 841-2851 and our friendly staff will be happy to help.

Thank you for your continued support! See you at the Museum!

NatureWorks is Ready for Summer!


Stop in to see our great selection of dino, space, and science related items that will keep the entire family entertained. We also have many home and attention-grabbing items that will be the perfect gift for summer birthdays or just to “gift” to yourself!

As always, ALL items are tax exempt and your dollars go toward helping the Foundation further the mission of advancing the educational, scientific, and cultural programs of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science.

Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10:00 – 4:00

Happy summer from the entire NatureWorks Staff!
NatureWorks received a wonderful compliment recently from Susan Taylor, Curator for the NM Museum of Space History in Alamogordo. She commented to Frank Newton, NatureWorks Lead Service Rep:

“I would like to compliment the gift shop on how nice the store looks and the variety of merchandise the store offers. The Museum is so exciting and I’m very impressed with how friendly and helpful the Museum and gift shop staff are to all visitors! I really enjoyed my visit!”

Thank you Susan! We hope all our visitors enjoy the museum and gift shop just as much!
STEAM Trek: Virtual Field Trips
The Foundation collaborated with the Museum and two top film producers this year to offer our new Virtual Field Trip Program called STEAM Trek. The program offers giant screen films, as shown in the DynaTheater, and accompanying optional activities, FREE to K-12 school groups STATEWIDE!

STEAM Trek: Virtual Field Trips explore STEAM and cultural topics using the power of film to inspire. The program is FREE to all school groups thanks to the generous support of our donors. Each package includes a 40-minute film and a curated set of educational materials including an optional hands-on activity, extra educational video, discussion questions, and teacher prep notes.

If you know a teacher who would be interested, please have them visit our website to learn more. Applications for field trips will open in the fall - stay tuned for more information.
More Virtual Learning Opportunities
Science at Home
Did you know the Museum has a "Science at Home" webpage? Check out all the online resources, activities, and fun science learning activities by clicking here.
Invite an Educator to Teach Your Group
The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) continues to offer virtual “Invite a DCA Educator” programs during Summer 2021 and into the 2021-22 School Year. Programs are led by educators and experts with our State museums, historic sites, Office of Archaeologic Studies, and State Library.

All 117 virtual program offerings are available now for groups of all kinds and all age levels: classes, summer schools, camps, daycares, homeschool groups, community centers, libraries, and other groups that want live virtual programs about science, art, nature, history, culture, and more.

Programs have a big focus on New Mexico-specific content and connections. Our museum offers 12 programs, including “Our Cosmic Address”, “Rock Chef”, “Meet the Bisti Beast”, “Science Story Time”, and “Ecology Experience”.

Head to dcaeducates.nmculture.org to request free, engaging, locally relevant programming for your group now!
New At the Museum on July 23
Starting July 23, the Museum will be hosting two special temporary exhibits. Come check them out while they're still here!

What's the Buzz: Why Honeybees Matter
This exhibition was produced by the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, and is a detailed look at honey bees through the use of text and interactives. It covers not only the science behind honey bees and their long relationship with humans, but also the threats bees face from habitat loss, pesticides, and other natural and man-made causes.

Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World
This exhibit comes from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. It was produced to mark the 100th Anniversary of the devastating 1918 influenza pandemic, and includes a small feature on the COVID-19 pandemic.  It primarily looks at the causes of past pandemics in world history, and what can be done to prevent them.
Recent Adventures With the Sandia Mountain Natural History Center
The Sandia Mountain Natural History Center (SMNHC), run by our Museum in partnership with Albuquerque Public Schools, was able to take their Ecology Field Program, normally on-site in the mountains, and pivot it to the virtual environment for all 5th grade classes in APS, and schools in Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Belen, Carlsbad, Pecos, Anthony, homeschoolers, and even Chicago, IL!

During this program, students explored nature right outside their homes and schoolyard, did science-based activities, and saw objects, scenery, and wildlife from the mountain ecosystem.

Museum and APS educators at the SMNHC have served 7,000 people with this Virtual Field Experience. It is still being offered for Summer 2021.

If your group is interested, email Vanessa.Barela2@state.nm.us

SMNHC staff have become YouTube stars!
Their “Quick Trips” videos explore diverse ecosystems across central and northern New Mexico, and teach about a wide variety of topics, including wildlife, nature projects, outdoor safety, forest fires, ecology Q&As, history, and much more!

Watch and subscribe to the SMNHC YouTube channel.

New Ecology Curriculum, Activities, and Resources
New offerings include Educating Ecosystems Explorers: An endangered species curriculum, and Wildlife Visits to Sandia Mountain Springs. There are also recordings of two climate change classes available for viewing, and a “story map” that takes visitors on a hike of the SMNHC’s oldest trail.

On-Site Improvements
When the Sandia Mountain Natural History Center opens up again to on-site programs, visitors will get to experience many new changes to the site thanks to projects done by Albuquerque Public Schools and the Center’s hard-working maintenance staff: an off-grid, LEED-certified complex of buildings with a lab, multi-purpose room, new classrooms, a new Museum Outpost, new picnic areas, more accessible trails, walkways, and a boardwalk.
 
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