Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

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Nature's Best Photography Show, Opening November 12, 2009 - Photo of a Barred Owl by Alex Mody
Octopus. Photo by David Shale

Deeper Than Light

Location: First Floor, Sant Ocean Hall, Ocean Focus Gallery
Exhibit: February 20 - May 23, 2010

Dive in and experience the world of the deep sea in this international traveling exhibition from the Bergen Museum, University of Bergen, Norway. In 2004, curiosity drove a team of scientists on the Norwegian research vessel G.O. Sars to study the vast, unexplored depths of the north Atlantic Ocean. What lives there? How do they survive? How do they interact? How can we protect them? This exhibition follows the scientists' journey into this relatively undiscovered world through art, images, models and multimedia.

Dr. Rick Potts, Director of the Human Origins Program, examining stone tools and other prehistoric artifacts along with casts of early human fossils  from the collections at NMNH,  Smithsonian Institution. Photo by Chip Clark, Smithsonian Institution

The David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins

Location: First Floor
Exhibit: March 17, 2010 - Permanent

A major new exhibition dedicated to the understanding of human origins will open on March 17, 2010. Based on decades of cutting-edge research by Smithsonian scientists, the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins will tell the epic story of human evolution and how humans evolved over six million years in response to a changing world. Following the process of scientific discovery, visitors will explore the evidence for human evolution, come face-to-face with unforgettable representations of early humans, and arrive at a deeper understanding of what it means to be human.

Kayak model with bird and land-animal designs. L. Brewster, 19030 Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Chris Arend.

Yuungnaqpiallerput (The Way We Genuinely Live)
Masterworks of Yup’ik Science and Survival

Location: Second Floor
Exhibit: April 17, 2010 – July 25, 2010

Yup'ik elders share their scientific and spiritual knowledge for living in the sub-arctic environment of western Alaska in this exhibition of more than 200 19th- and 20th-century tools, clothing, weapons, and watercraft. From harpoons to snow-goggles, and kayaks to dance masks, Yup'ik people devised solutions for living unsurpassed by Western science. Explore how the Yup'ik people discovered these scientific principles that have allowed them to live in intimate relationship with their environment.

Dinosaurs in Our Backyard Graphic (c) Smithsonian Institution

Exhibit Case: Dinosaurs in Our Backyard

Location: First Floor, Fossil Halls
One Exhibit Case: Spring 2010

From 225 to 65 million years ago, dinosaurs lived everywhere on Earth—including around Washington, D.C.  This case explores how scientists piece together information about dinosaur biology, ecology, and evolution from fossil specimens, and the important contributions amateur collectors make to the Museum’s collections and knowledge. Visitors can see a unique skeleton impression of a baby dinosaur of a species new to science.

The Natural History Museum under construction in the early 1900s. (c) Smithsonian Institution

Celebrating 100 Years at National Museum of Natural History

Location: Second Floor
Exhibit: May 29 – November 7, 2010

The Natural History Building first opened its doors to the public on March 17, 1910. The Museum celebrates its 100th birthday with a special exhibition featuring archival and modern photographs highlighting many facets of this building-its people, collections, exhibitions, and outreach throughout the years. Photographs both old and new give snapshots of life and work at the Museum over the past 100 years.

Losing Paradise: Endangered Plants Here and Around the World

Location: First Floor
Exhibit: August 14, 2010 – December 10, 2010

Our planet’s rich diversity of plant life is at risk. More than 20% of the world's flora is threatened with extinction. Scientists are racing to gather information on known plants before they disappear forever. Botanical illustrators work alongside them to capture plant diversity in their artworks for future generations. This traveling exhibit conveys the vital importance of plant conservation through compelling botanical illustrations.

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