For directions from the hotel, click here
CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
APRIL
02 - Planetarium: The Sky Tonight: Star Talk
03 - Planetarium: The Sky Tonight: Star Talk
04 - Planetarium: The Sky Tonight: Star Talk
05 - Planetarium: The Sky Tonight: Star Talk
05 - Fun Friday Night at the Museum
05 - Speaking for Ourselves: A Community Conversation about Immigration Status, Increased Enforcement and Reform
06 - Planetarium: The Sky Tonight: Star Talk
06 - Hunting Mastodons?!: A Hands-On Demonstration
06 - Free Dinosaur Tour!
07 - Planetarium: The Sky Tonight: Star Talk
07 - Hunting Mastodons?!: A Hands-On Demonstration
07 - Free Dinosaur Tour!
07 - Talking About Race Sunday Dialogues for Museum Visitors
10 - Science Cafe: Race and Immigration
12 - Kids Night In! Mini-camp: Journey Through Time
13 - Planetarium: The Sky Tonight: Star Talk
13 - Hunting Mastodons?!: A Hands-On Demonstration
13 - Free Dinosaur Tour!
14 - Planetarium: The Sky Tonight: Star Talk
14 - Hunting Mastodons?!: A Hands-On Demonstration
14 - Free Dinosaur Tour!
20 - Planetarium: The Sky Tonight: Star Talk
20 - Hunting Mastodons?!: A Hands-On Demonstration
20 - Free Dinosaur Tour!
21 - Planetarium: The Sky Tonight: Star Talk
21 - Hunting Mastodons?!: A Hands-On Demonstration
21 - Free Dinosaur Tour!
21 - Talking About Race Sunday Dialogues for Museum Visitors
27 - Planetarium: The Sky Tonight: Star Talk
27 - Hunting Mastodons?!: A Hands-On Demonstration
27 - Free Dinosaur Tour!
28 - Planetarium: The Sky Tonight: Star Talk
28 - Hunting Mastodons?!: A Hands-On Demonstration
28 - Free Dinosaur Tour!
ANNUAL EVENTS:
I.D. Day: Information tables with hands-on specimens and artifacts are staffed by experts from the U-M Paleontology, Anthropology and Zoology research museums and the surrounding community who answer questions and identify objects for the public.
- Check back for the October 2013 date
Discovery Days: Discover hands-on activities, special guests, demonstrations, craft activities and other opportunities to learn about a special topic at twice-annual Discovery Days.
- Dinosaur Discovery Day: Check back for the December 2013 date
- Vital Signs: Health Discovery Day: Check back for the March 2013 date
Behind the Scenes Day: Once a year we open the doors to the collections so visitors can see how the University of Michigan's world-class natural science collections are stored and studied. Meet curators, collection managers and University students in the Museum of Anthropology, Paleontology and Zoology. Recommended for children over 6 accompanied by an adult.
- Check back for the February 2013 date
Butterfly Festival: See live butterflies and learn about the life cycle and lifestyles of butterflies at this enjoyable spring event. Help with planting in the Museum's Butterfly and Pollinator Garden, and make a craft to take home!
- Check back for the May 2013 date
In the Rotunda Lobby:
Fourth Floor Gallery:
Fourth Floor Temporary Gallery:
Archaeology! Current Research in the U-M Museum of Anthropology
Ongoing
Archaeological research by curators, research scientists and affiliated students of the U-M Museum of Anthropology encompasses the full scope of human cultural evolution from our earliest tool-making hominid ancestors to the more recent emergence of ancient states and historic empires. Today's archaeologist makes use of a wide variety of scientific methods and techniques to recover and study material remains in order to ask questions about how human societies developed, lived and changed over the last 2.5 million years. This exhibition features ongoing research by U-M archaeologists to examine the kinds of questions that contemporary archaeologists ask about the past and the techniques that they use to answer them. Among the many topics featured in this exhibition are: recent archaeological research under Lake Huron, studies of the remains of 19th century Ann Arbor, excavations of ancient village communities in northern Arizona, the analysis of ancient ceramics from Asia and Mesopotamia, and how archaeologists study the diets of ancient peoples.
At the U-M Shapiro Library:
PERMANENT EXHIBITS:
The Hall of Evolution on the Museum's second floor houses Michigan's largest display of prehistoric life. Over 600 million years of life on Earth are traced through fossils, models and dioramas. Here you can find dinosaur, prehistoric whales, mastodons and more.
The Michigan Wildlife Gallery on the third floor has a large collection of native Great Lakes birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, with taxidermy mounts, habitat scenes, and the largest mastodon trackway on display in the world. There are also displays about some of the environmental problems we face in this region today.
The Anthropology Displays on the fourth floor feature artifacts from human cultures aroudn the world
The Geology Displays on the fourth floor offer a large selection of rocks, minerals and gems.
ONLINE EXHIBITS:
If you can't make it to see our exhibits, you can still explore the natural world through our on-line exhibits. These presentations highlight some of our most prominent displays and provide supplemental material to enhance a live visit to the Museum. New on-line exhibits will be added to this page in the future.
For a virtual tour of the Museum of Natural History's recent Climate Change exhibit, click on this link: Climate Change
BUTTERFLY GARDEN:
The Museum's Butterfly Garden was designed to meet the needs of all four life stages of the butterfly (egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and adult) by providing water, shelter, places to lay eggs (host plants) and food (plants and flowers). Butterflies drink nectar, so nectar-rich flowers are important to attracting butterflies. When eggs hatch, the caterpillars eat the foliage of the plant they were laid on, so growing the right type of plants to feed caterpillars is important.
The garden was first planted on March 15, 2004, by Museum Friends and the public, under the direction of University landscape architect Kenn Rapp and senior horticultural assistant Linda Hawkes. In recent years, the garden has been cultivated by master gardener Mary Duff-Silverman and volunteers.
The Butterfly Garden is part of a larger dream to take the Museum's educational activities outdoors into the landscape around the Ruthven Museums Building. A student project, developed under the direction of adjunct assistant professor David Michener and Museum education director Kira Berman, created a concept called "Beyond the Museum Walls...Lives a Landscape of Learning," which envisioned a full circuit of learning spaces around the building.
Over 55 herbaceous perennials are in the garden, including: Burk Juniper, Spicebush, New Jersey Tea, Switch Grass, Joe Pye Weed, Isanti Dogwod, Aster, Coreopsis, Goldenrood, Blazing Star, Butterfly Weed, Coneflower and Black Eyed Susan. In addition, nine grasses, sedges and rushes are planted, including Big Bluestem, Purple Love Grass and Heavy Metal Switch Grass.
Mary Duff-Silverman is always happy to welcome more volunteers. Fore more information pick up an informational card in the Rotunda Lobby, or e-mail Mary at duffsilv@gmail.com.
