I’m going to let you in on a little secret. You may think that the Cleveland Museum of Natural History is just a place where a bunch of wired together bones stand around gathering dust. If you think this you would be totally wrong. For one thing, they dust the place down on a regular basis, but the point I want to make is that the Cleveland Museum of Natural History has been putting on some pretty cool programs of late.
On February 8, for instance, they had the Second Annual Fly Fishing Film Tour with various trout and fishing clubs on hand as well as an excellent buffet and a whole slew of short films geared to the science of fly fishing. For those who are avid fly fishermen or women or someone who was thinking of trying out the sport, it was a great night to learn more about the sport.
This past Saturday was the Wild and Scenic Film Festival where you could feast on hot dogs (the big beefy ones), nachos, ice cream and a candy table. Along with various tables set up for local environmental groups there were a collection of very well done short films designed to inspire. The main theme of the films is that ordinary people can make extraordinary progress when it comes to the natural world.
At both programs there were raffles and giveaways and the entire evening cost only $10 to $15 depending on if you pre-bought your ticket. All in all it was a pretty good value for two evenings of enlightenment, good food and great films.
Add to this the great displays, ongoing research programs, planetarium and other great exhibits to see, you really should check out what is happening at CMNH.
So what is on the horizon at the Museum?
Dr. Sean Carroll Lecture, February 22, 2013
Well for starters, there is Dr. Sean Carroll (Physicist and Cosmologist, California Institute of Technology who will be lecturing at the museum on Friday, February 22, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. on (take a deep breath) “The Particle at the End of the Universe: How the Hunt for the Higgs boson Leads Us to the Edge of a New World” (whew!).
His talk will focus on the search for the elusive Higgs boson (considered by many to be the missing piece to the “Standard Model” that explains the world as we see it. Now with the Large Hadron Collider operational in Geneva Switzerland, our hopes of finding this elusive piece may soon take a dramatic advance forward.
Dr. Carroll will be explaining what the Higgs boson is and the importance of it in particle physics. Dr. Carroll is the author of several books including “The Particle at the End of the Universe” and “From Eternity to Here”. His research deals with a myriad of topics in theoretical physics, including cosmology, general relativity, field theory and quantum mechanics. Dr. Carroll will be available for book signings after the lecture.
Ticket Information For The Explorer Series
5-Pack
Members: $32 for adults; $28 for seniors
Nonmembers: $45 for adults; $40 for seniors
Individual Lectures
Members: $8 for adults; $7 for seniors
Nonmembers: $10 for adults; $9 for seniors
Student tickets
All student tickets are $5.
For more information please call (216) 231-1177 or 800-317-9155, ext. 3279
The Explorer Lecture Series is sponsored by The Women's Committee of The Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Since 1980, the Museum's Women's Committee has underwritten the Explorer Lecture Series and is pleased to fund the series again this year. The Women's Committee began in 1940 and has contributed more than $1.55 million to support the Museum's programs. Promotional sponsors include: Cleveland Magazine, Cuyahoga County Public Library, WKSU, WCPN/WVIZ ideastream and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.
Clock Day at the Museum
You have inherited or acquired a beautiful watch or clock but have no idea its value, if it works or if it is worth repairing. Bring it to the Cleveland Natural History Museum on Saturday February 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. where members of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) will be available to tell you all about your heirloom timepiece. In cases where the clock is too large to move, simply take photos and bring them for an evaluation. Local NAWCC members have been involved in the restoration of such notable local historical clocks such as the E. Howard Tower Clock in the Geauga County Courthouse in Chardon, the Federated Church in Chagrin Falls, the Old Stone Church on Cleveland's Public Square and the tower clock in the Hiram College Library.
While visiting the Museum, be sure to view the beautiful Hexter collection of antique timepieces, sundials and astronomical instruments that have been crafted in everything from bronze, cast iron, ebony and silver. The collection is located in the Reinberger Hall of Astronomy just outside the Shafran Planetarium
Clock Day is free with Museum admission. Admission fees are: $12 adults; $10 ages 3-18, college students with valid ID and seniors over age 60; free for children 2 and under. Shafran Planetarium shows are $4 per person with Museum admission.
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History receives public support with local tax dollars from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, to preserve and enrich the region's artistic and cultural heritage.
The Museum is located at 1 Wade Oval Drive in University Circle, 15 minutes east of downtown Cleveland. For general information, call 1-800-317-9155 or 216-231-4600 or visit www.cmnh.org.
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