Campuses:
Museum Info: (612) 626-9660 . www.bellmuseum.org
Open through July 28, 2013
Free with museum admission
In a world that depends on soil to sustain life, most humans still know relatively little about soil's role and why we need this precious resource. Through interactive displays, photography and hands-on activity, visitors can dig into the fascinating world below their feet.
Currently on display, Jaques Gallery
Free with museum admission
This installation is the creation of Bell Museum Spring 2013 Resident Artist Research Program artist Sonja Peterson. Working in the mediums of traditional paper cutting, collage, and stencils, Peterson creates elaborate large-scale hanging papercuts that illustrate how the structural integrity of global systems lies in their interconnectivity: if elements disconnect, the entire system comes under threat of collapse. Also included in No Man is an Island are glass etchings and captivating small sculptures.
Thursdays (starting June 13) 2 p.m., 3 p.m.
Fridays 2 p.m., 3 p.m.
Saturdays (starting June 15) 2 p.m., 3 p.m.*, 4 p.m.
Sundays 2 p.m., 3 p.m.*, 4 p.m.
Due to limited seating and the popularity of our ExploraDome shows, we highly recommend reserving your tickets online. Tickets sold separately from admission.
What do the dark side of the moon, earth-ending asteroid impacts and Bellatrix all have in common? Come discover the science behind some of your favorite movies, books and music while on a journey through the stars.
* Showing at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday: Zoom! From Earth to the Edge of the Universe. The audience decides where to go in this show that takes visitors from their home planet to the edge of the observable universe, and everywhere in between!
Saturday, May 18, 11 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Free with museum admission
Potassium, nitrogen, phosphorous, oh my! Soils contain a variety of chemicals and nutrients. These invisible building blocks determine the quality of the soil and what may grow in that soil. Learn some basic soil tests and bring in a sample of your own soil and test the pH. Plus, play with soil colors!
Presented in conjunction with Dig It! The Secrets of Soil.
Tuesday, May 21, 6 p.m. Doors open, 7 p.m. Program begins
Bryant Lake Bowl, Cost $5-$12. Tickets available at the door or available online. Call (612) 825-8949 for reservations.
Sulfide mining—extracting copper, nickel, and other metals from sulfide ores, is coming to northeastern Minnesota, but environmental groups warn that the risks are much different from Minnesota’s traditional iron ore mining.
We know where to go to hear what environmentalists and mining companies have to say, but what about a scientific perspective?
Dr. Paul Weiblen, professor emeritus in Geology at the University of Minnesota and an associate of the Minnesota Geological Survey, offers a broad and accessible view on the geology, value, and concerns surrounding precious metal deposits in northern Minnesota.
June 8, 8:58 p.m. - June 9, 5:26 a.m., Free
Union Depot, 214 East 4th Street, Saint Paul, MN
[read more]
Northern Spark, the Twin Cities all-night art festival brings tens of thousands of visitors together to look at art, experience community in a new way, and see the cities in a new light.
ExploraDome
As part of Northern Spark, you can soar though the night in the ExploraDome. At 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., catch Earth, Migrations, and the Human Effect, a live presentation exploring the relationship between the human activity, animal migration patterns, and the cycles of Earth’s biosphere. It is a production of the Worldviews Network, a collaboration of scientists, artists, and educators using immersive virtual environments and interactive scientific visualizations to expand perspectives on humanity’s home in the cosmos.
Afterward, enjoy tours of Earth and the cosmos all through the night. All presentations are live, guided by our expert planetarium educators and open to audience inquiries.
Owl Feathers
Visit The Bell Museum at Northern Spark in the family area starting early at 7 p.m. and check out owl feathers. Up close, an owl feather is much more than just a specimen—it’s an amazing work of art. In action, it’s a soft and silent tool. Dive into the world of the wings of the ultimate night creatures—owls! Examine their feathers under microscopes or craft your own owl feather! Visit the Bell in the family area until midnight, then over by the ExploraDome area until dawn.
Friday, June 14, 5 p.m. - Saturday, June 15, 5 p.m.
Coldwater Spring, 5601 Minnehaha Park Drive South, Minneapolis, MN
BioBlitz is a 24-hour survey in which the public helps scientists find all the plants and animals at a specific location. Part contest, part festival, part educational event and part scientific endeavor, Minnesota BioBlitz brings together scientists from across the state in a race against time!
Each year, BioBlitz attracts families, nature lovers, and scientists from around the state who use sonar detectors, bug lights, live traps and laptops to count and chronicle an area's flora and fauna. BioBlitz 2013 will take place at Coldwater Spring, which the National Park Service is restoring to an oak savanna prairie natural space. This BioBlitz will provide a crucial baseline of information about the varieties of fish, fungi, insects, birds, and plants living within the 92 acres of Coldwater and surrounding parkland and riverfront. [schedule & details]
Saturday, June 15, 11 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Free with museum admission
Ever wonder why some cities have hundred story buildings while others might only have buildings that are a few stories tall? It might just be because of the soil below! This Soil Saturday, explore how soil plays an important role in building foundations and making architectural decisions. Build a play city on different soils and see what happens when quick sand sink holes develop. Discover how tall you can go stacking blocks on sand and clay—and even build a mini model sod house!
Presented in conjunction with Dig It! The Secrets of Soil.
Offered through LearningLife, College of Continuing Education
Mondays, June 17 - July 1, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m., registration required
Cost, registration and additional course info available online
Led by author and T.S. Roberts biographer Sue Leaf, this course highlights Roberts' lifelong love of birds from his boyhood accounts of the state's rich avian life that became the basis for his landmark book, The Birds of Minnesota, to his departure from his lucrative medical practice to an unpaid ornithology teaching job and launching the Bell Museum of Natural History. The class will also visit the Thomas Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary and tour the University's bird skins collections.
Opens Saturday, June 29
Most of the forests of the Caucasus Mountains are being cut and their birds are at risk. These forest birds look look similar to other species found in Europe, but are they really the same? A team of researchers from the University of Minnesota, along with Russian colleagues, are turning to DNA to answer that important question. If they are distinct populations, what conservation efforts need to happen to protect the birds of the Caucasus Mountains? Dive into the world of DNA in this new exhibit, and discover the mysteries of hidden biodiversity!
Saturday, July 13, 9 a.m. - Noon
Cost: $15 members, $20 non-members
Limited to 10 people, registration required
This is an incredibly opportunity to explore a part of the Bell Museum that the general public rarely gets to see—our spectacular scientific collections. The day will begin with a tour of our mammal and bird collections which includes specimens from all over the world. After the tour individuals may select from these rare and wonderful specimens for sketching. If you've ever wanted to get a close look at a lion skull or wanted to verify the fine colors of a warblers feathers this is your chance. Plus this is a great way to fill your sketching time until Sketch Night resumes in September!
Saturday, July 20, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Free with museum admission
Visit Dig It! The Secret of Soils exhibit one last time before it closes. Get a chance to play with some of our most popular soil activities including building with clay and sand, visiting with live "decomposers" and testing the chemistry of soils.