All Posts

  • The Bell Celebrates Global Volunteer Month

    Published04/30/2020

    Volunteers are critical to all the Bell’s mission to ignite curiosity and wonder, explore our connections to nature and the universe, and create a better future for our evolving world. Our mission depends on dedicated volunteers to engage visitors as docents, gallery cart assistants, and in our astronomy programs. For…Read More
  • Reading the Signs from Salamanders

    Published , By Eve Daniels

    While the “Salamander Capital of the World” isn’t a top roadside attraction, it does tell us a lot more about the past and future of our species than dinosaur sculptures ever will (no offense to Dinny the Dino). Located in the southern Appalachian mountains, this region is a rainbow of…Read More
  • Minnesota Skies: May 2020

    Published , By Deane Morrison, Thaddeus LaCoursiere & Sarah Komperud

    In May we lose the two brightest lights in the evening sky: Venus and Sirius, the brightest of stars. Sirius begins the month very low in the southwest and drops out of sight by mid-month. In the last two weeks of May, most of the other bright winter stars also…Read More
  • Congratulations to our Graduates

    Published04/28/2020

    All the education and outreach that goes on at the museum would not be possible without talented University of Minnesota students—from the Touch & See Lab and exhibit galleries to the ticketing desk, Curiosity Shop, Whitney and Elizabeth MacMillan Planetarium, scientific collections, and beyond. As the academic year comes to…Read More
  • Happy International Crow and Raven Appreciation Day!

    Published04/27/2020 , By Heather Cummins, gallery programs coordinator

    Crows and ravens are members of the bird family Corvidae (also referred to as corvids) which contains ravens, crows, magpies, and jays. The genus Corvus contains 45 or more distinct species occurring across the globe. In Minnesota, our representatives of the genus include American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and common/northern ravens…Read More
  • Social Distancing with the Stars!

    Published04/23/2020 , By Sarah Komperud, planetarium programs coordinator

    Social distancing didn’t stop our Skynet Scholars this spring. The program moved online for its last two sessions in April as the students created images they took through world. M100 – Spiral Galaxy-class, research-grade telescopes from around the globe.
  • City Nature Challenge 2020

    Published

    Since 2016, The City Nature Challenge has become an international effort for people to engage with nature and document plants and wildlife in cities across the globe. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, City Nature Challenge 2020 will not be a challenge to get the most entries or number of…Read More
  • Earth Day 2020

    Published04/20/2020 , By Adam Hartman, gallery programs assistant

  • Curious About: Juno

    Published , By Thaddeus LaCoursiere, planetarium educator

    Head outside in the predawn hours and look in the sky low to the southeast. There you can spot the largest and first planet to form in our solar system: Jupiter. With binoculars or a telescope, you can see bright moons orbiting around Jupiter; stripes and bands in its atmosphere;…Read More
  • Diorama Spotlight: Lake Pepin’s Sand Point

    Published04/17/2020 , By Amber Kastner, public science events manager