The Natural History Museum stays open late for its monthly First Fridays series of evening events featuring engaging original discussion, film, live performance and curator-led tours on January 5, February 2, March 2, April 6, May 4, and June 1.
Created to engage the public in an open, dynamic and thought-provoking dialogue, this Winter/Spring First Fridays series is entitled The Diversity of Life. The interactive series presents a cross-section of contemporary perspectives on aspects of biodiversity and how it relates to our cultural world and daily lives.
Upcoming First Fridays will treat biodiversity from six different perspectives, including shifting habitats, environmental hot spots, the economics of ecology, climate change, migration and the complex ocean environment.
Each themed evening features a curator-guided tour through one of NHM’s galleries, a moderator-led forum with today’s top thinkers, scientists, environmentalists and authors followed by live performances by acclaimed musicians and DJs.
Friday, January 5, 2007 (extended Museum hours to 10:00 p.m.) Your Place or Mine?
Explore the places we call habitats , our home, body, the natural landscape, cityscape, or places that may have existed yesterday, evolved to this day, or may occur tomorrow. Dr. John Harris, Chief Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits, leads a guided tour and presentation in the African Mammal Hall. Join moderator Hope Tschopik Schneider, host and science writer Margaret Wertheim, and ocean activist Wallace J. Nichols, director of the Pacific Ocean Region at the Blue Ocean Institute, as they discuss how shifting boundaries may stress or destroy places, species, or change the things we produce. This thought provoking dialogue precedes performances by experimental soul group The Life Force Trio and the creative, cosmic-percussion ensemble Hu Vibrational in their west coast debut.
Guided Tour/Presentation (5:30 p.m.): Dr. John Harris
Discussion (6:30 p.m.): Hope Tschopik Schneiderm, Margaret Wertheim, Wallace J. Nichols
Performances (8:00 p.m.): The Life Force Trio; Hu Vibrational