Museum of Natural History and Planetarium

Get ready to explore, experiment and create during STEAM Month at the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium in Roger Williams Park! Discover the fun of science, technology, engineering, art and math through hands-on activities and creative challenges for the whole family. Build, test, explore and see where curiosity takes you! Weekend Activities- 10am-4pm: STEAM Family Fun Build a bridge, create colorful patterns, test your engineering skills and put your observation skills to the test with a special STEAM Museum Quest. Cost: Free with Museum admission. Museum admission is $2. Free for Museum Members and children under age 4. 12:30-1:30pm: Plasma Globe Demonstration. See electricity in action and watch glowing streams of light dance inside a plasma globe during this fun, hands-on science demonstration. Cost: Free with Museum admission. Museum admission is $2. Free for Museum Members and children under age 4. 2pm: Flight Adventures Fulldome Planetarium Show. Discover the science of flight through the eyes of a young girl and her grandfather as they explore how birds, kites, planes and models fly. Learn about the history and future plans of flight and how NASA is discovering new and safer ways to travel with the help of future engineers and aviators - like YOU! The program is followed by a brief tour of the night sky using the planetarium's Zeiss star projector. Planetarium Show Audience: General (children must be age 4+) Cost: Planetarium show ticket (includes museum admission) is $5. Museum Members Free.

Experience a fusion of live music and celestial wonder in the Cormack Planetarium at the Museum of Natural History in Roger Williams Park. Inside the dome theatre, the stars shine above you in a fully immersive musical journey-no telescopes or outdoor viewing required. Each evening blends sound and sky! Trois Gras Thursday, October 1 ,6:30pm. Thursday, November 19 6:30pm. Enjoy the classic organ jazz sound with this Providence-based trio. Performing standards and original compositions with a vintage spirit, the group features Elias Muhanna (organ), Ben Pell (guitar), and Michael Lewis (drums) accompanied by immersive visuals. EVENT DETAILS AUDIENCE: General (children must be age 4+) COST: $15 per person, Museum Members: $12 per person. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Concert tickets must be reserved online, including for Museum Members. Availability is limited. All sales are final. All attendees must have a ticket. Museum opens at 6pm. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early for check-in. Doors close promptly at 6:30pm and will not reopen-no late entry is permitted for visitor and musician safety once the concert begins.

You will have the opportunity to discover, or rediscover, the fascinating collections during this private program exploring the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium in Roger Williams Park. Bring a small easel or chair and your drawing or painting materials, and choose your subject from the collections of birds, bears, lions, and Oceanic artifacts. Museum staff will also select some special "guests" from the museum vaults to display. During the program, the instructor will circulate for those who wish feedback, and at the end of the session, attendees will gather to view and discuss each other's work. Please note: Museum is closed to the public during this program. Permitted Materials: You may bring the medium of your choice - charcoal pencils, graphite, colored pencils, pastels, or watercolor (please, no oils or acrylics). All skill levels are welcome to participate, high school age and older. Capacity is limited, so sign up early to guarantee your spot. INSTRUCTOR: KATHY HODGE: Kathy Hodge attended RISD and has a BFA in painting from Swain School of Design. She has been working in oils and charcoal for over 30 years, has exhibited widely and was awarded the 2017 Fellowship in Painting from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts. Kathy has long taken inspiration from the natural world in her landscape paintings and was appointed Artist in Residence in thirteen of our National Parks and Forests. She first discovered the museum collections when taking a museum class and she is very excited to be able to offer this opportunity to draw from the collections.

There are 5 exhibit halls (2 levels) and a lobby exhibit. Current Exhibits are: Circle of the Sea: Re-Visited and Re-Imagined EGGSTRAVAGANZA: History and Science of Bird EggsJames Webb Space Telescope: Uncovering the Hidden UniverseUrban Wildlife: Nature at Your DoorstepSeismic Shifts: Earth through TimeWe are working on two new exhibits opening soon!