Alliance of Natural History Museums of Canada
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A time to educate and celebrate

In 2010, the Alliance of Natural History Museums of Canada is celebrating International Year for Biodiversity.

Educational activities are taking place at different venues to explore:

  • What is biodiversity?
  • How does biodiversity loss occur? What role do humans play in this loss?
  • What are the overall impacts of biodiversity loss on our everyday lives?
  • What are the solutions?
  • What role do natural history museums play in biodiversity issues?

Check out the biodiversity activities at specific member institutions (listed in alphabetical order):

Canadian Museum of Nature

  • Grand Reopening activities for the renovated Victoria Memorial Museum Building feature a Nature Fest (May 22-23)
  • Summer public programming on biodiversity (July and August)
  • Self-guided tours on the newly-renovated museum, focussing on biodiversity and the hidden secrets of the building (May - December)
  • School workshops: "Aquatic Life at the Bottom of the Foot Chain" and "Our Local Biodiversity (September to December)
  • Online curriculum-linked lesson plans and activities for high school grades (as of September 2010)
  • Arctic Biodiversity Symposium (November 18-19). Contact: symposium@nature.ca
  • Engagement in “30 Years Later: Biological Survey Expedition”, a biodiversity monitoring programme conducted with Fragile Inheritance. The team will reevaluate the condition of ecological communities and plant and animal populations studied and described during surveys in the 1970s and 1980s (ongoing)

Manitoba Museum, The

  • Natural Wonders - A Celebration of Biodiversity : This Discovery Room exhibit of rare and unusual specimens collected by Manitobans worldwide features organisms from different ecosystems, such as oceans, deserts, even the urban backyard (April 16 to September 16)
  • Screenplay: Biodiversity: the Myriad Forms of Life on Earth, from the UN Secretariat Convention on Biological Diversity (April 16 to September 16)

Montreal's Nature Museums

  • The Insectarium presents "Butterflies go free, on the wings of biodiversity" at the Big Green house of Montreal's Botanical Garden (February 18 - April 25)
  • Assembly of 5,000 youth from the Regroupement des écoles publiques alternatives du Québec and Walk for Biodiversity (May 21)
  • International Day for Biodiversity activities: The Green Wave - tree planting, and creation of the first street of the Place for Life citizens' greening activity (May 22)
  • Montreal Biodome offers a new visit on biodiversity (June)
  • New biodiversity show at the Biodome (summer)
  • Official launch of the Montreal's Biodiversity Centre at the Botanical Garden (November)
  • Visit of the Montreal's Biodiversity Centre for the Alliance members (in fall 2011)

New Brunswick Museum

  • RBC National Lecture Series, Voices: A Canadian Perspective on Water. Lectures: July 15 - "New Brunswick Waterscapes: A Rich but Threatened Resource"; August 12 - "Why Small Amounts of Pollution Can Cause Big Problems for Fish in Canada"; August 26 - "Frogwater: Parasites, Deformed Frogs and Other Bizarre Stuff That Swims in the Water You Might Drink"

Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History

  • Installation of a large, new, permanent exhibit dedicated to biodiversity, accompanied by a full suite of new interpretive programs and materials (summer)
  • Concerts for Conservation: musical artists "unplugged", with proceeds going to biodiversity conservation (ongoing)
  • A series of public talks, including "Six Degrees of Biodiversity", featuring experts on the state of nature, interconnectedness and our human influence (ongoing)
  • Discovery Carts! Interpretive programs for all ages, conducted through interactive activities, exploring biodiversity themes (ongoing)
  • Weekend workshops, on a monthly basis

Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

  • Qilalukkat ~ Beluga Whales: new programs will focus on ecology, comanagement, hunting and research.  Coordinates with the centre's new diorama featuring a baby beluga and calf returning to the Mackenzie River Estuary, along with Inuvialuit artifacts and connections to people in the Arctic (February)
  • Community celebration: Activities for exploring different natural habitats near the museum, creation of habitat mural, and "écothéâtre" tour of habitata areas (May-June)
  • Muskrat push-up diorama features a muskrat pair in their feeding station in early spring, Aklavik region; artifacts will feature objects related to muskrat use throughout the Northwest Territories (July)
  • New education program: Muskrats and their use in the Northwest Territories (September)

Redpath Museum

Exhibition on Quebec biodiversity (opening April 25)

Royal Alberta Museum

  • Natural Selections: This exhibition focusses on eight current or recently completed research projects conducted by the Royal Alberta JMuseum's natural history curators. It will showcase how the museum's research scientists develop questions and seek out answers about Alberta's environment and biodiversity (January - September)
  • Upgrade of Wild Alberta Gallery to include a forest succession story - A new visitor-activated mini-theatre presentation will show how a forest ecosystem can change as a result of fire. It will show forest ecosystem interactions and biodiversity at six points in time: fire, immediately post-fire, one year post-fire, seven years post fire, 25 years post-fire and mature forest (spring)
  • Time Travellers XVII: The 2010 lecture series will be themed toward biodiversity, connecting visitors with stories from Alberta and exotic locations (fall)

Royal BC Museum

  • The Green Wave - tree planting (May 22)
  • Inside Out (working title): This behind-the-scenes exhibition explores BC's biodiversity through the Royal BC Museum collections and leading edge research. It shows how the museum contributes to studying and helping to conserve the planet's biodiversity. A travelling presentation on BC's invasive species is included in the exhibition (June 2010 to spring 2011)
  • In Your Own Backyard: This four-part workshop series for adults aims to foster responsible living. It explores sustainable living practices, climate change action, native plant-growing initiatives and how to identify species (fall - spring)
  • Live in the Field show - join the museum's curators and scientists via live video cast from the field. It will be available to view online at a later date (summer, date TBD)
  • Behind-the-scenes summer camps: The camps will offer kids an entertaining peek at the "other side", a chance to see what goes on behind closed doors at the museum and who works there (summer)
  • Speed Date a Curator - a new annual event lets you get up close and personal with the museum's experts. Using the "speed dating" format, small groups get to chat for 10 minutes with a curator about biodiversity and current research at the museum (January 2011)

Royal Ontario Museum

  • A Slice of Life: This educational program is based on a partnership envisioned by the Ministry of Natural Resources. A longitudinal "slice" of Ontario forms the framework for visitors to explore and understand biodiversity. This program includes workshops, community outreach, lectures, and professional development for teachers.
  • The Wild Zone: Free to all ROM visitors, weekl workshops celebrate unique characteristics of Ontario's ecological zones as well as commonalities and interactions between ecozones, conservation actions, species/habitats-at-risk (January-December)
  • Mammals of Ontario: Curriculum-based, bilingual educational kits concerning Ontario biodiversity can be borrowed by teachers (fall)
  • Partners in Protection: Local community organizations involved in efforts to conserve biodiversity provide opportunities for visitors to connect and take action via presentations and/or related hands-on activities (Friday nights, February-December)
  • Teacher Professional Development: Three sessions (one in the Greater Toronto Area and two in northern Ontario) aim to create an awareness of Ontario's biodiversity and provide resources to bring back to schools (March-October)
  • Bat Month: Visitors will be introduced to the diversity of bats. This coincides with the reopening of the popular Bat Cave exhibit. Bat activities include crafts for kids (Weekends in March)
  • The keynote address for the Biodiversity Education and Awareness Network's 2010 Symposium is "Earth in Mind: Education for Biodiversity". Open to the public. Speaker to be confirmed. See www.biodiversityeducation.ca for details (October 22)

Royal Saskatchewan Museum

  • RSM "white paper" about biology collections (January)
  • West Harvest Mouse genetics (January-February, October-December)
  • Bird feeing program (January-March, November-December)
  • Sprague's Pipit study wrap-up (January-April)
  • Young Explorers - RSM associate program (January-June)
  • Snake genetics (January-February, October-December)
  • Guide linking Life Sciences Gallery displays to Saskatchewan parks (March)
  • Royal MUSE issue about biodiversity and IYB (March)
  • Saskatchewan small mammal diversity project (March, May-September)
  • Snake radio-tracking (March, May-September)
  • Life Sciences Gallery Visitor studies (March-September)
  • Crop conversion study (April)
  • Fossil trail brochure (April)
  • Earth Day celebrations (April 22)
  • Ancient Seas - Mosasaur exhibit (April-May)
  • Habitats program (April-May, September-October)
  • Great Horned Owl survey and radio-tracking study (April-July)
  • Prairie Garden clean-up (May)
  • Wings Over Wascana Festival partnership activity (May7-8)
  • Biodiversity Education Conference in Cypress Hills - national (May10-14)
  • The Green Wave - tree planting (May 15)
  • Making more prey for Burrowing Owls - experiments (May-July)
  • Richardson's Ground Squirrel survey and study (May-August)
  • Day camps (July-August)
  • Drop-in programs (July-August)
  • West Harvest Mouse survey (May-September)
  • Installation of Scotty's (T rex) skull in Earth Sciences Gallery (June)
  • Native Prairie Appreciation Week - provincial (June 14-18)
  • Badger survey and radio-tracking study (ongoing)
  • Biology Collections Assessment - MAP project (ongoing)

 

Royal Tyrrell Museum

  • To celebrate their 25th anniversary, the Royal Tyrrell Museum is opening "Alberta Unearthed: 25 Stories of Discovery". This exhibition showcases 25 spectacular specimens and tells the stories of the people who discovered them (May 22)
  • A 30-minute interactive auditorium program (in a game show format) will celebrte the museum's 25th anniversary and focus on the science behind the top 25 specimens
  • Cretaceous Crime Scene*: Students' investigative skills are challenged as they attempt to uncover a prehistoric dinosaur mystery. As they study a series of clues, they learn how palaeontologists and geologists use scientific evidence to reconstruct the past.
  • Survivors of Change*: Through group challenges and the chance of earning immunity from extinction, students learn about the process of evolution as they compete in an exciting game of survival.  *These two programs are existing school programs that have curriculum connections to biodiversity.

Toronto Zoo

  • Earth Day - Party for the Planet: a celebration of Earth Day and sustainable development from a biodiversity perspective (April 18-22)
  • International Biodiversity Day/week celebration; with partners from the Biodiversity Education and Awareness Network and the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums; theme is Living and Working with the Land; includes Traditional First National events on May 20 and provincial Garlic Mustard Pull on May 21 (May 18-22)
  • Earth in Mind: Biodiversity Education - a symposium and gala for biodiversity education providers, consumers and the public; shared event between the Royal Ontario Museum, Royal Botanical Gardens and Toronto Zoo (October 22-23)

Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre

  • Curriculum-based education programs incorporate biodiversity and related issues (ongoing)
  • Live interpretive programs, such as the dolphin, beluga and sea otter shows, incorporate biodiversity and related issues (ongoing)
  • Video environmental news story will highlight the significance of IYB and important biodiversity-related messages associated with Canada's Arctic. This video will be on display in the Canada's Arctic Gallery and online (February - December)

Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre

  • Lecture and book-signing by renowned anthropologist and ethnobotanist Wade Davis (April 17)
  • Presentation of "An Inconvenient Truth", a documentary on climate change (April 2 - evening. April 7 afternoon)
  • Presentation of "The 11th Hour", a documentary on climate change (April 16 - evening,  April 21 - afternoon)
  • Documentary TBD (April 30 - evening, May 5 - afternoon)