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What's on at the California Academy of Sciences
Exhibits, Lectures, Programs and Events
June 2002
-Exhibits-
Skulls
ONGOING through late 2003
Skulls includes almost 1,500 different dead heads -- ranging from monkeys
and giraffes to warthogs and rats to bears and dolphins. The exhibit is
festooned with 860 sea lion heads in a 93-foot-long undulating display.
Created by Academy staff, Skulls will show visitors what the study of
human and animal skulls can reveal about behavior, injury, disease, evolutionary
adaptation, and more. This strange and stunning display will captivate
young and old alike.
X-Ray Ichthyology
Ongoing through 2003
Prepare to look at fish in a whole new light. X-Ray Ichthyology captures
forty-six fish from the Academy's ichthyology collection on X-ray film.
Blown up and backlit, these large-format photographs transform scaly swimmers
ranging from piranhas to guitarfish into eerie, luminescent works of art.
Photo Contest Winners
April 20, 2002 - December 2002
From France to Fresno, children ages 618 have submitted photographs
to the Children's Photography Contest at the Academy. Come see the winning
entries on display in Wild California Hall.
New Summer Hours
Starting Saturday, May 25, 2002
The Academy will remain open daily from 9 am to 6 pm throughout the summer
season through Labor Day, September 2, 2002.
-Programs-
The Ring of Voices: Singing Rounds - A round is a song designed
for creating harmony: everyone sings the same melody, beginning at different
times, and the overlapping of the melodic line creates lush chords or
delicate counterpoint. In this program, Kay Eskenazi offers a historical
and musical introduction to this traditional musical form.
Saturday, June 1, 1 pm
Plains Indian Flutes - Jim "Eagle Heart" Callaway is
of Cherokee, Choctaw, and Irish descent from Watonga, Oklahoma. He creates
his flutes from aromatic cedar-using the five-hole northern plains design-and
carves an animal fetish for each one. Jim will demonstrate both the making
and the playing of these traditional instruments. This event is co-sponsored
by the Native American Cultural Center.
Saturday, June 8, 1 pm
A Musical History of the Hurdy-Gurdy
The hurdy-gurdy is one of a family of instruments known as "key fiddles,"
which date back to medieval Europe. In this program, Musician Eathan James
discusses the development of this unusual instrument and plays selections
from its repertoire. Mr. James, one of the foremost American hurdy-gurdy
players, has released several albums of hurdy-gurdy music.
Saturday, June 16, 1 pm
The Art, Craft, and Science of the Bullwhip - The whip has been
used for centuries as a tool for driving animals, particularly cattle
and horses. Carters, coachmen, and wagoners developed remarkable skill
in manipulating whips in various patterns. Andrew Conway will demonstrate
various styles of whip cracking and discuss the practice's physics and
history. Expert whip-maker Victor Tella will demonstrate the stages of
crafting a bullwhip.
Saturday, June 22, 1 pm
Regional Dances from the Philippines - Dancers from Bayanihan
Cultural Organization present a program of dances from the Philippines.
Because of the country's complex history, Filipino dances reflect diverse
cultural influences. In today's program, Bayanihan offers a sampling of
dances from various regional traditions.
Saturday, June 29, 1 pm
-Kids: Things To Do-
Nature Discovery - ongoing
Each year the California Academy of Sciences offers children, families
and adults more than 200 field trips, workshops and classes focusing on
science and the natural world. Explore tide pools in Marin, discover birds
in Golden Gate Park or learn how to draw and paint animals in Steinhart
Aquarium.
Children's Story Time - ongoing
Story Time takes place in the Skulls exhibit at the California Academy
of Sciences each Saturday at 10:30 am. Children from ages 3 to 7 are welcome.
Free Wednesday
The first Wednesday of every month is free, all year long! The museum
stays open until 8:45 pm on Free Wednesdays - at 5 pm step into Morrison
Planetarium for a free half-hour concert.
Wednesday, May 1, 10 am - 8:45 pm
California Academy of Sciences
Free
Skull Detective
Join Academy naturalist Juan-Carlos Solis and examine mammal, bird, reptile
and fish skulls as we look for clues that may reveal what the skull owner
ate and how it lived. We'll explore various skull specimens and see samples
of the food they may have eaten when they were alive.
Wednesday, June 12 & 26, 11:30 am and 1:30 pm
Free with admission
How do They do That?
Uncover the connection between skulls and skill in the animal world, as
we explain animal senses by looking at the skull that make it possible.
How do animals locate prey without seeing it or hearing it? Or swallow
prey bigger than their heads? We'll answer these and other questions in
this family presentation
Tuesdays in June, 11:30 am and 1:30 pm
Free with admission
Owl Pellet Forensics
Look for skulls in owl pellets and find out who is on the menu for these
supreme night hunters. We'll provide owl pellets, dissecting tools, and
skull identification guides.
Tuesday, June 18, 12:30 pm
Free with admission
Bare Bones
Take a crash course on recognizing animals by their skulls alone. Learn
some quick tips to make identification easier among skulls of different
vertebrates, and discover important details used by experts to compare
species. We'll look at human, hyena, turtle, rodent skulls among others.
Sunday June 2, 9, 11:30 am and 1:30 pm
Free with admission
Mysterious Victims of Flying Predators
Examine the hunting technique of hawks, eagles and other flying predators,
then help us reconstruct the scene of the crime as we identify the skulls
of their prey. Owl pellets will be provided for close examination.
Thursdays in June, 11:30 am and 1:30 pm
Free with admission
Skulls Culture
Explore some of the beliefs and practices associated with skulls around
the world. Examine myths, medical treatments and scientific discoveries
throughout history and in modern times. Topics include the head-shrinking
in the Shuar sub-tribe of Jivaro Indians, Aztec skull burials and a historic
review of helmets.
Saturday, June 15 & 22, 11:30 am and 1:30 pm
Free with admission
Make a Skull
Make simple machine skull models completed with false teeth and hinged
jaws to
further study how function dictates form in this orthodontic adventure.
Using balsa wood, scrap wood, hinges, and false teeth students will create
their own set of jaws and dentition. We'll also have an observation station
with different skulls on hand for you to handle and examine.
Saturday, June 1 & 29, Sunday, June 23 & 30, 11:30 am and 1:30
pm
Free with admission
Food Habits and Skull Design in Marine Mammals
Meet the Academy's Dr. Alejandro Acevedo-Gutierrez and explore various
marine
mammal skulls including California sea lion, polar bear and walrus. Dr.
Acevedo will talk about the skull design as it relates to food capture
and consumption.
Wednesday, June 5, 19, 11:30 am and 1:30 pm
Free with admission
Marin Headlands Experience for Little Ones- Family Field Trip
- Bring your little ones to experience the wonders of the Marin Headlands.
This remarkable natural area-just north of the Golden Gate Bridge-offers
rolling hills, sweeping ocean views, and a variety of birds, mammals,
insects, and coastal plants. Discover the secrets of this special place
while taking a short hike to the beach. For families with children ages
3 to 5. Instructed by Ginger Parish. Sunday, July 7, 9:30 am-noon $20
adults/$15 children, members $25 adults/$20 children, non-members.
-Kids: Places To Go-
Steinhart Aquarium
Come watch live sharks, alligators, penguins, hundreds of fish and a living
coral reef at the Steinhart Aquarium. The Steinhart houses over 600 varieties
of aquatic life in 165 individual tanks. Open ocean fish swim around you
in the 100,000-gallon fish roundabout (feedings take place at 1:30 pm
daily). Penguin feedings take place at
11:30 am and 4 pm each day.
California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park
Open 365 days of the year
-Music-
Free Concert Under the Stars
Enjoy a concert under the stars for guests 6 years of age and over in
the Morrison Planetarium.
Wednesday, June 5, 5:00 p.m.
Free Day
Concert Under the Stars
Join acclaimed performers, Elaine Thornburgh, and Jillon Stoppels Dupree
for Baroque and Beyond, an evening of harpsichord music under the stars
of Morrison Planetarium. Baroque and Beyond, reflects the radiant, witty
spirit of eighteenth century Italy and Germany, along with modern works.
June 9, 8 pm, Morrison Planetarium
Tickets: $12 Members & Seniors/$15 non-members
-Lectures-
"Views of the Gamma-Ray Sky: In Orbit and from Here on Earth"
Dr. Valerie Connaughton, NASA. Learn how the next generation of ground
and space-based gamma-ray observatories promise to answers some of the
most puzzling astrophysical questions.
Tuesday, June 4 - Dr. Valerie Connaughton 7:30-9 pm. Morrison Planetarium
Tickets $3
Conversations at the Herbst Theater 2002
The Academy of Sciences is pleased to announce the 2002 Conversations
at the Herbst Theater series presented in conjunction with City Arts and
Lectures. All lectures take place at Herbst Theatre. Tickets may be purchased
through City Box Office at (415) 392-4400
Gretel Ehrlich & Michael Pollan
In conversation with Renee Rothmann
Wednesday, June 5 8 pm
SETI: Science Fact, Not Fiction
Dr. Jill Tarter, Director, Center for SETI Research
Aliens abound on the movie screens, but in reality, we are still trying
to find out if we share our universe with other sentient creatures. SETI
is an attempt to detect evidence of distant technology. Learn more about
the search for extraterrestrial life using radio telescopes and short
optical pulses
Tuesday, June 25. 7:30 pm
Tickets: $3 at the door
To reserve in advance, please send a check and a self-addressed stamped
envelope to:
Jubilee Lectures
Morrison Planetarium
California Academy of Sciences
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94118
-Adult Classes & Workshops-
Sketching California Natives - Adult Workshops - Set up a botanical
field journal with your own sketches and written observations during this
relaxing, informative two-day workshop. Study published field journals
to understand the basic structures of flowers and leaves. Walk to nearby
Strybing Arboretum to draw plants in the California Native Garden. Suitable
for students of all levels. Instructed by Carolynne Griffin. Saturday
and Sunday, June 1 and 2, 10 am-4 pm
$100 members/$105 non-members (Art materials are not included; a supply
list is sent with confirmation notice.)
Modern Maya: Textiles and Traditions - Adult Seminars - Learn
about past and present textile traditions of the Mayan people of Guatemala
and Mexico. See how the rainbow-hued handwoven fabrics connect the people
to their ancestors and carry forward a rich body of
knowledge that serves as a major source of identity for the modern Maya.
Instructed by Carol Morrison. Two Thursdays: June 20 & 27, 7-9 pm
$30 members/$35 non-members
Willow Baskets - Adult Workshop - Much like the Amish and Shaker
communities, the Amana of Iowa make beautiful yet practical everyday objects.
Discover their traditions by weaving a sturdy, versatile willow basket.
The Amana-style basket has a detachable foot that allows for easy replacement
when worn. Learn the split bottom, three-rod wale, twining, fitching,
and French randing. Strong hands are needed to work the wet willow branches.
Instructed by Kathleen Hubbard. Sunday, June 23, 10 am-4 pm $65 members/$75
non-members (Plus $15 materials fee.)
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