May/June/July
Special Lectures
Programs for Adults, Children, and Families
Demonstrations and Programs Offered In Conjunction With
A Thousand Cranes
Demonstrations and Programs Offered In Conjunction With
Venoms: Striking Beauties
Exhibitions, Lectures, Demonstrations,
& Programs
Ongoing - Venoms: Striking Beauties
Through January 7, 2001
Closing - A Thousand Cranes
July 30, 2000
Ongoing - The Elkus Collection: Changing Traditions
In Native American Art
Through 2001
Venoms: Striking Beauties
A hair-raising exhibit featuring thirty live venomous animals. Visitors
will come safely within striking distance of snakes, spiders, scorpions,
jelly fish, corals, snails, fish and more. With interactive challenges,
visitors can test the speed and swiftness of their reaction time to
snake strikes or measure snakes’ toxicity using a "venometer."
The exhibit also includes action-packed videos and reveals the delivery
mechanisms that venomous animals use to inject their dangerous doses,
how the venom affects the victim, and how venomous creatures advertise
their lethal natures.
A Thousand Cranes
Fifty breathtaking photos of cranes capture the slow, graceful gestures
and poses of the creatures that, according to Buddhist belief, symbolize
luck and longevity. The photos by Wu Shao-Tung, a retired photo-journalist,
feature all fifteen species of cranes in the world, of which, seven
species are endangered.
The Elkus Collection: Changing Traditions In Native
American Art
This collection of Native American pottery, textiles, baskets, jewelry,
kachina dolls, and paintings was donated to our Anthropology department
in 1972 by the children of Ruth and Charles de Young Elkus. This extensive
collection includes works by some of the leading names in 20th
Century Native American art.
Special Lectures
Unless otherwise noted, all lectures will be held in
the Morrison Auditorium
and are $6 members/$10 non-members.
Butterflies and Biodiversity: Conservation in Action
in Madagascar
Dr. Claire Kremen discusses the current efforts of the Wildlife
Conservation Society’s Madagascar Conservation Program.
May 11, 7 pm
Journey of the Pink Dolphins
Sy Montgomery discusses her search for the enigmatic, little studied
species of freshwater pink dolphins in the Amazon River, and its tributaries.
Book signing immediately following the lecture.
May 23 7:30 pm
Up Close and Inside California Native Flowers
Photographer/gardener Maggie Ely provides a visual tour of Califronia
native flowers photographed through a dissecting microscope.
June 22 7:30 pm
The Evolution of Warning Coloration and Mimicry on
Coral Reefs
Dr. Terry Gosliner discusses the evolution of bright color patterns
among marine organisms inhabiting coral reefs as striking examples of
natural selection at work in the world’s oceans.
June 26 7:30 pm
Offered in conjunction with the Venoms: Striking Beauties exhibit.
The exhibit will be open for viewing from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.
Programs for Adults, Children,
and Families
Unless otherwise noted, all programs will be held at 1
p.m. in the Morrison Auditorium
and are free with museum admission.
Traditional Arts from Tonga
Women from the local Tongan community will demonstrate a samplying
of traditional arts from this Pacific island nation.
May 6 Noon
This is a special program in honor of Asian/Pacific Heritage
Month.
Japanese Mochi Pounding Ceremony
Members of Kagami Kai will demonstrate the traditional Japanese
practice of mochitsuki (mochi pouding). Mochi, a paste made from
glutinous or "sweet" rice, is prepared and eaten in Japan
on certain festive occasions.
May 14
This is a special program in honor of Asian/Pacific Heritage
Month.
Asian Treasure Bag
Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo and Nancy Wang of Eth-Noh-Tec present their
unique brand of Asian American storytelling theater.
June 3
Guatemalan Weaving
Albertina Chumes Lopez, visiting from the highlands of Guatemala,
will demonstrate the technique of weaving on a traditional backstrap
loom and discuss the colorful clothing made from these handwoven fabrics.
June 10
"Boss Blues Harmonica"
Tommy Meisel and his Blues Band offer a toe-tapping, jump-up-and-dance
concert of lively blues music in the Chicago style.
June 17
Korean Cooking: The Art of Kimchee
Hae-Soog Jo, visiting the Bay Area from Korea, will discuss the
making of kimchee (kimchi), a Korean relish or condiment made of spiced
and fermented cabbage.
June 24
"The Stolen Bairn and the Sidh"
Storyteller and harpist Nancy Thym tells this Scottish Highland
tale of a woman whose baby is stolen by the fairies.
July 22
Breads of India
Kirin Bawa, from Breads of India, will discuss and demonstrate some
of the special breads that are part of Indian cuisine.
July 29
Demonstrations and Programs Offered
In Conjunction With A Thousand Cranes
Unless otherwise noted, all programs will be held in the
Cranes exhibit area
and are free with museum admission.
Paper Crane Folding
Make your own crane to take home as origami artist Vicky Mihara
Avery explains the cultural meaning of this traditional Japanese craft.
June 18, 24, July 9, 23 11:30 am to 3 pm
Painting "The Book of Cranes"
See a live crane painting demonstration and hear the story of artist
Clare Cooley, author of The Book of Cranes.
June 4 July 16 12:30 to 3 pm
Cranes in California
Explore the lives of the Sand hill cranes of California through
an interactive presentation by crane naturalist Bruce Foreman.
June 11 11:30 am & 2:30 pm
Courtyard
Demonstrations and Programs Offered
In Conjunction With Venoms: Striking Beauties
Unless otherwise noted, all programs will be held in the
Venoms: Striking Beauties
exhibit area and are free with museum admission.
Let It Bee Venom
Meet a live colony of bees and learn about their venomous nature
and behavior with U.C. Davis apiculturist Dr. Eric Mussen.
May 28, June 15, July 25 12:30 & 2:30 pm
Rattlesnakes Alive!
Get up close and personal with a live Northern Pacific rattlesnake
as naturalist Katie Colbert talks about their intriguing habits in the
Bay Area.
June 11 July 23 12:30 & 2 pm
Black Widows To Go
Take home your very own benign black widow that you create in this
hands-on workshop. Learn to tell the difference between black widows
and other spiders in this activity.
May 7, July 6 12:30 pm
Snake Mimicry
Meet live snakes and discover how some snakes play tricks on predators
by changing their appearance and behavior.
June 13 12:30 & 2:30 pm
Striking Fishes
Touch the stinger of a bat ray, see a lethal stonefish, or feel
the long spines of a scorpion fish as we discover the secrets behind
some of the deadliest fish in the world.
May 20, 30, June 8, 22, July 13, 16 1:00 pm
Dangerous Liaisons
Experience the extraordinary world of venomous insects and spiders
through a hands-on presentation by the Insect Discovery Lab from San
Francisco State University.
May 10, 31, June 14, 20, July 11, 27 2:00 pm
"Killer Bees": The True Buzz
Learn why bees are important and the real threats "killer bees"
pose to humans.
June 4, 29 July 2, 14 12:30 & 2:30 pm
Tarantulas: Beauty or Beast?
Join us for a live tarantula presentation. On Father’s Day,
discover the unusual mating habits of these oft- maligned arachnids.
June 18 July 22 12:30 & 2:30 pm
Color Me Deadly
Venomous animals, such as the Sonoran coral snake, often use bright
colors to advertise their lethal natures. Join us for a coloring adventure
and take home your own colorful venomous creature.
June 6, July 18 12:30 & 2:30 pm
Studying Venomous Snakes
See a snake biologist in action and participate in an interactive
presentation as we uncover the elusive world of venomous snakes.
May 14, June 24, July 30 12:30 & 2:30 pm
