Planning a group outing to the museum? Enjoy a private tour of the museum, led by our enthusiastic interpreters. Choose the topic that best suits your interests to learn about the biodiversity in this museum and on the planet.
Note: While children are welcome to attend tours with their parents/caregivers, we strongly recommend that children’s groups and schools book a children’s program or school program rather than an adult tour.
Tour Themes
Museum-led experiences are available Tuesday through Sunday throughout the year.
What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity can be defined as the variety of life, but it is much more complex than that sounds. On this tour, explore the museum as you get hands on with specimens and hear a variety of stories that highlight what biodiversity is and what makes it so fascinating. Stories focus on the drama of biodiversity, how species change over time, the human link to biodiversity, and biodiversity of the past and future.
This tour is appropriate for most audiences.
To Eat or Be Eaten
Without food to eat, most organisms could not survive. And surviving those who are on the hunt for food is no easy task! All species of plants and animals, fungi and microbes have come up with ways to eat and ways to avoid being eaten. On this interactive museum tour, explore the diverse relationships that we see in nature that are based on food, get hands-on with museum specimens and discover amazing stories of survival.
This tour is appropriate for most audiences.
Extreme Adaptations
The diversity of life encompass the unfathomably small and incredibly giant, along with everything in between. Size isn’t the only extreme: every organism on our planet is adapted to survive and exploit the world around it. There are extreme and fascinating examples from every branch on the tree of life. This tour will satisfy your extreme curiosity about the world around you.
This tour is appropriate for most audiences.
Evolution
Evolution explains how the vast biodiversity around us originated and is arguably the most important theory at the heart of modern-day biology. On this thought-provoking tour, hear stories that reveal how our understanding of biodiversity has changed over time and what these changes tell us about our own heritage. Stories focus on biodiversity of the past, how species change and survive over time, evolution in the modern world, and what we know about relationships among living things – including how humans fit in.
This tour is appropriate for audiences from high school students to adults. Basic knowledge of biology recommended.
UBC Biodiversity Research
We have learned so much about our world in recent times, yet so much remains to be discovered. On this tour, expand your knowledge of biodiversity and discover how UBC researchers are helping to solve some modern-day mysteries of the natural world. Stories highlight microscopic diversity, how species evolve, how organisms interact in ecosystems, and how our actions can affect future biodiversity.
This tour is appropriate for audiences from high school students to adults. Basic knowledge of biology recommended.
Backyard Biodiversity
From oceans to mountains, desert to rainforest, and every ecosystem between, British Columbia is filled with varied niches and organisms, ranging from the familiar to the fantastic. By looking closely at the life around us, we can further appreciate and understand biodiversity. On this tour, you will explore the museum’s collections while discovering rare, cryptic, and genetic diversity in our incredible provincial backyard.
This tour is appropriate for most audiences.
Teacher Tour
A visit to the Beaty Biodiversity Museum will encourage students to understand the relationships between many different forms of life. As an educator, how can you help facilitate student learning at the museum? The museum contains a wide variety of specimens and information, which can be catered to learners of all ages. On this unique tour, appropriate for teachers of all grades and ages, you will explore strategies to utilize the museum as part of your teaching plan. Learn about the museum’s collections, programs, activities, resources, and more!
This tour is appropriate for educators looking for a group outing or professional development day.
Book a group tour visit