March 14 – March 29
During Spring Break, join the Beaty Biodiversity Museum every day at 12:00 pm for a different hands-on activity, brought to you by volunteers, staff, curators, and special guests! Meet new friends while exploring different aspects of the biodiversity around us. From identifying incredible insects, to art, games, crafts, and hands-on activities, you’ll be a biodiversity pro in no time.
All activities are open to all ages and are included with membership or admission on a drop-in basis, unless otherwise noted. Children under the age of 13 must have adult supervision in the museum at all times.
Are you offering a spring break camp? Check out our children’s program options for private, hands-on, biodiversity experiences suitable for your group
Meet under the whale at 12:00 pm unless otherwise noted. The Beaty Biodiversity Museum reserves the right to change or modify programming as needed. The Beaty Biodiversity Museum is closed on Mondays and statutory holidays.
Saturday, March 14, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Clever Crows
Are you as clever as a crow? Celebrate crow intelligence by trying out crow puzzles, learning about crow behaviours, and making your own crow button to wear.
Sunday, March 15, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Adaptation Exploration
Ever wondered why animals have such different body parts? Shells, wings, teeth, and more are all adaptations that help them to survive. Learn about some fascinating animal adaptations and combine your favourites to make your own super adapted creature!
Monday, March 16: museum closed, no session
Tuesday, March 17, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Trees Please!
Petrified wood often gets overlooked in favour of animal remains. However, it can be very informative. Our friends from the Pacific Museum of Earth will bring specimens showing the wide variety in petrified tree remains. Presented by the Pacific Museum of Earth.
Wednesday, March 18, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Amazing Albatrosses
Learn all about albatrosses with our Tetrapod Collections Curator, Ildiko Szabo. Learn about the great ocean wanderers and their relatives, while getting up close to real albatross specimens.
Thursday, March 19, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Window into Biodiversity
Can you imagine being under the sea peering through the portal of your submarine? Or do you picture yourself on dry land looking at lions through the window of a jeep? Whatever your favourite ecosystem, this activity gives you the opportunity to craft your own ‘window into biodiversity’ to look through and take home.
Friday, March 20, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Open Studio
Get inspired to draw from amazing museum specimens with the help of Derek Tan, our Digital Media Specialist and the illustrator behind many exhibits in the museum. Art supplies will be available; feel free to bring your sketchbook. Check out our artist policy for information on materials you can bring with you.
Saturday, March 21, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Footprints in Time
Get up close with our exhibit Footprints in Time, which features dinosaur footprints from BC. See how footprints are used by scientists to learn about how dinosaurs lived, and make a dinosaur craft to take home.
Sunday, March 22, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Perfect Planet
If you had the power to reshape our planet, what types of life would it support? Design a planet that is the most suitable for biodiversity to thrive and learn about some of the challenges faced by conservation biologists and land managers.
Monday, March 23: museum closed, no session
Tuesday, March 24, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Rent-Free Roommates
Many organisms that we share our homes with may seem creepy or gross, but often they do important things for us, and we would not be able to survive without them! Learn about the species that live alongside us, in and around our houses.
Wednesday, March 25, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Ice Age – Coming in From the Cold
The first “rock” stars of palaeontology were from the ice age. It’s hard to believe that there was a time when the public was more interested in pleistocene megafauna than dinosaurs! Our friends from the Pacific Museum of Earth will bring a collection of specimens which will hopefully show why this mammoth-mania existed. Presented by the Pacific Museum of Earth.
Thursday, March 26, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Comparing and Sorting Invertebrates
Marine Invertebrates are an extremely diverse group of organisms with some 35 different groups or phyla. Using observations of similar or different characteristics, take up the challenge to sort out specimens from our Education collection into the six most common phyla. You will be surprised at what you know and what you learn!
Friday, March 27, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Insect-Inspired Art
Learn about the beautiful insects featured in our current feature exhibition Biophilia by Christopher Marley. Explore the artwork and get inspired to make your own insect-themed collage.
Saturday, March 28, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Pond Poke
Join Karen Needham and Tiia Haapalainen from the Spencer Entomological Collection for a springtime pond poke! Peer beneath the water’s surface and discover the fascinating creatures living in the Beaty Museum’s water features. This activity takes place outside – dress accordingly!
Sunday, March 29, 12:00 – 12:30pm: Wasp Nest Dissection
Dissect a bald-faced hornet nest with Nancy to explore wasp social structure. Learn about how their home life similar to yours. Arrive at noon sharp to participate in this group dissection!