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Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Three students at a microscope in Q?rius. They are looking at an enlarged display on a monitor.
Department of

Education

Education
We are dedicated to inspiring people of all ages to better understand the natural world and our place in it, by instilling a sense of wonder and responsibility through exhibitions, programs, and online resources.
Featured Content

The World & Me Family Program, March 23

This month, we'll read "Bone by Bone: Comparing Animal Skeletons," and investigate what skeletons can tell us about how different animals (including humans!) live and move. The program is designed for Pre-K to 3rd grade.
A woman sitting on the floor next to a word map reads a book to six children sitting in front of her.

 

Lichenologist Manuela Dal Forno standing on a rocky outcrop with a dark green forest canopy behind her.

Live Webcast, March 28

In this episode of Smithsonian Science How, Lichenologist Manuela Dal Forno will take us into the amazing world of lichens and share what they are, where they live, and how they survive.

A museum educator holds up two models of human skulls during a school program in Q?rius.

School Field Trip Programs

Learn about our free, onsite school programs led by museum educators for students in grades K-12. 

Students examine Museum collection objects as part of a Q?rius school program. Photo by Jennifer Renteria, Smithsonian.

Get Q?rius

Created for teens and tweens, Q?rius is a science education center that brings the museum’s science, researchers, and collections out from behind the scenes. 

Two young girls in white lab coats use a hand lens to examine models of fossils at a table in Q?rius jr. – a discovery room.

Q?rius jr.

Children in grades K-5 get a chance to practice their scientific inquiry skills as they interact with items from the museum's collections.

Resources for Educators

Looking down at a beige skeleton of a boy that is partially excavated in a pit in the ground.
Forensic Anthropology
Volcano erupting with lava streaming down the side. A forest is at its foot and the eruption is reflected in a dark lake.
When Volcanoes Erupt
Geologist Ben Andrews and Maggy Benson at a table doing a demonstration with a tray of dry ice while wearing protective glasses.
Webcast Archives
Geologist Elizabeth Cottrell gestures with her hands while sitting at a table talking to two students.
Teaching Resources
Smithsonian forensic anthropologist points out area of interest in a piece of bone to students.
Written in Bone
A green plastic frame in the shape of a cube sitting in the woods on top of some leaves and a log.
Biocubes: Exploring Biodiversity