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Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Elephant specimen in the rotunda of the museum.

NMNH After Hours

Programs for Adults

Connect with trusted scientists, filmmakers, authors, and artists at the National Museum of Natural History’s After Hours events. Our virtual programs bring the museum and collections to you through lectures, conversations, films, and more.

Featured Events

Representation and Community: A Black Birders Week Conversation

Representation and Community: A Black Birders Week Conversation

Online; Internet connection required

Tuesday, May 31, 2022, 5 – 6pm EDT

 Ocean, Art, and Action with Skateboarding Icon and Environmentalist Peggy Oki

Ocean, Art, and Action with Skateboarding Icon and Environmentalist Peggy Oki

Online; Internet connection required

Wednesday, June 8, 2022, 5 – 6pm EDT

 Reimagining Greenspace for Pollinators

Reimagining Greenspace for Pollinators

Online; Internet connection required

Tuesday, June 21, 2022, 5 – 6pm EDT

Program Series

Two men in suits, Sir David Attenborough and Kirk Johnson, sitting in chairs on a stage. Johnson is holding a brown object in his right hand and showing it to Attenborough.
Sir David Attenborough and Kirk Johnson. Credit: Juan Carlos Briceño, Smithsonian.

An Evening With

This signature series features cutting-edge thought leaders in conversation with paleontologist and Sant Director of the National Museum of Natural History, Dr. Kirk Johnson.

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair nails string in the shape of a jaguar to a white wall
Artist Bethany Taylor hangs a piece of her art in the Unsettled Nature exhibit. Smithsonian image.

Beyond the Exhibition

This series features the content, curators, and conversations inspiring new and developing exhibitions at the National Museum of Natural History. Join us for artist talks related to the exhibit Unsettled Nature: Artists Reflect on the Age of Humans and learn about infectious diseases and pandemic history featured in Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World.

A woman with pale skin and curly, shoulder-length black hair. She is wearing earphones.
Author Melanie Challenger was a guest in October 2021, when she discussed her new book, "How to Be Animal: A New History of What It Means to Be Human."

Bookmarked

Join us for lively and thought-provoking discussions featuring a wide array of new books exploring the natural world. Each on-site book talk features a book signing after the program, and we frequently offer a chance to bring concepts alive with an opportunity for audiences to see collection objects related to the topic. Our virtual format provides an intimate opportunity to connect with authors and engage in Q&As.

A white handprint on a stone wall. The handprint has red pigment or paint around it.
Smithsonian image

HOT (Human Origins Today) Topics

We’ve moved our monthly in-person "HOT Topic" discussions that occur in the Hall of Human Origins to video webinars. These free, live programs for adults consist of a presentation by an expert, followed by a Q&A session moderated by Smithsonian scientist and educator Dr. Briana Pobiner. Program topics will include cutting-edge scientific discoveries as well as topics of broader interest at the intersection of the science of human evolution and societal issues.

The five panelists for the Q&A discussion hosted by the National Museum of Natural History and the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital about the series of short films, "Climate Emergency: Feedback Loops."
Panelists discuss "Climate Emergency: Feedback Loops," a series of short films, during a program in March 2021.

Natural History on the Big Screen

This film series presents a curated selection of natural history-related films, followed by discussions with filmmakers and related experts.

The National Museum of Natural History and the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital invite you to virtual screenings of the films below, followed by virtual Q&A discussions with the filmmakers. Register to receive the virtual screening and discussion links.

Two men with beards and a woman with short blonde hair standing in a row. The woman is holding a brown bottle in one hand and a smart phone in the other, as if to photograph the bottle.
Smithsonian experts during a Science Café. Credit: Christian Lilakos, Smithsonian.

NMNH Science Café

Learn, unwind, and engage with Smithsonian experts who take you into their world of curiosity and whose perspectives are bound to help you think differently about the seen — and the unseen — as they share stories of scientific discoveries and innovations.

Other Programs

Programs that are not part of a series.

Complete Event Calendar: See all upcoming events.

Video Archives

Since March 2020, we have produced dozens of After Hours Programs for Adults in video webinar format. Visit the museum's video webinar archives to find videos of our past programs.