Live Video Programs

Connect with science experts from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History to explore natural history collections, research, and science careers. Viewers can submit questions to the experts during these programs.

Join museum educators as they walk your family through science skill-building activities and ways to explore the natural world and collections. 

Connect with paleontologists from the museum to explore fossils and connections to Earth's history in this video webinar series. The experts will prompt students to make and share observations throughout the webinar and will take student questions throughout the program.

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

The global spread of COVID-19 has caused dramatic changes in our daily lives and left many wondering, "How did we get here?" and "How can we do better?" The exhibit Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World explores the factors that increase the risk that new diseases will emerge and provides an intellectual framework for understanding how viruses can spill over from animals and become a global pandemic. In conjunction with the exhibition, we are hosting programs to help put COVID-19 into context.

We've moved our popular webcast series to video webinars to connect your learners to natural history science and careers more often. Join these live, interactive, free programs, hosted by Maggy Benson, to explore different science concepts through the lens of Smithsonian scientists. Programs are designed for elementary school students and are aligned with standards. Learn more on our Distance Learning page.

Educators, are you curious about how to best navigate and utilize the museum's digital offerings? Join us as we feature a different educational resource each week. After taking a deep dive into the featured resource of the week, we will answer your questions during the second half of the program!

Connect with experts from a variety of scientific fields and community organizations who bring different perspectives to the climate conversation in this video webinar series for teens. The experts will share their perspectives about how their work is making a difference and will answer questions.

• How Some Fish Have Adapted to the Ocean
• Jellyfish Live!

• Draw a Dinosaur: Ceratosaurus
• Explore Nature Outside Your Window
• Tylosaurus Story Time

en español

• Video Seminario en línea para Familias: Historia Natural en casa

• Ancient Elephants and Their Modern Relatives with Paleontologist Advait Jukar
• Drawing Fossils with Paleontologists Karma Nanglu and Laura Soul
• Fossil Discovery and Preparation with Fossil Preparator Michelle Pinsdorf
• Meet a Pliosaur, an Ancient Sea Monster with Paleontologist Laura Soul
• The Oldest Animal Fossils with Paleontologist Scott Evans
• Using Fossil Plants and Pollen to Understand Earth's Climate History with Palynologist Vera Korasidis

• Spaceship Earth (May 13, 2020)

• A Conversation with Dennis Carroll: Predicting Pandemics
• Pandemic Past, Pandemic Present with Medical Historian Mark Honigsbaum

• Exploring Minerals with Geologist Gabriela Farfan
• Feather Identification with Ornithologist Carla Dove
• How Birds Stay Warm with Ornithologist Sahas Barve
• Neanderthal Mystery with Museum Technician Molly Kamph
• What Makes Fish so Fishy? with Ichthyologist Adela Roa-Varón
• What's a Lichen? with Lichenologist Manuela Dal Forno

• Biocubes – Exploring Biodiversity
• Digital Programs and Resources from the Natural History Museum
• Distance Learning Resources from the Smithsonian

• Coral Reefs
• Exploring Coastal Ecosystems
• How Climate Change Affects Cities