Nat. Hist. Museum Goes Wild, Celebrates Nature in the City at New L.A. Urban Nature Fest

LOS ANGELES - On June 25 and 26, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) will celebrate the ever-present wildlife in Los Angeles at the new L.A. Urban Nature Fest. On the heels of its recent launch of the Urban Nature Research Center, and with a slew of urban-nature-focused citizen science projects underway, the Museum has become a hub for nature in the city. In its second year, the festival aims to provide a place for L.A.'s thriving community of nature lovers to come together and experience L.A.'s wild side.

Museum scientists are joining forces with dozens of Southern California nature organizations for a weekend filled with hands-on, family-friendly activities. Institutions like the National Park Service, The Nature Conservancy, and the National Wildlife Federation will join others like the Los Angeles Audubon and the Sierra Club in the "Wild in the City" zone; the Aquarium of the Pacific, Cabrillo Aquarium, and others will make up the "Wet & Wild" area; while the "Green Thumb" section will host organizations like TreePeople, the Theodore Payne Foundation, and more.

Visitors can participate in hands-on workshops and experience local nature first hand with a range of activities for all ages. Each day will include:

· Behind-the-scenes tours of the Museum's ornithology (bird) collection

· Workshops

o Taxidermy demonstration: Noted NHM taxidermists Tim Bovard and Allis Markham will perform a step-by-step demonstration on the preservation of a bird specimen.

o Photography for science: The NHM citizen science office will teach visitors how to take wildlife photos that can be used for scientific research, using a smart phone.

o Silk screening: Self Help Graphics will lead a hands-on silk-screening activity.

· Stage Performances

o Snake feeding demonstration

o Dragonfly story time with NHM performing artists

o Live animal meet and greet

o Rhythm Child's interactive music for families

· Ongoing activities

o Create sun prints with found natural objects

o Make nature bracelets

o Decorate butterfly hair pieces

o Learn the craft of observation with nature journaling

o How-to session about container gardens for apartment dwellers

o Photo op with "Charles Darwin"

Nature Gardens at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007

Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26, 2016

9:30 am – 5 pm

Admission to L.A. Urban Nature Fest is included with regular Museum admission, and is $12 for adults, $9 for seniors and students with valid I.D., and $5 for children (3-12). Museum Members and children under 2 are free.

For tickets and more information, visit nhm.org/naturefest.

All Festival Activities Free With Regular Museum Admission

Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26, 2016

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is a national leader in research, exhibitions and education. The Museum was the first dedicated museum building in Los Angeles, opening its doors in 1913. It has amassed one of the world's most extensive and valuable collections of natural and cultural history - with more than 35 million objects, some as old as 4.5 billion years. For more information, visit the Museum's website at nhm.org or call (213) 763-DINO.