What comes to mind when you hear “natural history museum”?
Whatever you thought of just now, you probably didn’t imagine what’s happening at Las Vegas Natural History Museum, on October 27th. That’s the date of the 2023 edition of “Dino-Ween”! And it’s going to be a party.
Grace Njoroge is Las Vegas Natural History Museum’s Director of Education, while Kate Porter is Co-Executive Director at Las Vegas Natural History Museum. And they offered a preview of this year’s special event.
Annually, “Dino-Ween” turns the museum into a “spooky STEAMfest”, with various “haunted” features. This is an all-day celebration, with everyone in costume and with lots of ideas, maker activities, laughter and innovation.
Attendees create slime and other maker projects. Pumpkins puke. Families join together with other families in problem-solving games and activities. And of course, museum staff, thoroughly in the “spirit” of the day, will be dressed accordingly.
And the dinosaurs? Well, they have a few surprises in store.
The 2023 edition of “Dino-Ween”, themed, “Shake, Rattle and Roll Them Bones”, happens on Friday, October 27th, from 10 am to 3 pm. But once it’s over–the fun and learning continue, with all kinds of special events, including “December to Remember”, starting next month!
Grace and Kate offered a behind-the-scenes look at preparations for the festivities, what’s happening after Halloween, and the resources LVNHM has available for educators–including virtual ones, on their YouTube channel, for next month’s “December to Remember” celebration!
On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:
- How Grace and Kate first became aware of the power of STEAM to get students excited about natural science;
- Some of the science, technology, engineering, art and math activities in which guests can participate, during “Dino-Ween” 2023;
- An imaginary “tour” of the museum’s “Dino-Ween” exhibits for this year;
- Grace and Kate’s favorite memories from last year’s event;
- What participants can make in some of the workshops;
- The best creative lessons Kate and Grace learned from hosting “Dino-Ween” in 2022;
- A closer look at preparations for a possible VR component for this year’s event, as we discussed in our 2022 interview;
- How the state holiday, “Nevada Day”, will be happening in tandem with “Dino-Ween”;
- What Grace and Kate expect their day to be like, on the 27th;
- A preview of some of the ways “December to Remember” will spotlight holiday traditions from around the world;
- How to support LVNHM;
- A closer look at their online resources for educators.