After long sea voyages in the early 1800’s, sailors returned home to wives, mothers and sweethearts with wondrous gifts from their travels. Among these wondrous and exotic gifts were what we now call “Sailor’s Valentines.” These intricate designs created with seashells were highly sought after, then and now. There are many serious collectors of these […]
August 10 marks the anniversary of the Pueblo Revolt against the Spaniards. This took place in 1680 and resulted in the expulsion of the Spanish presence for a period of twelve years. The consequences of this revolt continue to today. New Mexico is home to nineteen Pueblos, all separate nations with their own government. They […]
Part of the dynamic and hands-on team that keeps the Cockrell Butterfly Center humming and fluttering with life on a daily basis, horticulturist-slash-entomologist Theresa Lancaster has a very important role on the front lines inside our butterfly sanctuary and learning center. On any given day you can find her tending to the endless, exotic vegetation […]
Kachina dolls are familiar Native American museum objects. They appear in art galleries and anthropology exhibits alike, but they are often misrepresented, misidentified, and misunderstood. Even the term kachina leads to confusion; it is an Anglicized spelling of the Hopi word katsina (singular) or katsinam (plural). In the Hopi worldview, katsinam take on three different […]
The HMNS staff has been putting this quieter time in the galleries to great use. Over time in every museum, permanent galleries and temporary exhibitions require maintenance. However, it can be difficult to justify closing a gallery to complete maintenance work when you have visitors wanting to enjoy the collection. The crew is using the […]
Jupiter and Saturn are in the southeast at dusk this month. Look southeast in the early evening for the two planets which will be about 6 degrees apart. Mars is higher and brighter in the morning sky each day this month. Look high in the south at dawn. Mars now outshines all the stars visible at night from Houston […]
The anthropology holdings of the Houston Museum of Natural Science include an extensive collection of ethnographic materials from South America, to be precise, from the Amazon and Orinoco River basins. These basins cover an area of 2.5 million square miles (or roughly twice the size of India). This hot and humid environment is home to […]
If you have visited the Houston Museum of Natural Science extensively over the past decade, you have more than likely found yourself captivated by James E. Washington III, our resident dinosaur and mineral expert. Blessed with a boundless love of learning and science, “Jurassic James” has given tours to dignitaries, kindergartners and curious adults looking […]
The reviews are in, and our virtual summer camp program is a hit for parents and kids alike! This summer we took to cyberspace and gave our beloved camp program a virtual makeover. Now, you don’t have to go farther than your laptop charger to have a summer science adventure. Led by our science experts, […]
Among the Houston Museum of Natural Science’ collections of Plains Indian materials we find a Lakota beaded possible bag. The Lakota people are part of a confederation of seven related Sioux tribes, the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ or “Seven Council Fires.” They are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains of North America. The Lakota […]
