Bust out your planners, calendars, and PDAs (if you are throwback like that), it’s time to mark your calendars for the HMNS events of this week!

NOW OPEN! Special Exhibition – China’s Lost Civilization: The Mystery Of Sanxingdui 
The Sanxingdui culture left no written record or human remains and appears to have existed for only about 500 years before it vanished. In 2001, another archaeological discovery, this time in the city of Chengdu at Jinsha, revealed possible clues to the mystery of where they might have gone. This exhibition will present many of the most important discoveries from both Sanxingdui and Jinsha and examine the great mystery of where this 3500 year old culture could have come from and where and why they abruptly vanished.

Organized by the Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Cultural Relics Bureau of Sichuan Province, Peoples Republic of China.

Major funding provided China Southern Airlines. Local support provided by Kathrine G. McGovern/McGovern Foundation.

Film Screening – The Hadza: Last Of The First With David Banks
Monday, April 13
6:30 p.m.
Look into the origins of human civilization–Africa’s Rift Valley, home of the unique but imperiled Hadza people. As east Africa’s last remaining community of hunter-gatherers, the Hadza have lived sustainably off the Tanzanian land for more than 50,000 years. But their way of life, which harkens back to that of our earliest ancestors, is now under attack. The film will be introduced by David Banks, director of the Nature Conservancy’s Africa program and the film’s producers. This exclusive one-night-only screening of The Hadza: Last of The First is the Texas film premiere. This event is co-sponsored by The Nature Conservancy, which is committed to helping protect the land that is so critical to the Hadza’s survival. Banks will share his experiences working alongside the Hadza people to conserve their homeland and way of life. You will also have the opportunity to chat with Laura Huffman, state director of The Nature Conservancy in Texas, who will discuss how conservation projects in Texas inform the Conservancy’s work in Africa and elsewhere

Film Screening – Seven Sumurai with Mark Kerstein
Tuesday, April 14
6:30 p.m.
One of the most thrilling movie epics of all time, Seven Samurai tells the story of a 16th century village whose desperate inhabitants hire the eponymous warriors to protect them from invading bandits. Filmmaker Akira Kurosawa weaves philosophy and entertainment, delicate human emotions and relentless action, into this tale of courage and hope. The film will be introduced by Mark Kerstein, J.D. of Hokushikan Chiba Dojo. (This film is 3 hours.)

This event is cosponsored by Rice University’s Glasscock School of Continuing Studies.

Class – Planting a Butterfly Garden
Saturday, April 18
09:00 a.m.
Natural butterfly habitats are shrinking every day. You can help our native butterflies by creating new habitat right in your own yard or patio. Learn which butterflies occur in our area, which plants the adults and baby butterflies (caterpillars) need to survive, and where to get plants that lure them in. Take home a plant and seeds to get you started. This class is followed by a tour of our greenhouses and butterfly-rearing operation. Soni Holladay, HMNS horticulturist and greenhouse manager, leads this class.