Events and Programs | CT State Museum of Natural History

Lectures: Experts from diverse backgrounds, many recognized as leaders in their fields, share their knowledge with the public. Speakers explore contemporary issues and reveal ancient mysteries on varied topics. Recent past lectures have focused on taking local action to address climate change, the pre-agricultural origins of the UConn campus, and the story of Darwin’s fascination with orchids. In addition, the CSMNH co-sponsors the Edwin Way Teale Lecture Series, which brings leading scholars from around the world to UConn to present public lectures on nature and the environment six times each year.

Upcoming lectures:

The CSMNH is a co-sponsor of the Edwin Way Teale Lecture Series "Nature and the Environment". All lectures are free, open to the public, and unless otherwise noted held at 4 p.m. in the Konover Auditorium at the Dodd Center for Human Rights at UConn’s main campus in Storrs.

Community outreach events: These events involve the broader Connecticut community and help create awareness of and foster involvement in the CSMNH, emphasizing unique educational opportunities for the public at-large. Past community outreach events where the CSMNH has participated include the Connecticut Archaeology Fair, Willimantic's 3rd Thursday, Celebrate Mansfield Festival, UConn Extension’s Bug Week, and The Last Green Valley's Walktober.

Upcoming community outreach and special events:

UConn students are invited to come see us at the UConn Fall Involvement Fair on Wednesday September 3 on Fairfield Way.

We'll be celebrating all things Mansfield with a booth at Downtown Storrs' Celebrate Mansfield Festival focused on bird morphology. The CSMNH will be focused on locomotion (wings and feet!), while our friends from The Last Green Valley will be exploring different bird beaks. We'll also be working with the Ballard Museum and Institute of Puppetry on puppets for their annual festival pageant - stay tuned for more info about free puppet making workshops with the BIMP!

In October, we'll be exploring Connecticut Archaeology with the Office of State Archaeology, the State Historic Preservation Office, and friends at the Connecticut Archaeology Fair on Saturday October 4.

To finish off the season, we'll be at Mansfield Downtown Partnership's Winter Welcome celebration.

More details about all programs will be posted as they are available!

FIELD ACTIVITY

Herp Walk with Dr. Susan Herrick

Date and Location T.B.D. - decided by the herps!

Saturday 10am-12pm

Allanach-Wolf Woodlands, Windham, CT

Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UConn Dr. Susan Herrick will lead this pop-up walk through Allanach-Wolf Woodlands to search for herps and reptiles.

The Museum is trying something a little different this fall, with seasonal programming timed to the rhythms of nature.

This walk, led by Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at UConn Dr. Susan Herrick, will be scheduled based on herp behavior and data observed during the past year of the Reptile and Amphibian Diversity Study at Allanach-Wolf Woodlands.

This event will be scheduled on short notice, based on indicators from nature. We anticipate going out on a Saturday morning between 10am-12pm in mid-September.

Those interested in participating are asked to join the email list for upcoming herp activities and we will send out an email a week before the date selected for the walk.

The event is free and open to the public, but sign up is required and donations are appreciated, as they help us keep our public programs free!

Donations for this program can be made at our Marketplace store.

LEARN ABOUT OUR RESEARCH PROJECT

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

A Window into the Universe of Moses with Bernard Goffinet

Saturday, 20 September 2025

1-3pm

Mansfield Public Library, Buchanan Auditorium, 54 Warrenville Rd., Mansfield Center, CT

Dr. Bernard Goffinet, professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Director of the Biodiversity Research Collections at UConn, will lead this hands-on opportunity to look more closely at and admire the diversity of mosses.

The goal of this special pop up exhibit and presentation is for visitors to witness the unique behavior and movement in mosses and appreciate the spectacular variety in shape in form across the “universe of mosses”.

This program will include a short talk starting at 1:30pm, with specimens on display and Dr. Goffinet available for Q&A before and after the talk.

The event is free and open to the public! RSVP is suggested and donations are appreciated, as they help us keep our public programs free!

Donations for this program can be made at our Marketplace store.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Celebrate Mansfield Festival

Saturday, 27 September 2025

Downtown Storrs, CT

This year we are consulting with the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry on their annual community puppet-building workshops and puppet pageant at the Celebrate Mansfield Festival (these year's theme: Prehistoric Mansfield!),

Plus we're joining forces with The Last Green Valley to share information about bird morphology at our booth on the day of the festival. We hope to see you there!

Sign up for a free puppet-making workshop with the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry, to create puppets for their annual parade and pageant!

EDWIN WAY TEALE LECTURE SERIES

The Declining Monarch: A Butterfly's Ecology Speaks to America's Environmental Crisis

Anurag Agrawal

James A. Perkins Professor of Environmental Studies, Cornell University

Thursday, 16 October 2025

All Teale lectures are free, open to the public, and held on Thursdays at 4pm in the Konover Auditorium in the Dodd Center for Human Rights at UConn Storrs (unless noted otherwise).

Visit the Edwin Way Teale Lecture website for more information and the link to view recorded lectures.