Archaeology is focus of Sept. 21 Sunday Scientist program

· 2 min read

Archaeology is focus of Sept. 21 Sunday Scientist program

Sun-tempered pot
Nebraska State Historical Society | Courtesy photo
Sand-tempered pot

The University of Nebraska State Museum’s Sunday with a Scientist program for children and families will explore Nebraska archaeology with the Nebraska State Historical Society and the National Park Service’s Midwest Archeological Center.

The event will be 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sept. 21 at Morrill Hall.

The program will be led by highway archaeologist Nolan Johnson and preservation archivist Kelli Bacon of the Nebraska State Historical Society, and archaeologist and museum registrar Cynthia Wiley and archaeologist Erin Dempsey of the National Park Service Midwest Archeological Center. They will explore Nebraska archaeology and show visitors how archaeologists use technology to study the human past.

Hands-on activities will include working with GPS (global positioning system) to document archaeological finds and using GPR (ground penetrating radar) to understand how archaeologists know where and how to dig to find artifacts in the ground (weather permitting). Other activities will include making a hearth (fire pit) profile and dig boxes, and learning how archaeologists use seriation (relative dating techniques) to determine the age of artifacts.

Sunday with a Scientist is a series of presentations that highlight the work of scientists, while educating children and families on a variety of topics related to science and natural history. Presenters share scientific information in a fun, informal way through demonstrations and activities, or by conducting science on site. Sunday with a Scientist is 1:30-4:30 p.m. on the third Sunday of each month.

The NU State Museum of Natural History in Morrill Hall is open 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursdays, and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sundays. Regular admission is $6 for adults (19 and over), $3 for children (5-18 years), free for children 4 and under, and $13 for families (up to two adults and children). UNL staff, faculty, and students are admitted free with NU ID during all regular hours. Friends of the Museum are also free. Parking is free in front of the museum. For more information, telephone 402-472-2642 or go to http://www.museum.unl.edu.

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