March 3, 2016 · 2 min read

Morrill Hall to offer free admission March 12

University Communications

A Morrill Hall volunteer explains various species found as part of a simulated fossil dig to a young visitor. The museum will host a variety of hands-on activities during Museum Day Live! on March 12.

The University of Nebraska State Museum at Morrill Hall will participate in the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum Day Live! on March 12, offering free admission to visitors presenting an event ticket.

Taking place during Women’s History Month, the event is meant for all visitors but is aimed at inspiring women and girls to discover the arts and sciences. The event represents Smithsonian’s commitment to make learning accessible to everyone, giving museums across all 50 states the opportunity to emulate the admission policy of the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C.

Morrill Hall will provide hands-on activities for children and families from 1 to 4:30 p.m. the day of the event. Some of the activities:

Participants will learn to write names in binary code and create a piece of wearable code with the LNK Coding Women group.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Society of Women Engineers will demonstrate electrical engineering while building small motors.
Chief preparator of the museum’s vertebrate paleontology department will demonstrate the process and importance of molding and casting fossils, plus more.
The Come Sit With Me, Red Chair Project will be at the museum, inviting visitors to sit in the red chair and share stories. The program is dedicated to recognizing the important role women play in creating technology.

The museum’s Investigate: Second Saturday Science Lab will also be open from 10 a.m. to noon for visitors to explore Amblypygi, or whip spiders.

The Museum Day Live! ticket is available at http://smithsonianmag.com/museumday. Visitors who present the ticket will gain free entrance for two at Morrill Hall on March 12. One ticket is permitted per household, per email address. For more information, visit http://www.museum.unl.edu.

Established in 1871, the University of Nebraska State Museum is the state’s premier museum of natural history. The museum is focused on promoting discovery in natural science; fostering scientific understanding and interpretation of the Earth’s past, present and future; and enhancing stewardship of the natural and cultural heritage of Nebraska through world-class exhibits, collections and special events.