Earth Sciences Peer-reviewed Publications
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Earth Sciences Publications
After the Asteroid: Earth's Comeback Story
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A newly discovered trove of remarkably preserved fossils, found at Corral Bluffs near Colorado Springs, has brought into sharp focus how Earth recovered after the devastating asteroid impact 66 million years ago that wiped out the dinosaurs. This discovery is a watershed scientific moment, and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science has created a brand-new bilingual exhibit to bring the discovery to life.
Early Origins of Turtles
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Early Origins of Turtles
One World One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure
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One World, One Sky is a brilliant spectacle of light and color that follows Sesame Street's Big Bird and Elmo as they explore the night sky with a new friend from China. Together, they take an imaginary trip from Sesame Street to the moon, where they discover how different it is from Earth.
Dynamic Earth
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Dynamic Earth narrated by Liam Neeson explores the inner workings of Earth's climate system.
Giant Gar from Cretaceous–Palaeogene
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The team stopped to find and dig through the Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary, a thin band of rock containing much more iridium than other rock units and marks the end of the Mesozoic Era and the beginning of the Cenozoic Era.
Infinity Theater
Immerse yourself in a giant-screen experience at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science's Sturm Infinity Theater.
7 Spooky Halloween animals and where to find them at the Museum
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The Denver Museum of Nature and Science has hundreds of species on display, but if you’re looking to see or learn more about these “spooky” Halloween animals, we got them too.
Brand New Infinity Theater
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Welcome to our larger-than-life Infinity Theater, where you’ll be treated to an exciting, entertaining and unparalleled experience and an infinite number of discoveries await. The theater has had a major facelift. This includes a new lobby entrance with brand new finishings, an impressive...
Black Holes
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Run time: 25 mins. There's a place from which nothing escapes, not even light, where time and space literally come to end. It's at this point, inside this fantastic riddle, that black holes exert their sway over the cosmos … and our imaginations.
Earth Sciences 2022 Year in Review
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Earth Sciences 2022 Year in Review
Planetarium
Current and upcoming shows at the Gates Planetarium. A 25 minute space-themed film in a small dome theater.
Reservations
All of our school programs can be booked online! For phone reservations please call 303.370.6000, 7 days a week, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Space Odyssey
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Science and Space screen, learn about space at the Denver Museum. Learn about the our solar system, and experience a Planetarium show.
Wonder Workshops
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Let us come to you! Our magnificent Museum educators will transform your classroom and take your adventurers on an unforgettable journey. This 45-minute program will fuel your students’ passion and curiosity for nature and science—challenging them to experiment, play, and solve mysteries together.
Curiosity Kits
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Curiosity Kits - From the Museum right to your doorstep! We’re delivering extraordinary experiences when you and your kids want them. We’ve got everything covered—we will deliver an activity box filled with imaginative, hands-on activities, complete with all the tools you’ll need.
Overnight Adventures
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Ever wondered if the Museum comes alive at night? Find out for yourself while sleeping among polar bears and zebras in our wildlife diorama halls. For grades 3-6; offered on select dates throughout the year.
Directions, Parking and Entrances
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Directions, Parking and Entrances. Directions by Car, Bus, and alternative transportation such as Lyft (use the code DMNSNEW for $5 off 3 rides). Save yourself some time, money, and hassle. Purchase tickets online before you arrive and save $2 on Museum admission!
Sensory Friendly Visits
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We are so excited you’re thinking about a visit to Denver Museum of Nature & Science! We also understand the Museum can be an overwhelming environment sometimes. Here are a few ideas to help you plan a more sensory friendly visit.
New Cryolab Launches at the Museum
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Just how cold is liquid nitrogen? With a boiling point of negative 196 degrees Celsius, liquid nitrogen is over 100 degrees colder than the coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth.
David Krause
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David Krause, Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology
Kristen MacKenzie
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Kristen MacKenzie, Earth Sciences Collections Manager
Lindsay Dougan
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Lindsay Dougan, Digital Research Lab Technician
Nicole Neu-Yagle
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Nicole Neu-Yagle, Earth Sciences Assistant Collections Manager
Americas Last Dinosaurs
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America's Last Dinosaurs
Japanese Beetle Survey
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Community Science Japanese Beetle Survey
Human Land Use and Dung Beetles
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Human Land Use and Dung Beetles
Great Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle
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Great Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle (Cicindela theatina)
Hollywood Favorite: Gravity 2D
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Two astronauts work together to survive after an accident leaves them stranded in space.
Scavenger Hunts
Have some additional fun while visiting the museum with the ELF, Museum Treasures, National Parks or State Symbols scavenger hunts - Can you find them all?
In the Community
Introducing the Curiosity Cruiser, your friendly neighborhood museum on wheels! Kids can explore what it might be like to land on the Red Planet in the free Mars Outpost play area at Colorado Mills. Dinosaur/Dino Gulch at Cherry Creek Shopping Center is a free play place designed for early learners.
Corporate Membership
Become a corporate member and enjoy many special perks that connect your employees to the Museum and reward them for a job well done. Corporate membership includes Museum and Planetarium passes and other benefits.
Teacher Professional Development
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From early childhood education to secondary level classrooms, our teacher professional development programs help you infuse lessons with critical thinking skills, strengthen your expertise, and integrate hands-on science activities in the classroom. K-12 Professional Development, Preservice Teachers
Onsite: At The Museum
Onsite: At the Museum offerings include free and flexible self-guided field trips, Field Trip Adventures facilitated programs, and Overnight Experiences. Teachers! Did you know that you can always visit the Museum for free? Present your school ID and get a sneak peek so you can prepare for your visi
At Home Science Fun
Our talented educator performer team (the folks facilitating shows and experiments in our exhibitions and hosting our virtual programs) created a list of their favorite at-home science activities.
COME TO YOUR SENSES!
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When it comes to our senses, hasn’t the number five had enough time in the spotlight? Now other sensory heroes get some overdue attention in “Our Senses: Creating Your Reality,” an exhibition for the whole family where you play with color, patterns, sounds, scents, and textures.
National Science Foundation grant
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The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has recently been awarded a prestigious collaborative research grant from the National Science Foundation's Frontier Research in Earth Sciences program.
Wildlife Halls
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Wildlife Halls at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. World renowned wild life halls filled with animals from all over the world. Get up close to animals and experience, study and learn about these animals. Perfect for still life drawings and studies, examination, and wildlife conservation.
Cosmic Journey
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In Cosmic Journey: A Solar System Adventure, you'll travel through our solar system faster than the speed of light, taking in the wonders of the planets and their moons.
Design Your Own Adventure
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Feeling creative? This option allows you to plan your own adventure at the Museum. Curate your trip to meet your group's needs with temporary exhibitions, Planetarium shows and more. Permanent exhibitions and Museum entry are free for PreK-12 school and youth groups.
Field Trip Adventures
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If a fully planned and guided day sounds like a dream come true, let our Field Trip Adventures do the work by maximizing your fun with activities designed to align with Colorado Academic Standards.
Gems and Minerals
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Our classic Gems and Minerals gallery is being transformed and expanded into a new, awe-inspiring experience that will change the way you view and appreciate our natural world.
Curiosity Cruiser
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Introducing the Curiosity Cruiser, your friendly neighborhood museum on wheels! Keep an eye out for our mobile museum, it may roll up to a place near you. Plan your experience by choosing one of the following themes: Flavorology, Spicy: Revealed, and Mood & Food.
Libby Couch
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Learn more about Business Support Specialist Libby Couch
Jeff Stephenson
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Jeff Stephenson, Zoology Collections Manager
Floor Maps
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Museum Map. Explore the Museum floor plan before you visit. Find the Infinity Theater, Science atrium, Space Odyssey, T Rex Cafe, Gems & Minerals, Ricketson Auditorium, Gates Planetarium, Exhibition Health, Discovery Zone, Prehistoric Journey, Sky Terrace.
Teen Science Scholars
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Teen Science Scholars
Living with the Enemy: The Peculiar Life History of an Ant-Eating Spider
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Over the years, Norman sent specimens of this mystery spider to various arachnologists throughout the country and world, including me. These minuscule arachnids were a puzzle to every expert consulted. It wasn't until 2019, two decades later, that the pieces started falling into place.
Discovering the Untold Origins of Modern Mammals
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In the world of paleontology, there are few moments that can match the electric thrill of an exceptional find — especially a find that holds the power to reshape our understanding of the history of life on Earth.
Finding Colorado’s First Bona Fide Diamond Deposit!
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Did you know that one of the biggest diamond-bearing sites in the United States is in Colorado’s Front Range? There lie rocks called kimberlites, which not only contain some of the oldest minerals on Earth — diamonds — but provide a geologic window into the interior of our planet.
Why is Castle Rock so prominent?
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Drivers on I-25 near the town of Castle Rock have likely marveled at iconic Castle Rock, towering over its namesake city.
A few billion dung beetles
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Do we have dung beetles in Colorado? Yes, we have over 85 species of dung beetle in our state — out of around 9,800 species of dung beetles worldwide.
Dust Settles on Massive Rehousing Project at the Museum
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A colossal effort has been quietly unfolding over the past several years in our collections at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
Laura Uglean Jackson
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Digital Archivist at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
James Hagadorn
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James Hagadorn, Tim & Kathryn Ryan Curator of Geology
Tiffany Nuessle
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Tiffany Nuessle, Research Manager in the Genetics Lab
Garth Spellman
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Garth Spellman, Associate Curator of Ornithology
Madagascar Paleontology Projects
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Madagascar Paleontology Projects
Mahajanga Basin Project
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The Mahajanga Basin Project
Scarab Biodiversity Exploration
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Scarab Biodiversity Exploration
ALIVE
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Astronomy Learning in Immersive Virtual Environments ALIVE
Star Formation in the Aquila Rift
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Star Formation in the Aquila Rift
Thank You
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Thank you for your support of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Magic Mountain
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Magic Mountain Community Archaeology Project
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Premier natural history and science Museum in Denver, Colorado and the western United States. Exhibitions, planetarium and lectures that explore the wonders of science, Colorado, Earth and the universe. Awarded the Denver Business Journal's 2019 Top Tourist Attraction, nonprofit Denver.