Travel The World Without Leaving the MidWest!

The Dayton Museum of Natural History, 1958

While we’re only pretty sure that time travel isn’t an actual “thing” yet, the next best option for aspiring explorers may just be to visit a Museum!  From ancient artifacts and rare oddities to countless extinct specimens of animals that no longer roam the world, you can find a wide variety of history from across the globe at your local Natural History Museum.  Many Daytonians remember the Boonshoft Museum as the Dayton Museum of Natural History, when its cornerstone was its vast Collection of artifacts and specimens.  What many may not know is that our Collections remain a crucial aspect of the Boonshoft Museum today, as many of these items can be found in current exhibits, while the rest are maintained for future use and research.

With 1.7 million artifacts and specimens, there is something for all ages and interests to explore. Some of the most popular items include rare prehistoric fossils, skeletal remains of animals that existed during the Ice Age (Mammoth, Dire Wolf, Saber-Toothed Cat), gorgeous handmade jewelry, meteorites, Native American textiles, mummy remains, historic weapons, ancient pottery, and even a shrunken head.

Map of the origins of all of our Collection’s pieces, click to enlarge.

Taking a tour of our Collection is literally a trip through time and across the world—which means our staff always jump at the chance to take a tour in order to familiarize them with the Museum. “Each time there is a good number of new staff, you can count on our Curators to host a tour of our Collection. I go every single time because there is always something I haven’t seen and it gives me the chance to experience things that I won’t ever see except for maybe in a book. Our Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, for instance, is extinct, but we have one in our Collection and it is special every time I see it, in addition to all of the other pieces of local and world history,” noted Erika Asher, Development Assistant at the Boonshoft Museum.

Lichliter Site, discovered artifacts now housed at the Dayton Society of Natural History

Tektite & Meteorite, Dayton Society of Natural History

Trilobite Fossil, Dayton Society of Natural History

So, tell your friends and family to get ready to embark on a world tour through time, except you won’t need to pack a bag or cross an ocean. For the first time, we are opening our collection vaults to the public for extensive, behind-the-scenes tours. These tours are guided by our knowledgeable curators and available to small groups of up to eight people. Tours last 90 minutes and vary between $150-$200, depending on the number of people in your party. All proceeds from the private tours go to the preservation of our artifacts and the Boonshoft Museum’s mission.

Prehistoric Pottery, discovered at SunWatch Indian Village/Archeological Park (Dayton)

Ivory-Billed Woodpecker

Saber-Tooth Cat, Short-Faced Bear, Dire Wolf

You can learn more about the Museum’s Collection here.

You can start the process of booking a Private Tour here.

You can get a jump start on your “world travels” by seeing where all of our artifacts come from by clicking here.

Careers In Curiosity: Party On, Jodi!

Though it’s not your typical Museum career, our Rentals Manger, Jodi Rettig, certainly has a curious job at the Dayton Society of Natural History. The Boonshoft Museum’s Main Exhibit Hall can be housing dinosaur eggs that are millions of years old one week and then be decorated to the nines for an elegant wedding the next.

From laying out schematics to programming personalized slide shows, Jodi uses science and math to be a success at her job, in addition to utilizing Museum technologies in order to create one-of-a-kind events for her clients. Read more about Jodi’s curious career below and then check out some tips she has to create both a special and casual event.

 

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My position as Rentals Manager calls for many different skills, including planning and organizing, working closely with chosen vendors, and communicating with staff from the museum. I schedule tours to show potential clients around the museum, which helps show the museum from a whole new perspective. From using our climbing tower as a place for a band to turning Science On a Sphere into a moonlit area perfect for a bride and groom’s first dance, I truly enjoy making our clients’ happiest days come to life by customizing our spaces.

We regularly host weddings and corporate events in the Planetarium and use the screen in the Dome as a blank slate for the client to create, and I also love outdoor ceremonies and events in our Amphitheater in the spring and summer. Working with our clients and seeing their event turn into an unforgettable experience is hands-down the most enjoyable part of my job, especially because I visited the Museum as a child. Seeing my clients and their guests enjoy the Museum as much as I do is really fulfilling.

Here are Jodi’s top tips for planning and implementing both formal and casual events:

If you’re planning a wedding, holiday party, fundraising event, or prom, don’t forget to:

Email us or pop by during house of operation. Emailing or stopping by a facility are the best ways to stay in contact with your venue and vendors, especially around the busy wedding/holiday season. Many vendors and venues are dealing with several clients at a time, and the best way for us to keep track of all the details is through e-mail. This allows you and the vendor to have the paperwork needed to make a check list.

Research your vendors. It never hurts to ask about vendors, especially when it comes to choosing just the right DJ, caterer, photographer, and florist. At the Museum, we have worked with many vendors, and with a unique venue like ours, we are able to refer you to vendors that know our space and will best fit your budget.

Utilize your venue. If your event is in a unique space, it also never hurts to ask about using those aspects of your venue. We allow guests to incorporate programs and exhibits into their event quite often and because our spaces are so versatile, the possibilities here are almost endless. Yes, we can bring animals out for your guests. Yes, your guests can use the slide. Yes, we can create a program on our Planetarium, solely for you. Never be afraid to ask!

Navigate Your Guests! Accurate Driving directions are great to have as well as a convenient list of nearby hotels. Contact your venue for a map or driving tips that you can relay to your guests. It can save time and it ensures that everyone has a wonderful commuting experience.

Plan ahead! Avoid waiting until the last minute. It is very easy to do when you are coordinating an entire event and things may slip through the cracks if you aren’t organized. Having a timeline and a “to-do” list are great to have and to pass on to your vendors and venues. At the museum, we will have several staff members working on your event. Whether it is programming your personalized hashtag on our Science On a Sphere, pulling together songs for your custom Planetarium show, or displaying your slideshow over our Tidal Pool exhibit, but we always work from a list of vendor requests, so it is a good idea to get the venue and vendors everything they will need a few weeks in advance.

Wedding in Science On a Sphere

Formal Event in the Education Lobby

Wedding in the Planetarium

Wedding in the Main Exhibit Hall

Fundraising Event on the Museum’s First Floor

Corporate Event in the Main Exhibit Hall

What about birthday parties, family reunions, and anniversaries? If you’re planning one of these events, remember to:

Book it early! It’s always a good idea to call a few months before your big occasion. Though smaller spaces may be more readily available than a full-museum rental, they still book quickly. This is especially something to keep in mind if you have a birthday to celebrate because you may not be as flexible about the date of your rental.

Make use of everything that is offered! At the Museum, we offer admission for all of our guests after your rental. Maximize their experience by passing out our programming schedule for your guests so they can see some of our planetarium shows or participate in a Do Lab program. Our Museum Mascot, Odyssey the Otter, can make his special appearance just for the birthday boy/girl and personal animal programs for your party are available for an additional, but budget-friendly, fee. You can also play music and a slide show for your party guests to see. Make it a moment your guests and birthday boy/girl will always remember!

Give it a theme! Birthday parties with themes work really well for planning invitations and decorations. For example, science, animals, and space themes all work really well at the Museum. The experience your guests will have at the Museum ties in perfectly with these themes.

Ask away! Again, never be afraid to ask questions. If you have an idea in mind, pass it by the venue contact, as we always work to tailor each event to the client’s individual needs.

Manage your guest list closely! Most birthday venues have a guest minimum and a guest maximum. This is for the safety of both the staff and the guests. A headcount of event attendees will also help you plan for what you’ll need to have as far as food, plates, and party favors – which keeps you from overspending and you can stick to your budget!

Animal Program at the Boonshoft Museum

Birthday Guests Cut Their Cake

Guests enjoy their private room.

If you would like to learn more about booking a rental at the Boonshoft Museum or SunWatch Indian Village/Archaeological park, click here. To email Jodi about booking a private event or rental click here.

Sky’s The Limit For Spruce, Cypress, Willow & Sequoia!

All four falcon chicks have fledged!  Spruce, Cypress, Willow and Sequoia have taken their first flights without any reports of trouble.  Daniel is working hard to bring food to the juveniles wherever they are perched.  At this age they are not skilled hunters and still depend on their parents to provide meals and will vocalize loudly if they need food or assistance from their parents. Go this website to hear what the vocalizations of a peregrine falcon sounds like:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Peregrine_Falcon/sounds

Within the next few weeks they will be able to capture food on their own.  The young peregrines are difficult to tell apart from their parents but can be seen perching on the Liberty Savings Tower or nearby buildings in downtown Dayton.  This is the first time Dayton and Daniel have raised four chicks.  At this time Spruce, Cypress, Willow and Sequoia have passed many hurdles and this nesting season can be considered a success.  With the state delisting of the peregrine as a threatened species in 2015 the young peregrines are now part of the success story of the recovery of the peregrine falcon population in Ohio.  The Dayton nest is part of a sample monitoring program in Ohio and data from the FalconCam will be submitted to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources – Division of Wildlife including the continued presence of the pair at the Dayton nest, the number of eggs laid, the number of eggs hatched, and the number of offspring that fledge.  As long as none of the young peregrines need human assistance they will stay in the area until the end of summer.  When the youngsters have enough skills they will leave Daniel and Dayton to find their own territories and hopefully one day raise young of their own.

The FalconCam stream will be turned off soon but if any significant events occur they will be posted.

A special “thank you” to our sponsor for their support with the 2016 Falcon Cam season.

Up Up and Away!

The juvenile falcons are starting to take their first flights!  The two older chicks were the first to take to the roof behind the nest box.  Last week they spent time on the roof behind the next box stretching their wings.  The two juveniles that hatched a few days later than their siblings left the nest box soon after and began practice hops and stretching their wings on the roof behind the next box.  Names were selected for the chicks through a contest on the Boonshoft Museum Facebook page and the winning names are Spruce, Cypress, Willow and Sequoia.  On Tuesday one of the juveniles made it to the ledge near the 17^th floor of the Liberty Tower.

Dayton and Daniel still remain close by and provide food for the juvenile birds and protect them.  Once all the young falcons have taken their first flights they will be in flight training.  Dayton and Daniel will assist them as their flight instinct is developed.  Practice flights with parents nearby to keep the area clear of predators allow the youngsters to develop their skills.  The young birds will practice hunting with their parents passing pre-caught prey to them to help them to refine their skills.  Visits to the nest box will be infrequent and the birds will only rarely be seen in the nest box.  This is a good time to visit the nest site downtown as the birds can be seen in their practice flights over the Liberty Savings Tower in downtown Dayton.   The young peregrines are about six weeks old and are beginning to practice the skills they need to survive independently in the future.  They have passed their first hurdles but are still inexperienced.  The fledglings are as large as their parents and are hard to differentiate from Daniel and Dayton by their appearance while in flight downtown.  Dayton, Daniel and their four young falcons are all doing well and we continue to have no reports of any problems.  If the young falcons have gotten into any trouble they have been able to solve it themselves and are one step closer to being independent of their parents.

Summer is a Great Time to Be a Member!

We’re counting down the minutes until summer begins and we bet you are too. There’s so much to do: plan your vacations, summer camps, family outings, activities, and more. The list could go on forever, even though the summer season is only three months long. If your goals is to have some great summer family experiences that keep the kiddos happy — and probably more importantly, keep you under budget — check out a Dayton Society of Natural History Membership!

New and current Members can maximize their Memberships this summer with so many things to do, see, and experience in just three short months:

The cost of a Museum Membership, transportation, and snacks (because everyone needs snacks!), can get you an entire summer of entertainment, family memories, and fun.

Here are some Dayton Society of Natural History summer highlights you won’t want to miss (bonus: everything listed below is either FREE for Members or Museum Members receive a discount).

New Exhibitions: Both the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery & SunWatch will welcome new exhibitions this summer. On June 4 the Amazing Butterflies opens at the Boonshoft Museum and Johnny Appleseed opens at SunWatch later on during the summer season. Members enjoy a special sneak preview of Amazing Butterflies from 9:00 a.m. – Noon on June 4 before it opens to the public.

Special Events: From Movie Nights at the Museum to the Keeping the Tradition Pow Wow hosted at SunWatch by the Miami Valley Council for Native Americans, there are some stellar events that you won’t want to miss this summer, here are some of the highlights:

Fort Ancient: Summer Solstice Sunrise on June 19, Nature Hike on July 9, Archaeology Day on July 16.

SunWatch: Keeping the Tradition Pow Wow on June 25-26, Kids’ Days throughout the summer.

Boonshoft Museum of Discovery: Movie Nights at the Museum (A Bug’s Life in June and Frozen in August), Red White & Boonshoft on July 4, and our Meerkat Mob’s Birthday on July 30.

To learn more or purchase a Membership, visit www.boonshoftmuseum.org.

 

 

 

Falcon Chicks Update & Naming Contest!

The young peregrines have grown quickly and at almost six weeks old they are preparing to take their first flights.  Over the past few days the chicks have been stretching their wings often.  The white fluffy feathers of the chicks have been completely replaced by the darker adult feathers.  Juvenile  falcons have longer flight feathers than the adults to make it easier to learn the flying skills needed to become an excellent hunter in their first year.  The two older chicks are spending time on the roof behind the nest box and have no downy feathers remaining.   This large space is perfect for strengthening their wings with test hops and flapping.  Fledging is the name of the process of young birds learning to fly.  The chicks usually start fledging around six weeks old.  If you don’t see them on the camera image it is because they are practicing leaving the nest box by walking on the ledges and the roof.   After stretching and flapping their wings, their first flight will be from the 22^nd floor where the nest box is located.  This is a view from the sidewalk in front of the Liberty Savings Tower.

The two chicks that hatched slightly later than their siblings still have some downy white feathers remaining and are a few days behind the other two.  Dayton and Daniel continue to keep a close eye on the chicks and are always nearby.

We are in the process of hosting a naming contest for the four chicks, so if you haven’t voted, be sure to click here to vote.

Click to cast your vote!

One More Chick Makes Four For Dayton’s Falcons!

The fourth egg that was thought to be infertile has hatched!  The third chick is almost the same size as it’s siblings now but the fourth chick is significantly smaller since it hatched almost a week after the first two.  All chicks are being fed by the parents and the smallest one stretches his neck up in the front to enable him to get food with the others.  In this image you can see one of the first meals for the new chick.  He is closest to the parent but has a hard time reaching as tall as his siblings.

On Monday both parents were seen working hard to care for the chicks.  Daniel and Dayton have never raised four chicks before so they will be busy keeping them fed!  Both parents have been observed feeding the chicks and keeping them warm in the mornings.  The chicks can be seen resting by laying down on their chests when they temperatures are warmer.  When it is cool one of the parents provides warmth by sitting on them.  In this image a freshly caught bird arrives for the family meal.

5 Ways To Celebrate Earth Day This Friday!

A recurring theme both at the Boonshoft Museum and our sister sites, SunWatch and Fort Ancient, is conservation. We conserve artifacts and specimens, and we teach children and families about our natural resources and how we can best preserve them. On Earth Day, we are all acutely aware of the impact that humanity has on our planet and its inhabitants, some big (like the Polar Bears at the Columbus Zoo) and some small (like Patience, the Boonshoft Museum’s Two-Toed Sloth).

Two-Toed Sloths just like Patience face habitat loss due to deforestation of the South American rain forests.

It’s easy to be intimidated by the effort requires to slow down the effects of deforestation, habitat loss, pollution, and climate change, but the Museum is committed to making sure that everyone, through small changes, has the ability to make a HUGE, positive impact on our environment–and what better way to kick-off a year of “green” living than by celebrating Earth Day on April 22!

Here are 5 simple things you can do that will have a big impact on our environment:

Plant a honey bee-friendly garden

Have a blast at our conservation events

Get outside and bike to work!

1. Actively Educate – By attending events like the Boonshoft Museum’s Earth Day Celebration and Super Science Saturday, your family will learn about our natural resources, like the Miami Valley Aquifer, in addition to how we can use science to conserve, preserve, and sustain our natural resources. Most of our special conservation days are included with regular admission or free to the public, so be sure to check our Calendar frequently for upcoming events!
2. Be a Good Steward – One of the most critical challenges to the world today is climate change. The change in climate affects the world’s ecosystems and has a ripple effect to which humans are not immune. Climate change affects our food sources and the economy. To be a good steward of the environment, try to save energy in your household. Simply turning the lights off when you leave a room, keeping your house a few degrees warmer during the summer, and unplugging electronics when you leave for school and work can collectively have a large impact on your energy usage and wallet!
3. Purchase With a Purpose – You can shop smart and help fight deforestation by using sustainable alternatives to products that use Palm Oil and are created with recyclable materials. Palm oil is a key contributor to rain forest deforestation and can be found in common household items and food, like candy and cereal—even makeup. Opt into purchasing certified recycled products and support companies that use sustainable practices. Click here to view a list of companies that are dedicated to saving the environment.
4. Plant for Pollinators – Between honey bees, bats, and butterflies, millions of dollars worth of crops and food are cultivated each year. With one in every three bites of food being indirectly or directly a result of honey bee pollination, something has to be done about their dwindling populations. Many of our pollinators are at risk due to habitat loss, so the best way to combat that is to create a pollinator-friendly place in your back yard! Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed, a flowering plant that can easily be planted in your back yard. You can also opt for a bat house or plant a bee friendly garden. Some honey bees are often confused with wasps, so if you have a nest that you wish to remove, ask a professional if it is a honey bee hive and if it is contact a local apiarist (beekeeper).
5. Get Active – If it’s a beautiful day and you need to run errands, consider riding a bike instead of taking your car. Not only does Dayton have some of the best bike trails regionally, biking to work is a green alternative to a car commute and it keeps you healthy! The burning of fossil fuels from motor vehicles creates both carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, both of which affect our atmosphere and add to changes in climate.

Just doing these 5 simple things can help save our environment and its inhabitants! Learn more tomorrow during our Earth Day Celebration!

Falcon Chicks Are Here!

Dayton and Daniel’s eggs hatched!  On Sunday afternoon one chick was visible in the nest.  Later Sunday evening a second chick hatched.  If all progresses normally, the chicks will be the same size as their parents within six weeks.  At this link you can see images of how fast the chicks will grow:

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/info/ageguide.html

During the first 24 hours after hatching the chicks will use energy from the remaining yolk sac that they had while still in the egg.  Within a day the female will begin feeding the chick.  The baby chicks eat the same food as their parents, mostly birds brought to the nest by the male.  The female will tear tiny pieces using her beak and feed them to the chicks.

In this image you can see one of the parents eating a meal just outside the nest box to the right side of the image while the oldest chick sits in the nest box.  Within hours of this meal a second chick hatches.  The chicks are called eyases and, like most babies, they eat a lot.  They will double their weight in only six days!

In order to hatch from the eggs the chicks used a sharp tip on their beak called a beak tooth to pip out of the shell.  A special muscle also developed while in the egg along the back of the neck that assists the chicks in hatching called the hatching muscle. Some of the egg shells are still visible in the nest with a reddish brown outside and white on the inside of the cracked shell.  This year incubation went a little longer than estimated.  Even though the eggs are laid days apart they typically synchronize to hatch around the same date.  In this image from around 8 p.m. Sunday two chicks peak out from the adult peregrine.  The babies cannot thermoregulate well until about 10 days old so the parents continue to sit on them to keep them warm.

 

Updated on 4/20/16 at 10:00 a.m.

Update

Surprise! A new chick was born! There are now three Falcon chicks as of this morning.

Hip, Hip, Hooray!

Awards, accreditations, and knock outs–the staff at the Boonshoft Museum have been up to a lot this spring and we have some BIG news to share! Check out what we’ve been up to:

Hey, Hey AZA!

If you follow our Facebook or read our Member Magazine, you may have heard about our Live Animals staff and the rigorous re-accreditation process they participated in over the winter. The evaluation process is run by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and receiving such an accreditation means our Discovery Zoo, volunteers, and staff maintain the highest quality programming for our guests and the safest and happiest environment for our animals.

Through constant training, implementing best practices, and focusing on conservation and sustainability, we are happy to announce that we have received accreditation by the AZA through 2020. A HUGE congratulations to all of our Live Animals staff, volunteer animal handlers, and our Discovery Zoo crew! Come celebrate with us on Zoo Lover’s Day, this Friday, April 8. We’ll be doing special public programming with all of our endangered and threatened species and guests will be able to visit all of their favorite animal friends in the Discovery Zoo!

What does it take to become accredited? 

Click on the pictures to learn more.

“Our Live Animals Department works tirelessly to train, educate, and and maintain our habitats”

“Our Zoo Keepers always put us first, meaning our diets, healthcare, and happiness are the top priority!”

“Animals like me are critically endangered, and the AZA encourages every Zoo to educate the public about conservation.”

Volunteer Animal Handlers

Our awesome Keeper Crew in Bee Suits

And The Award Goes To…

The Boonshoft Museum! Each year, we make an appearance at the Ohio Museum Association Awards in some capacity, whether it’s an exemplary staff member who has done amazing work or something new and innovative we are doing at the Museum. This year we are proud to announce that our Graphics Department has won an award for outstanding work in graphic design and marketing. Sarah Aisenbrey, the Museum’s Registrar has also won an honorable mention for “Emerging Museum Professional of the Year”!

“As a young professional in the museum field, the award of Honorable Mention for Emerging Professional of the Year from the Ohio Museums Association is a great honor. I am privileged to work in my field of choice and to have the opportunity to do what I love; receiving this award just solidifies my decision to become a museum professional,” said Aisenbrey.

Needless to say, we couldn’t be more proud of the hard work and dedication our staff show to their Departments and to the Museum’s mission as a whole!

Sarah, the Museum’s Registrar.

Jimmy and Caleb, the Museum’s Graphic Artists

One-Two Punch for Charity!

See Mackenzie at Knockout on April 9!

Dayton’s Original Knockout is back and our resident Paleontologist and Educator, Mackenzie English, has thrown his hat (well, lab goggles) into the ring! After training for weeks with the professionals and Knockout organizers at Drake’s Downtown Gym, Mackenzie will be going a few rounds this Saturday, April 9 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds.

Not only will there be multiple bouts representing some of Dayton’s favorite businesses and organizations, there will be drinks, live music, and more! The best part about this boxing expo is that it packs a punch with a purpose; proceeds from this event are split between the Boonshoft Museum and the Parkinson’s Foundation. So, if you want to support two great non-profits and catch some exhibition boxing, be sure to learn more and purchase your tickets here.