Earth Day is what the Notebaert Nature Museum is all about — learning to understand, respect and care for this planet's natural resources. The Nature Museum will mark Earth Day, Friday, April 22, with a month full of environment-related family activities. Visitors will learn how to make the most of a limited urban or suburban garden space, shop for earth-friendly products and "go green" in other ways as well.
On Sunday, April 24, from 1 to 3:30 p.m., the Nature Museum invites visitors to learn the workings behind a real, live prairie re-planting, as staff horticulturists plant the Museum's on-site native prairie. This year, the Nature Museum will add 25 species of native Midwestern plants to the prairie after its annual spring burn. One of America's rarest plants, the endangered leafy prairie clover, as well as favorites, like Michigan lilies and butterfly weed, will be planted. (Rain date for the prairie planting is Sunday, May 1.)
Other Earth Day activities taking place at the Nature Museum during April include:
* Roots on the Roof. Learn how to create your own rooftop garden and put its plants to work, cleansing water and clearing the sky. The Nature Museum will offer tips for harvesting rainwater and turning a water-logged area of your yard into a thriving rain garden. There will be ideas for apartment dwellers, too! Discover more with your family at the Museum on Thursday, Apr. 21, Saturday, Apr. 23, and every Friday and Sunday during April from 1 to 3 p.m.
* Shopping Green. Explore how your shopping selections affect the environment. Get set to measure products like fabric, carpet and utensils made out of corn against their traditional counterparts, see which you prefer and discover what's most earth-friendly. Shop 'til you drop at the Museum, every Thursday and Saturday during April from 1 to 3 p.m.
* Living Ponds. Help your child care about wildlife and the environment. The Nature Museum will lead explorations of its North Pond and all the living things found there. Identify fish, birds, insects, amphibians, plants and mammals found in a pond. This program, geared for children ages three to seven, meets Tuesday afternoons for 40 minutes starting at 2:30 p.m. Participation is free with Museum admission, but pre-registration is required. To register for all of the sessions or just one, call (773) 755-5111, ext. 6.
* Chicago Botanic Garden Classes. Seeking green in the city? Join a Nature Museum class about great gardens in small spaces, with instructors from the Chicago Botanic Garden. Classes include: Monday, Apr. 18, Beyond the Ordinary Container Gardens, $33 for non-members, $26 for Nature Museum members and Chicago residents; Monday, Apr. 25, Organic Edible Container Workshop, $49 for non-members, $39 for Nature Museum members and Chicago residents. Call Chicago Botanic Garden to register, at (847) 835-8261.
* Cooking Up Conservation. Discover easy ways to green your lifestyle. Discuss clean air plants, eco-friendly cleaning methods, how composting benefits the environment and ideas for earth friendly entertainment.
For a complete listing of Earth Day activities, visit the Museum's Web site at naturemuseum.org.
Admission to the Nature Museum is $7 for adults, $4 for children age 3-12, $5 for seniors age 60+ and college students. The Museum is open every day except New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Nature Museum is located at 2430 N. Cannon Drive (at Fullerton) in Lincoln Park. For more information, call (773) 755-5100.
The Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum inspire people to learn about and care for nature and the environment. Founded in 1857, the Academy became Chicago's first museum in 1865 and expanded in 1999 to build the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. The Institution fosters environmental learning through the exhibits and education programs of the Museum and through the Academy's collections, research, symposia, publications, events and other activities. The Academy builds understanding of global environmental issues by interpreting the effect those issues have on the Midwest. |
