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Spring has sprung!

Whew… spring break has come and gone and the school year will be done before we know it! Now is the time to book a school program. We have in-museum school programs for Kindergarten to Secondary and beyond.

Outside of physical museum visits; we encourage you to spend some time exploring our online exhibits and educators resources. Our free activities are biodiversity-themed, designed to be quickly implemented with your students. You can download posters, learn about scientists, and find quality information for your classroom, and beyond! Read this newsletter to learn more about some of our newest additions, current exhibitions, and one of our partners at UBC.

Planning a field trip?

Check our selection of tours & programs

Diving into Diversity (Grades 2-4, Ages 5-9)

This program looks at the diversity of living things and ways of describing and organizing the world around us.

Adaptations (Grades 4-7, Ages 9-12)

A curriculum-based program exploring adaptations and introducing students to the theory of evolution through natural selection.

Thinking Sustainably (Grades 7-10, Ages 12-15)

This program focuses on exploring different approaches to sustainability in biodiversity, meeting our needs and incorporating many perspectives.

Inquiry into Evolution (Grades 10-12, Ages 15-17)

Students will work in groups to unravel the history of organisms we see today, using an inquiry-based approach to learning.

Online Museum Tour (Grades K-12+, Ages 5+)

Online tours to explore the six collections that make up the Museum: Tetrapods, Marine Invertebrates, Herbarium, Entomology, Fish, and Fossils.

Self-Led Visits (Grades K-12+, All ages)

Explore the museum’s six collections at your own pace and with your own focus. Self-led visits are available throughout the year on any day the museum is open.

Virtual Field Trips and Free Resources

If you can’t come in person, there are many ways to bring the museum experience to your classroom with online exhibits, FREE downloadable resources, outreach kits, virtual tours offered over zoom and science videos featuring current UBC researchers.

Ancient Life Beaty Box

Our brand-new Ancient Life Beaty Box focuses on some very old organisms. Through a variety of ancient and present-day specimens your class will explore stories of life and how it changes over millions of years. Learn more about the box!

You can download stand-alone activities from this box, developed by Dr. Joan Sharp from Simon Fraser University here!

Peatland Mosses: A Printmaking Perspective

This show of woodcuts and etchings explores the microcosm of peatland mosses through innovative printmaking, blending science and art to reveal the beauty and ecological importance of these unique plants.

Permanent Exhibits

Two of our newest shadowboxes feature Dr. Jessica Meir and Huber Moore – important people at UBC with very different journeys in biodiversity and science.

Jessica is a NASA astronaut, who spent her time at UBC studying the physiology of bar-headed geese. She brought a few of their feathers up to the space station as one of her personal items, and we are thrilled to have several on display in the Tetrapod Collection. Read more about her story.

Huber was outside of academia, but no less important. A community scientist and collector, he had a keen interest in birds, vascular plants, and mosses. Though his collection looks very unusual, it’s thoroughness, charm, and beautiful preservation is a critical addition to our herbarium. Find the display about him in the Herbarium, and learn more about his work.

No matter the pathway your students choose, they can have incredible impacts on biodiversity science! We hope these two stories can inspire your students to follow their passions and encourage them to learn about even more contemporary scientists and community projects.

CEDAR Camp 2025

An immersive educational program at the UBC Vancouver campus held in the last two weeks of July, CEDAR Camp inspires young Indigenous minds through hands-on STEM activities. The camp offers local Indigenous youth, aged 8-12, a chance to explore UBC’s vibrant research environment with interactive programming that blends culture and science. Campers engage in arts & crafts, outdoor activities, and learn about post-secondary opportunities close to home. For inquiries and more information, please contact Salisha Old Bull at salisha.oldbull@ubc.ca.

Beaty Biodiversity Research Center Expansion Project

Things are changing at the Beaty! A significant expansion to the Beaty Biodiversity Research Center located next to the museum, started last spring. The construction period is expected to continue until spring 2025. As with any major construction project, we anticipate delays and unforeseen circumstances – we may need to cancel or change our bookings and rentals at short notice. We thank you for your patience as we undergo this exciting transformation!

The Beaty Biodiversity Museum will remain open during the expansion period, and operations will continue as normal.

About the Museum

The Beaty Biodiversity Museum is Vancouver's natural history museum, dedicated to building greater understanding, and a shared sense of community and wonder, around biodiversity. Follow us on our social media channels!

2212 Main Mall University of British Columbia | Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4 CA