March 18 - 30, 2025
Biodiversity research spans from tiny bacteria to giant blue whales! Scientists from all over the world collaborate with each other to understand the biodiversity we share the planet with. This year, we’re celebrating the work of jumping spider scientists, and how their discoveries and insights can relate to the entire tree of life.
Jumping spiders are incredible animals – despite their small size, they have incredible behaviours and traits that you can see across many groups of organisms. They have excellent vision, agility, and exceptional hunting skills. They communicate with each other through sounds, dances, vibrations, and movement. This group of spiders comes in all colours of the rainbow, and their bodies can camouflage and trick even the most careful prey. You can find them from Vancouver to cloud forests in Mexico, and many micro-habitats in between. You’ll leave the museum with an appreciation of these misunderstood creatures!
Come back multiple times to explore many activities related to sounds, movement, sight, and more! With themed colouring sheets, scavenger hunts, films, and activities; we have everything in place for a self-led exploration of the collections. Investigate at your own pace throughout the day, and plan to join one of our half-hour-highlights or hands-on activities featuring our spider research inspirations.
Find our daily schedule here!
Content advisory: we know spiders can be a source of discomfort for many people. While we will discuss spiders and their relatives, there are no live spiders in the museum collection. There will be crafts and photos of spiders, but plenty of other non-spider activities, exhibits, and specimens, too. Occasionally we may look for live jumping spiders outdoors in our courtyard, but please remember all activities are optional!
