September 13, 4:15 pm

Speaker: Dr. Nate Magee, The College of New Jersey
Professor Nate Magee and students Sam Ehret, Mikayla Angelini, and Hector Arroyo-Quintana from The College of New Jersey have been working to identify neighborhoods and blocks in Trenton that regularly experience dangerous heat conditions during increasingly hot, humid summers. Urban heat islands caused by dense buildings and sparse vegetation are common throughout cities in the US, though relatively little work has been done to ensure that these risks are well understood and addressed in mid-sized cities like Trenton. Combining advanced remote sensing technologies with newly installed community weather stations, the team is aiming to empower Trenton students, families, workers, and policy-makers by providing improved access to live, local environmental data.

Reserve a seat.

September 20, 11:00 – 3:00 pm

The Bureau of Natural History will host “Ecosystems at Risk” conservation open house Sat., Sept. 20 from 11:00 - 3:00 pm. The event is being held in collaboration with the New Jersey DEP, highlighting the Museum's exhibition “Ecosystems at Risk: Threatened & Endangered in NJ” and some of the conservation projects taking place in our state.

A variety of organizations will be on hand with hands-on activities, including NJ Forest Fire Service, the NJ Forest Service, DEP’s Division of Fish & Wildlife, NJ School of Conservation, Wildlife Society: NJ Chapter and the Wetlands Institute. The DEP will have their Conservation Trailer - an inclusive experience that includes interactive exhibits, educational videos, and informative displays. The exhibits introduce the NJ Fish and Wildlife and its bureaus, focusing on wildlife work and successes within the agency and taking a close look at the important partnerships that aid wildlife conservation in the state. NJ Forest Fire Service will bring a Brush truck and Smokey the Bear will meet and greet guests both young & old (weather permitting.)

October 4, 4:15 pm - 6:00 pm

Join us for a free showing of the new NASA documentary “Cosmic Dawn: The Untold Story of the James Webb Space Telescope.” Go behind the scenes with the dedicated NASA team and its partners to uncover Webb’s exciting, untold story. Discover the immense challenges, groundbreaking innovations, and extraordinary efforts behind humanity’s most powerful eye on our universe, from its complex development to its nail-biting deployment a million miles away. After the documentary, we invite you to join us for an exclusive, in-person Q&A with the director, James Tralie! Learn even more about the Webb telescope and how Tralie brought its construction to the big screen.

October 10, 6:15 pm

Join us in the Planetarium for a special extended star talk at 6:15 pm. We’ll discuss what is visible in the night sky that evening, with an extra focus on deep sky objects that are observable with telescopes. After the star talk ends we will drive to Washington Crossing State Park where the Amateur Astronomer’s Association of Princeton has the Simpson Observatory. There, we will use the historic telescopes maintained by the club to view the objects we discussed. For directions to the Simpson Observatory go to https://princetonastronomy.org/public_nights. Dress warmly, as it cools off significantly after sunset!

October 24, 6:00 pm

Join us in the Planetarium for a special extended star talk at 6:00 pm. We’ll discuss what is visible in the night sky that evening, with an extra focus on deep sky objects that are observable with telescopes. After the star talk ends we will drive to Washington Crossing State Park where the Amateur Astronomer’s Association of Princeton has the Simpson Observatory. There, we will use the historic telescopes maintained by the club to view the objects we discussed. For directions to the Simpson Observatory go to https://princetonastronomy.org/public_nights. Dress warmly, as it cools off significantly after sunset!

Update June 2025: Our Small Explorers sessions have ended for the season. We look forward to launching a new season of learning in the fall. Look for updates to our schedule and registration process over the summer. If you have participated in the past or been added to our mailing list you will receive an email with the details for the new season. Families are welcome to help us plan for the new season by completing this survey.

The Small Explorers program is for families with children up to 5 years old. They meet in the Discovery Den monthly. This playgroup is an opportunity to explore the Museum with your child and connect with other families for support. If you are not on our mailing list but would like to learn more please contact Amy Stevens at amy.stevens@sos.nj.gov.