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Speaker! Speaker!

© Christine Roane

Many of us consider our museum forays as entertainment first and education second. However, with the approach of fall and the kids back-to-school, we grown-ups are often motivated to broaden our horizons.

Lucky for us, museums have a tradition of offering public lectures by staff or visiting experts, that harks back to the nineteenth century's dedication to 'self-improvement.' Today we might call this format 'education lite.' A talk requires much less commitment than a formal course, and, even better, many of them are free.

Harvard Museum of Natural History (Cambridge, MA) opens a yearlong series of evening lectures by Harvard researchers on October 2. Included among the speakers are the eminent scientist, Edward O. Wilson and popular author, Stephen J. Gould. Topics explored include evolution and climate change.

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History offers an Explorer Series (September 21 through May 2002), that presents scientists and adventurers who will relate personal experiences that include surviving a volcanic eruption, swimming with dolphins in the Amazon and bicycling through Asia. There is a charge for these Friday evenings, but, in addition to the talks, you get live music, boxed dinners, snacks and cash bar, book-signings by the speakers and more.

The American Museum of Natural History in New York offers three lecture series, starting in October, Biodiversity and Plants, Geology for Travelers, and Beyond Henry Hudson. You must buy tickets to attend. Pick a single program or the full series.

And, the AMNH's Hayden Planetarium has its own special program called Celestial Highlights. Joe Rao, columnist for Natural History magazine, the Sunday New York Times and contributor to Sky & Telescope is the main presenter. Guest speakers include other authors and experts. Check the website for details and additional programs.

In the Southwest, the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum lists a lecture on wolves, butterfly walks, an interpretive tour on botany, a day program on native seeds and foods and lots more.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has scheduled Peter Ward to talk about the subject of his intriguing book, Rare Earth: How common is complex life in the universe? on September 23 (click to read my review of the book). The museum offers other adult enrichment programs.

Bats, Bats and More Bats comes just in time for Halloween at the The Florida Museum of Natural History (University of Florida, Gainesville). The official natural history museum of Florida also invites seniors to bring a bag lunch and enjoy noontime natural history presentations (Senior Discovery Series). Check the website and/or call for details.

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