Explorer Saturdays

On the first Saturday of each month, young explorers (ages 5 - 12) can visit the Museum between 10:00 a.m. and noon for adventures in anthropology and archaeology. Kids can explore the Children’s Discovery Center in the Ancient Egypt exhibit and create their own mummies, amulets, or pottery. They can also dig in the new mock excavation unit for artifacts that reveal the secrets of the past. Other activities include anthropological games, videos, storytelling, and cultural performances. Come to the park early, get a parking place, and start your Saturday out with a fun and exciting Museum of Man activity! Then, go visit the other museums for a full day of cultural enrichment.

Lights Around the World
Saturday, December 6, 2008, 10:00 a.m. – noon

Join us for a special holiday Explorer Saturday around craft tables in the Childrens' Discovery Center. Candles and lights of all kinds, from campfires to twinkling Christmas trees, have provided people all over the world with warmth and comfort. Humans living thousands of years ago gathered around fires for light, protection, warmth, and sharing stories. Today, many cultures continue to use candles and lights in their holiday celebrations. This Explorer Saturday, young explorers investigate what the holiday season means to different cultures and create illuminating crafts.

Explorer Saturday Series
Saturday, January 3, 2009, 10:00 a.m. – noon

Kids ages 5 to 12 can become junior anthropologists and archaeologists for the day! Activities this month will be centered around the Footsteps Through Time exhibition and Primate Hall.

Culture, Coffee, & Conversation

On the first Tuesday of each month, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., or from 4 to 5:30 p.m. (depending on the month), the Museum hosts a discussion about an anthropological article, film, or recent research by guest scholars. Enjoy coffee, baked goods, and discussion about timely topics in contemporary anthropology.

Dynamic History in the Southwestern Corner of the United States
Anne Marie Tipton
Tuesday, December 2, 2008, Gill Auditorium, 10:00 a.m.

The Tijuana River Valley and border region has a varied and active history, particularly during the last 150 years. From the controversy of the location of the US/Mexican boundary and WWI and II shenanigans to people living at the end of the McCoy Trail during the depression, this area is full of engaging stories. Come hear about the history of our border region from Anne Marie Tipton, the Education Coordinator at the Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center. Anne Marie has also written four articles on these topics for the Union-Tribune in early 2008. You can read her stories ahead of time by going to www.signonsandiego.com and searching for Tipton or border.

Coffins and Colors in the San Diego Museum of Man
David Scott, Ph.D.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Professor David Scott, chair of IDP in Archaeological and Ethnographic Conservation at UCLA, will present a fascinating lecture based on the examination of several Egyptian coffins in the San Diego Museum of Man, their fabrication, technology, inscriptions, deterioration, and possible conservation approaches to preserving these important and beautiful artifacts for the future. Research on the wood, pigments, and binders used will also be discussed and illustrated with examples from the coffins themselves.

Dr. Scott was previously the head of the Getty Museum Research Laboratory based at the Getty Museum in Malibu. His book, Copper and Bronze in Art, won several awards, including the prize from the American Association of Publishers as the best Scholarly/Art book published in the USA in 2002. Scott obtained his Ph.D. from University College, London, where he lectured in conservation before coming to the United States. His next book, Iron and Steel: Corrosion, Colorants, Conservation, will be published by Archetype Press in 2009. For the past seven years he has enjoyed studying Egyptian pigments and coffins.

Martin Luther King Jr. Family Day
Monday, January 19, 2009, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

The San Diego Museum of Man will host its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Family Day on January 19. For reduced admission — $5 for adults and $1 for children — families can enjoy free exhibition tours, workshop activities, refreshments, and cultural performances such as Native American storytelling, musical performances, and cultural dance.

Let A Museum Docent Be Your Guide

For over two years, guided tours of the Museum have been available to the general public every Saturday at 1:00 p.m. These tours are free to Museum members. Thanks to the continued dedication of the Museum’s Docents, we have extended these tours to include 11:00 a.m. on Saturdays. These free guided tours occur on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. If you haven’t been to the Museum in a while, come and let a Museum Docent be your guide.