Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination

Embark on a daring voyage into the depths of human imagination at the Harvard Museum of Natural History’s new exhibition, Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination. Featuring ancient mariners' maps, literature, works of art, and natural history specimens, this exhibit explores the allure of serpents, krakens, and other monsters of the deep. Peer into the minds of scholars from centuries past, and study sea creatures whose real lives are often more astonishing than the fantastical beings we might have imagined. Dive into the ocean of human consciousness, where dreams and fears entwine with reality, offering profound insights into our world and ourselves. Join us in unraveling the mysteries of the deep sea and the human psyche, where sea monsters—both real and imagined—beckon us to explore the unknown.

Harvard Museum of Natural History

From Iran: A Visual Testimony

New Exhibition <a href="https://peabody.harvard.edu/iran-visual-testimony">From Iran: A Visual Testimony</a> Friday, May 15, 2026–Sunday, March 21, 2027 Peabody Museum of Archaeology &amp; Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge Created over the course of fourteen years, Azadeh Akhlaghi’s project stages and photographs pivotal moments from Iran’s tumultuous twentieth-century history. Drawing on meticulous archival research and her background in cinema, she casts professional and nonprofessional actors and photographs each scene from multiple angles to reimagine historical events as complex tableaux, set in real locations in Iran.  In sixteen images—three presented as large-scale prints—Akhlaghi depicts eleven pivotal incidents highlighting the cycle of successful and failed efforts by Iranians to reclaim control of their country between 1908—when the Shah quashed the first National Assembly—and 1979, when the monarchy was overthrown and Islamic rule began. Photo: Detail of The First Iranian Women’s Movement, Dr. Kahhal’s Office, Tehran | December 1, 1911 © Azadeh Akhlaghi

Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge and Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge

Crunchy Critters: Teen Saturdays Workshop

In-Person Youth Program, ages 13-18 Advance registration required. Throughout history, bugs have played a role in cuisines around the world. Teens ages 13–18 are invited to explore how insects add flavor, protein, and texture to meals. Guided by guest speaker and insect enthusiast Javier Marin, participants will visit the Harvard Museum of Natural History galleries to learn about different species and their habitats. An insect snack will be available for those brave enough to try. Teen Saturdays Workshops are offered bilingually in Spanish and English. They are designed to build community and improve the museum experience for multicultural teens. $10 fee includes free admission to all HMSC museums immediately following the workshop. Teens will receive a free admission pass (worth $15) for a return visit if they attend one of the two sessions. &nbsp;&nbsp;April 11: Ancient Flavors of Peru &nbsp;&nbsp;May 16: Crunchy Critters Presented by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology &amp; Ethnology and the Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture.

Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology

Family Activities at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East

In-Person Event <a href="https://hmsc.harvard.edu/calendar_event/family-activities-at-the-harvard-museum-of-the-ancient-near-east-2026/">Family Activities at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East</a> Sunday, May 17 and Sunday, July 26, 1:00–3:30 pm Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, 6 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge Join Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture volunteers for hands-on, family-friendly activities at 1:00 pm and a live story reading at 3:00 pm. Recommended for ages 5–12. Admission to the museum is free. Sponsored by the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East and the Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture.  Photo ©Tony Rinaldo

Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, 6 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge

Science Spotlights: The Secret Lives of Fruit Flies & Why Are There Holes In My Plant?

Meet up-and-coming scientists and learn about questions at the forefront of research today in this series of short talks. 2:00–2:30 pm – The Secret Lives of Fruit Flies Speaker: Bronwyn Miller, Graduate Student in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, the Ben de Bivort Lab How do fruit flies ALWAYS seem to find your ripe bananas? Believe it or not, not all fruit flies want to steal your fruit. In fact, there are an estimated 4,000 species of fruit fly! This includes species that develop on poisonous death cap mushrooms and a species whose head looks like a hammerhead shark’s! How did this diversity come about? What can their brains and behavior tell us about their evolution? Join Harvard scientist Bronwyn Miller to explore the amazing world of fruit flies and uncover the secrets of their hidden lives. 3:00-3:30 pm – Why Are There Holes In My Plant? Speaker: Fitz Dougherty, Graduate Student in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, theHolbrook Lab Did you know that plants have microscopic holes in their leaves and flowers that are important for different functions? They can acquire CO2 for photosynthesis, cool leaves on a hot day, and even release nectar in flowers to attract pollinators. Join Harvard scientist Fitz Dougherty as he talks about what we know and still don’t know about two different types of holes in plants, and learn how even the smallest features can reveal big scientific mysteries. Recommended for ages 10 and up. Regular museum admission rates apply. Presented by the Harvard Museum of Natural History and Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture.

Harvard Museum of Natural History, Classroom B (Third Floor)

Summer Solstice Celebration 2026: Night at the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture

Join the Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture on the longest day of the year—free of charge—to explore the galleries and new exhibitions at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology &amp; Ethnology, the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, and the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East. Step outdoors to enjoy live music and performers, play lawn games, and make a flower crown. Ice cream, beverages, and food will be available for purchase from food trucks. Don’t miss out on this popular event for all ages! Sponsored by the Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture. Free event parking will be available at the 52 Oxford Street Garage starting at 4:30 pm. Please note that Divinity Avenue will be closed to traffic during the event. The Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture are an 8-minute walk through historic Harvard Yard from the Harvard Square MBTA Red Line station. In case of rain, the museums will remain open and a select number of activities will be available. Please check the HMSC website for details.

In-Person Event <a href="https://hmsc.harvard.edu/calendar_event/family-activities-at-the-harvard-museum-of-the-ancient-near-east-2026/">Family Activities at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East</a> Sunday, May 17 and Sunday, July 26, 1:00–3:30 pm Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, 6 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge Join Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture volunteers for hands-on, family-friendly activities at 1:00 pm and a live story reading at 3:00 pm. Recommended for ages 5–12. Admission to the museum is free. Sponsored by the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East and the Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture.

ArtsThursdays: Botanical Wonders

Free In-Person Special Event ArtsThursdays: Botanical Wonders Thursday, April 30, 5:00–9:00 pm RSVPs encouraged Enter at Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge  Come for a night and after-hours activities in the galleries. Visit the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and marvel at the internationally acclaimed Blaschka Glass Flowers. Learn how to observe and appreciate plants with Ben Goulet-Scott, co-author of Let’s Botanize: 101 Ways to Connect with Plants. Participate in a felt flower arrangement workshop with Alex Makes Art. Seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.  Explore behind-the-scenes plant collections with Harvard staff and scientists. Enjoy beverages for purchase (valid government ID required to consume alcoholic beverages). Enter a free raffle to win museum gifts and membership. Free and open to the public. Let us know you are coming! RSVPs are encouraged, but walk-in visitors are always welcome. Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage 4:30–9:30 pm. ArtsThursdays is a university-wide initiative supported by Harvard University Committee on the Arts. Photo © Tony Rinaldo

Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

Regular museum admission rates apply. Free museum admission for Massachusetts residents every Sunday morning from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Proof of residency required. Free museum admission is not available to commercial groups. *Blackout dates: November 1, November 27, 2025–January 29, 2026 and March 14–22, 2026 Harvard student guides connect visitors with the research, teaching, and Indigenous engagement surrounding the cultural heritage in the museum’s care. How do items come to the museum? Who studies them? How are they cared for? How do they return home? Visitors may drop in at the scheduled times. No reservation is required. Tours meet in the lobby and last approximately 45 minutes. Groups of 10 or more groups may contact reservations to schedule other times, student schedules permitting. Please complete the reservation request form.

Meet a Scientist 

In-Person All Ages Event <a href="https://hmsc.harvard.edu/calendar_event/meet-a-scientist-2026/">Meet a Scientist</a>&nbsp; Friday, April 24, 1:00-3:00 pm&nbsp; Come see the world through the eyes of a scientist! Meet Harvard scientists, ask them your questions, and discover what their research reveals about our planet and our human place within it. Learn about sea slugs, plant chemicals, human evolution, and more. This event is appropriate for children and adults of all ages. Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA. Regular museum admission rates apply. Presented by the Harvard Museum of Natural History and Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture Photo © Tony Rinaldo

Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Classroom B, Third Floor

From SPAM™ to K-Pop: The Korean War and the Rise of Modern South Korea

Free Hybrid Book Presentation <a href="https://hmsc.harvard.edu/calendar_event/from-spam-to-k-pop-the-korean-war-and-the-rise-of-modern-south-korea/">From SPAM™ to K-Pop: The Korean War and the Rise of Modern South Korea</a> Thursday, April 23, 6:00–7:00 pm ET, Advance registration recommended for <a href="https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vdQzohp4QHuRkwKZtGj4nQ">online</a> and <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/r4qmxXUMAa">in-person</a> attendance Speakers:&nbsp; Sean C. Kim, Professor of History, University of Central Missouri Ilisa Barbash, Curator of Visual Anthropology, Peabody Museum of Archaeology &amp; Ethnology, Harvard University South Korea has recently jumped onto the global stage through its economic rise and export of popular culture. Drawing on their new book, The Forgotten Home Front: Roger Marshutz’s Photographs of Pusan, South Korea, 1952–1954 (Peabody Museum Press and KMEC Books, 2026), coauthors Lisa Barbash and Sean Kim will visually explore a key moment of transition in the development of South Korea: the Korean War (1950–1953). This conflict ruptured Korea’s traditional and colonial past and ushered in new political, economic, and cultural opportunities—under American influence—that have shaped modern South Korea. By examining this moment of change through photography, the lecture illuminates South Korea’s rise from a war-torn peninsula to an economic powerhouse and global cultural trendsetter. Copies of <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674294196">The Forgotten Home Front</a> will be available for purchase and signing following the program. Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA. Free event parking at<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/52+Oxford+St,+Cambridge,+MA+02138/@42.3801643,-71.1153065,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x89e37740b4804b09:0x1ca7c4a4324b1694!8m2!3d42.3801643!4d-71.1153065!16s%2Fg%2F11c2133ff1"> the 52 Oxford Street Garage</a> starting at 5:00 pm. Presented by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology &amp; Ethnology and the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture in collaboration with the Harvard Korea Institute. Detail of photo by Roger Marshutz. Gift of Roger Marshutz, 2003.&nbsp; © President and Fellows of Harvard College, Peabody Museum of Archaeology &amp; Ethnology, <a href="https://collections.peabody.harvard.edu/objects/details/486978">2005.11.1</a>

Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA

Whose Genes? What Genes Can (and Can’t) Explain About Life

Free In-Person Lecture <a href="https://hmsc.harvard.edu/calendar_event/whose-genes-what-genes-can-and-cant-explain-about-life/">Whose Genes? What Genes Can (and Can’t) Explain About Life</a> Tuesday, April 21 6:00–7:30 pm ET, Advance registration recommended to attend <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/m9C26EXedj">in person</a> and <a href="https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sN2vP2lxR_CBkFO5zuoXwg">online</a> Speakers:&nbsp; Daniel Faccini, PhD Candidate, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University Neil S. Greenspan, Professor Emeritus of Pathology,&nbsp; Case Western Reserve University; a Senior Editor, Pathogens and Immunity. Julius Tabin, PhD Candidate, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University What exactly is a gene? What can genes really tell us about the evolution of life and human beings? These are some of the questions behind Whose Genes?–a project funded by the <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/president/building-bridges-fund/">Harvard President’s Building Bridges Fund</a>. Drawing on interviews with Harvard faculty and questions gathered from the broader community, the project explores both shared ground and points of debate in contemporary genetics, bringing together diverse perspectives on one of biology’s most enduring and contested questions: How do genes shape organisms, identities, and evolution? Join us for a public conversation around this question. Audience members are invited to complete this <a href="https://forms.gle/3HKN2VKWf1C1RqQ69">short anonymous survey</a> in advance and to bring their own questions about evolution, inheritance, and the limits of genetic explanations. Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA. Free event parking at<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/52+Oxford+St,+Cambridge,+MA+02138/@42.3801643,-71.1153065,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x89e37740b4804b09:0x1ca7c4a4324b1694!8m2!3d42.3801643!4d-71.1153065!16s%2Fg%2F11c2133ff1"> the 52 Oxford Street Garage</a> starting at 5:00 pm. Presented by the Harvard Museum of Natural History, one of the Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture, with support from the Harvard President's Building Bridges Fund, and the Herman and Joan Suit Lecture Fund.

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

hmsc

Experiences

Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination

From Iran: A Visual Testimony

Crunchy Critters: Teen Saturdays Workshop

Family Activities at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East

Science Spotlights: The Secret Lives of Fruit Flies & Why Are There Holes In My Plant?

Summer Solstice Celebration 2026: Night at the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture

Family Activities at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East

ArtsThursdays: Botanical Wonders

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

Meet a Scientist

From SPAM™ to K-Pop: The Korean War and the Rise of Modern South Korea

Whose Genes? What Genes Can (and Can’t) Explain About Life