Museum of Natural History and Planetarium

Museum of Natural History and Planetarium RI's only natural history museum and public planetarium. Part of City of Providence Parks Department. Roger Williams Park Museum

Can you spot the spider? 🕷️ Join us for a springtime stroll this Sunday, June 14th, to search for signs of our natural n...
06/13/2026

Can you spot the spider? 🕷️ Join us for a springtime stroll this Sunday, June 14th, to search for signs of our natural neighbors, like this Fishing Spider. Meet at the Museum at 10am, please wear comfortable shoes and bring binoculars if you have them. Ages 4 and up are welcome, families are encouraged—please no pets or strollers!

Pre-registration is recommended, sign up with the link in our bio! đź”—

Free Open Houses at the Betsey Williams Cottage in Roger Williams Park Fridays, 10am-3pm! Drop-in during these FREE ope...
06/12/2026

Free Open Houses at the Betsey Williams Cottage in Roger Williams Park Fridays, 10am-3pm! Drop-in during these FREE open houses to learn about the Cottage’s history and its significance to Roger Williams Park.

The Betsey Williams Cottage is located near Roger Williams Park’s Elmwood Avenue entrance. Parking is available on streets surrounding the Rose Garden.

Mark your calendars! During sunset on Tuesday, June 9th, Venus and Jupiter will appear as two bright dots near the const...
06/08/2026

Mark your calendars! During sunset on Tuesday, June 9th, Venus and Jupiter will appear as two bright dots near the constellation Gemini. While Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, Venus will look bigger from our perspective because it is closer to Earth.

Did you know? Planets don’t give off light of their own, but instead reflect light from the Sun! Reserve tickets for one of our planetarium shows to learn more about happenings in the night sky. Link in the bio!

It’s World Oceans Day, so we’re highlighting the red cushion sea star! Despite their name, they come in a variety of col...
06/08/2026

It’s World Oceans Day, so we’re highlighting the red cushion sea star! Despite their name, they come in a variety of colors, including brown, red, yellow and orange. In fact, juvenile red cushion sea stars are actually green! These sea stars tend to be solitary creatures and move rather slowly compared to other creatures, reaching speeds of only 0.01 mph.

June 7 is June Bug Day! These little critters are Northern June bugs, also known by their scientific name, Phyllophaga f...
06/07/2026

June 7 is June Bug Day! These little critters are Northern June bugs, also known by their scientific name, Phyllophaga fusca. These beetles actually spend the majority of their life as larvae, with their larval stage lasting three years! After pupating, they emerge as adults in the summer, before burying themselves again for winter and re-emerging in the springtime. To learn more about bugs, visit our Urban Wildlife exhibit at the Museum of Natural History!

PEENT! Meet the American woodcock, a bird whose silly calling sound is often written out as "peent". We highly recommend...
06/07/2026

PEENT! Meet the American woodcock, a bird whose silly calling sound is often written out as "peent". We highly recommend you give it a listen at the link below. You may hear this sound coming from the ground in young forests or fields of the eastern United States, where the American woodcock struts around, probing the leaf litter for worms and insects.

If you do catch a glimpse of an American woodcock, chances are it can see you too, even if you are standing behind it! Come learn how by checking out the Museum's Specimen of the Month Then, take a coloring break at the make-and-take table!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Woodcock/sounds

"American Woodcock" by Fyn Kynd is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Celebrate 130 years of the Museum of Natural History on Saturday, June 6! Take a special behind-the-scenes Archive Tour ...
06/05/2026

Celebrate 130 years of the Museum of Natural History on Saturday, June 6! Take a special behind-the-scenes Archive Tour and explore historic records, photographs and collections that tell the story of the Museum's legacy. Tours are offered at 11am, 12pm, and 1pm and require advance reservations. Archive Tours: $5 (includes Museum admission) • Space is limited!

Plus, share your memories on the Community Memory Wall, enjoy hands-on activities, planetarium show at 2pm and complete a special Museum Quest celebrating generations of learning and discovery.

Thanks to all the tykes that came to celebrate Beach Day with us! It was a wave crashing good time! We will see you by...
06/05/2026

Thanks to all the tykes that came to celebrate Beach Day with us! It was a wave crashing good time! We will see you by the seashore this summer and back here for Discovery Tykes in the fall! Have a great summer and come visit anytime! It has been a fun year!

Join us Friday, June 5, at 10am while we have a seashell day at Discovery Tykes! We will sing, dance and read about our ...
06/04/2026

Join us Friday, June 5, at 10am while we have a seashell day at Discovery Tykes! We will sing, dance and read about our Ocean State's favorite summer past time - beach day! Hope to see you and your tyke!

Address

Roger Williams Park, 1000 Elmwood Avenue
Providence, RI
02907

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