Saturday, May 10, 2025
Milwaukee Public Museum is joining other museums, planetariums, universities, libraries, and community-based organizations across the country for STEM Day on Saturday, May 10—a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Museum visitors will be able to learn about the many ways NSF’s commitment to scientific innovation and education has shaped MPM, as well as take a deep dive into water-themed STEM topics throughout our exhibits.
The below activities and programs are FREE with admission.
PANEL EXHIBIT, 10 A.M. - 5 P.M.
Located throughout the exhibit floors
View a temporary panel exhibit about how the National Science Foundation (NSF) has supported scientific research, planetarium programs, exhibit planning and production, object digitization, and more throughout the years at MPM.
CHAT WITH MPM RESEARCH CURATORS, 11 A.M. - 1 P.M.
Located throughout the exhibit floors
Speak to our Research Curators to learn about their active research and how the support from the NSF has helped move their work forward.
Dr. Christopher Tyrell, Research Curator of Botany, will talk about his work studying bamboo biodiversity in Central and South America. Learn about the science behind naming and describing species, using DNA to uncover hidden evolutionary history, and the role museum specimens play in understanding the world.
Dr. Nick Dowdy, Head of Zoology & Director of Collections Informatics, will talk about the evolutionary innovations that have allowed tiger moths to ward off their would-be bat predators. Tiger moths protect themselves from bats using their unique ability to produce ultrasonic clicks which advertise their distastefulness and/or disrupt bat echolocation. Learn how the Museum’s collections help answer unknown questions about the variations in sounds produced by these furry, flying friends of ours.
VIRTUAL REALITY TOUR: GREAT LAKES UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGY, NOON - 2 P.M.
Located on the Ground Floor
Join Dr. Ashley Lemke, underwater archaeologist and Associate Professor at UW- Milwaukee, on a virtual tour of the bottom of Lake Huron, 9,000 years ago! Much of her research on ancient underwater archaeological sites has been funded by NSF.
BONUS ONSITE LEARNING, 11 A.M. - NOON AND 1-3 P.M.
Chat with Museum Educators and docents about the following STEM topics highlighted in our exhibits:
Water in the Streets of Old Milwaukee
From early travel from the East via the Great Lakes and how water fueled our city’s industry to some seriously stinky water issues, learn about various water stories in Streets!
Located on the First Floor
Animals and Their Water Ecosystems
Learn about the Wisconsin animals who depend on water for a healthy habitat. How many can you find?
Located on the Second Floor
Manoomin and Birchbark
Manoomin, or wild rice, has long been celebrated as the food that grows on water by the many Indigenous communities for whom it continues to hold cultural and spiritual importance. Discover what manoomin needs to grow, how it is harvested, and the ongoing process of preserving manoomin for future generations.
Located on the Second Floor
Watershed Simulator
Learn what watersheds are and why they are important with a hands-on simulation. Design and build your own city, then work to adapt your planning based on flow and access to water.
Located on the Ground Floor
PBS WISCONSIN EDUCATION THE LOOKBACK: WATERLOGGED, 10:30 A.M. - 3 P.M.
Located in Gromme Auditorium, First Floor
Showtimes: Every half hour between 10:30 a.m. and 3.pm.
In this 10-minute video, PBS Wisconsin Education looks at how thousand-year-old canoes recovered from Lake Mendota in Madison help us learn more about First Nations communities who lived in what is now Wisconsin.