CAMBRIDGE, Mass., November 4, 2021—The Harvard Museums of Science & Culture (HMSC) are pleased to announce their public reopening on Friday, November 26. HMSC is a partnership of four museums designed to coordinate diverse programming for all ages, permanent galleries, and dynamic rotating exhibitions. The organization represents the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, and the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, all of which have remained closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Friday, November 26 the HMSC museums will open to all for in-person visits for the first time since March 2020. The museums have continued to present a robust offering of virtual public programs, museum-at-home resources such as podcasts, virtual tours, and family resources, and even a virtual version of the popular Summer Solstice festival.
Brenda Tindal, an award-winning educator, and scholar, with a celebrated track record for building inclusivity in museum spaces, became the new HMSC Executive Director in May 2021. The appointment of Tindal by Claudine Gay, Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, reinforces the HMSC mission to provide meaningful and inclusive experiences to the public with the goal of supporting lifelong learning. Tindal has worked extensively fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and most recently served as the founding director of education and engagement at the International African American Museum in Charleston, SC. She is thrilled to welcome the public back into the museums’ galleries.
Brenda remarks, “I am excited to begin my tenure as HMSC’s executive director and build on its solid foundation as a site of scientific inquiry and interdisciplinary prowess. In many ways our complex of museums are evidence that there is never a poverty of imagination at the intersection of science and culture. We truly look forward to welcoming our community of visitors back into our galleries as we begin this important chapter for our museums and campus.”
New exhibitions include a Glass Flowers display, From the Hands of the Makers, that investigates the lingering mysteries surrounding the work of Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, on display at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and the Peabody Museum’s Muchos Méxicos: Crossroads of the Americas, that explores Mexico’s rich history as a site of human innovation, creativity, and cultural diversity. The Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East presents the new exhibition Mediterranean Marketplaces: Connecting the Ancient World, exploring the movement of goods, peoples, and ideas around the ancient Mediterranean.
To ensure a streamlined admission process, proof of COVID-19 vaccination (or a negative PCR test), masking, and timed-ticket reservations are required under the museums’ new “Know, Show, Go” policies. Read more about the museum protocols and hours. The museum shop at the Harvard Museum of Natural History is also set to reopen on November 26th.
In celebration of the museums’ reopening we’re offering 15% off to new and returning members who purchase a General Membership through December 31, 2021. Members enjoy benefits all year, including museum shop and class discounts, admission to partner organizations (including Harvard Art Museums), special member events, and ongoing opportunities to interact with Harvard leaders and faculty. Membership enables the museums to present Harvard’s vast natural, cultural, and scientific collections, and to offer educational programs that engage every generation. Learn more and for the full list of benefits, visit our Membership page.
All public programs will remain virtual through December 31, 2021, unless otherwise noted. View the calendar of events, sign up for our HMSC Connects! newsletter, and learn more about becoming a member.
History
The Harvard Museums of Science & Culture (HMSC) partnership was established on July 1, 2012, by former Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Michael D. Smith, to develop a strong, coordinated public face for the six research museums that are within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard:
See hours and admission rates on each of the museum websites:
Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments
Harvard Museum of Natural History
Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East
Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology
Press Contact
Bethany Carland-Adams
Public Relations Specialist
Harvard Museums of Science & Culture
617-959-3481