Explore your local ecosystem this summer at the Wagner's Fridays in the Field! Beginning June 20th, the Wagner Teaching Garden will be open for independent educational exploration every Friday from 1 - 3:30pm.

The Wagner's Teaching Garden is our most valuable classroom. Not only is our green space full of pollinator gardens, but it is also a certified Wildlife Habitat, Bird Habitat, and Monarch Waystation—our milkweed plants provide valuable nutrients for Monarch butterflies during their cross continental migration.

Tuesday, July 1st 2025
3 - 4pm at the Wagner

Every specimen in our collection has its own story to tell. There are small stories of how each specimen arrived at the Wagner, and larger stories about how the combined collection illustrates themes of evolution, religion, and humans' place in the universe. This guided tour offers a special opportunity to learn more about our specimens, why the exhibit hall is arranged the way it is, and how our museum reflects social and intellectual histories of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Wednesday, December 6, 2023
5:30 - 7:30pm at the Wagner

Explore the Wagner’s rich collection of specimens on a whole new level, with pencil, paper, and a cocktail - to get your creative juices flowing! This evening series invites participants to experience the collection through art a guest artist, whose own work explores science and nature, leads attendees in sketching from the museum specimens, accompanied by light refreshments and a seasonal cocktail provided by the Wagner.

Thursday, December 8, 2022
5:30 - 7:30pm

For Birds in Art, we welcome guest artist Darla Jackson who will talk about how artists have used birds in their work throughout history. She will also talk about the difference between drawing and sculpture, and the elements she considers during both processes as she guides attendees in drawing from the Wagner’s collection of birds.

Thursday, February 27, 2020
5:30 - 7:30pm

Capture the Wagner's sea creatures on paper in an evening of drawing with guest artist Marguerita Hagan. See some of the works and process behind her La Mer ceramics series, which magnifies the largest yet least-known element of our planet, the ocean. Then, enjoy Marguerita's guidance as you draw in the museum.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019
5:30 - 7:30pm

Could you tell the difference between a gorilla skull and a human skull? Led by vertebrate paleontologist Ted Daeschler, Ph.D., we will explore the Wagner’s collection with an eye on vertebrate skeletons. The evening will be punctuated by exploratory activities to put new knowledge to use in the ample skeletal collection.

Thursday, May 2, 2019
5:30 - 7:30pm

Malacologist Paul Callomon will guide a small group of participants through our cases, where you’ll find mother of pearl, perforated quahogs, translucent argonaut shells, and of course the iconic Nautilus. Paul will explain why our collection is laid out the way it is, why it’s so tricky to define a mollusk, and what it has meant to be a shell collector over the last couple of centuries