"Super Science Day" at the University of California, Davis, is a day before the Super Bowl.

The 13th annual UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day, set Saturday, Feb. 10,  is a free and family friendly event showcasing 10 museums or collections.

What's to see? What's to do? Should you plan to attend all of them? What would interest toddlers, teenagers and senior citizens? 

Tabatha Yang, who chairs the annual event and is a co-founder and serves as the education and outreach coordinator for the Bohart Museum of Entomology,  provides the answers on the Biodiversity Museum Day website:

What is the best way to experience Biodiversity Museum Day? We would suggest picking several collections to visit this year and then return next year to see the others. We intend for people to spend time at each collection instead of racing between them.

I have a toddler. Which collections are suitable for this age group? The Arboretum is outside and a great space for young visitors to explore. The Raptor Center is also outside and has live birds to observe. The Bohart has live insects to pet and the Botanical Conservatory has plants everywhere, but their greenhouses have narrow aisles. Holding or carrying your toddler through the greenhouses is an enjoyable way to take in that collection.    

I have a teenager. Which collections are suitable for this age group? Anthropology is open into the afternoon and they have flint knapping and atl-atl throwing. The Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology is also a favorite as they deal with birds, mammals, fish and reptiles and amphibians. The Botanical Conservatory also has a great carnivorous plant collection.  

Hidden gems? This is the one day the Phaff Yeast Collection and the Nematode Collection are showcased to the general public. They also have some of the smallest, but mightiest organisms. These scientists are so enthusiastic that you will want to become a microbiologist or a nematologist. 

I will be visiting with 9-year-olds to 90-year-olds. Which collections are crowd pleasers? While all of them are, one can never go wrong with fossils at Paleontology and the pressed plants at the Center for Plant Diversity.

Where can we grab a bite to eat? The event map has some options for eating. The dining halls have a set fee and then it is all-you-can-eat. For your convenience there will be a few hot trucks at this event and you are welcome to bring your own food or explore Downtown Davis for other options.  

Download the Map! Before you go on campus, download the map, which lists the location of the main information booth, the 10 museums and collections and their hours, the food locations (dining halls and food trucks) are, and the free-to-park parking lots. Sites that are grayed out on the map may not be free. TAPS (Transportation Services) controls the parking, which can be especially busy near the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts at 523 Mrak Hall and the UC Davis Health Stadium, known as the football stadium, Health Sciences Drive.)

Here's the list of the 10 museums and collections and brief information from the spokespersons:

Anthropology Museum, noon to 4 p.m.
Located in 328 Young Hall and grounds.
"Anthropology is the study of what makes us human, and it includes understanding our evolutionary history from both a biological and a cultural perspective. Try your hand at flint knapping and learn how our ancestors made stone tools, or you can test your skills at spear throwing using an atlatl. Learn about prehistoric art from caves in France by making your own block print of the animal images. Then take a tour of our museum collections, and our biological anthropology and archaeology labs. Meet our paleoanthropologists and archaeologists working in Alaska, Germany, Belgium, France, South Africa, and Peru. Learn about our archaeological field school on historical cattle ranching."

Arboretum and Public Garden
Habitat Gardens in the Environmental GATEway, adjacent to the Arboretum Teaching Nursery on Garrod Drive,  open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"Participate in the Meet Your Garden Neighbor personality quiz. Receive a sticker of your wildlife garden neighbor and search the garden for a partner plant that will support that neighbor.  Participate in the Habitat Scavenger Hunt. Tour the garden to discover different ways we can provide habitat for urban wildlife in our gardens. Binoculars and hand lens available for observations."

Bohart Museum of Entomology
Room 1124 and main hall of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
"Home of a global collection of eight million insect specimens. Includes a live petting zoo (Madagascar hissing cockroaches, stick insects, tarantulas and more), and an insect-themed gift shop stocked with t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, jewelry, books, posters, pens and insect collecting equipment. See the beautiful butterfly specimens from all over the world."

Botanical Conservatory 
The greenhouses along Kleiber Hall Drive, open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"The Botanical Conservatory houses approximately 4000 different species from all over the world. Included in the collection are carnivorous plants, succulents, tropicals including the corpse plant, and vanilla vine and chocolate tree."

California Raptor Center
1340 Equine Lane, off Old Davis Road, open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (three miles away from central campus)
"Our non-releasable ambassador raptors can be seen on exhibit, and several of our glove-trained ambassador raptors will be out with their handlers throughout the day. Visitors will have the opportunity to see multiple native raptor species up close and talk to our experts. We are happy to answer questions about birds of prey! Our small on-site museum will also be open with taxidermy specimens and interactive raptor-related activities."

Center for Plant Diversity (Herbarium) Katherine Esau Science Hall off Kleiber Hall Drive, open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"We will have plant pressing and mounting demonstrations, looking at flowers under a microscope, an exhibit on plants used for making tea, and collection room tours."

Nematode Collection, Katherine Esau Science Hall, off Kleiber Hall Drive, open 10 am. to 2 p.m. 
"We will have preserved specimens of common crops and plants you see in your garden infected with nematodes. We also plan to have live C. elegans to watch how they move through the environment. Come talk to experts in the field and see why worms are cool and you will receive a cool magic worm to take home as well! Our collection will highlight both animal and plant parasitic nematodes,” said graduate student Alison Blundell of the Siddique lab. “We will have mostly all preserved specimens from our nematode collection for the community to look at, and some live free-living (good nematodes) under the microscope for viewing. We hope to inspire people to understand what a nematode is and how they can impact their own lives!"

Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, Room 1394, Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"We are offering an in-depth behind-the scenes look at how a specimen goes from a whole carcass to cataloged specimen. Museum staff and interns will be demonstrating specimen preparation curation, cataloging, and bone numbering. A variety of specimen types will be on display and there will be some exhibits with specimens in the main hallway for visitors to enjoy and explore with ourPutah Creek biologists and docents."

Paleontology Collection, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1309 Earth and Physical Sciences Building, 434 LaRue Road, open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
"Visitors can view fossil specimens dating from as old as 550 million years ago to more recent animal skeletons. Paleontology graduate students in invertebrate and vertebrate paleontology will answer questions and provide interesting factoids."

Phaff Yeast Culture Collection, Robert Mondavi Institute Brewery and Food Processing facility, Old Davis Road, open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"The Phaff Yeast Culture Collection exhibits will be in the Brewery, Winery and Food Processing (BWF) facility. Come hear about our latest discoveries using more than 1,500 yeast species in the Phaff collection, see and smell many species of yeast, look at yeasts under the microscope, taste kombucha and vegemite, tour the teaching winery and the teaching brewery, and talk with students and scientists who are maintaining and performing research using this world-famous yeast collection. Parking is available in the lots near the Mondavi Center, and signs will direct you to the BWF building." 

Special prizes: Jakob Lopes, a third-year animal major at UC Davis and a Bohart intern, will be making 15 to 20 crocheted triceratops and hide them around some of the buildings for folks to find and treasure. A tag reads:  "CONGRATS, you found me. Now please take care of me.--Happy Biodiversity Day 2024."

Can you link nematodes, aka roundworms, with tomatoes, sugar beets, peaches, dogs, horses, whales and even Mormon crickets?

You'll see specimens and get to talk to nematologists during the 13th annual UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day on Saturday, Feb. 10. The free and family friendly event, known as “Super Science Day," will showcase 10 museums or collections.

The nematode collection, headed by Shahid Siddique, associate professor, Department of Entomology and Nematology, will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. in the Katherine Esau Science Hall, off Kleiber Hall Drive.

“Our collection will highlight both animal and plant parasitic nematodes,” said graduate student Alison Blundell of the Siddique lab. “We will have mostly all preserved specimens from our nematode collection for the community to look at, and some live free-living (good nematodes) under the microscope for viewing. We hope to inspire people to understand what a nematode is and how they can impact their own lives!”

“We will have preserved specimens of common crops and plants you see in your garden infected with nematodes,” she added. “We also plan to have live C. elegans (Caenorhabditis elegans) to watch how they move through the environment. Come talk to experts in the field and see why worms are cool and you will receive a cool magic worm to take home as well!”

What visitors can expect to see:

The 10 museums or collections participating in Biodivesity Museum Day and the hours open are: 

• Anthropology Museum, 328 Young Hall and grounds, open from noon to 4 p.m.
• Arboretum and Public Garden, Habitat Gardens in the Environmental GATEway, adjacent to the Arboretum Teaching Nursery on Garrod Drive,  10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Bohart Museum of Entomology, Room 1124 and main hall of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Botanical Conservatory, the greenhouses along Kleiber Hall Drive, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• California Raptor Center, 1340 Equine Lane, off Old Davis Road, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
• Center for Plant Diversity, Katherine Esau Science Hall off Kleiber Hall Drive, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Nematode Collection (part of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology), Katherine Esau Science Hall, off Kleiber Hall Drive, 10 am. to 2 p.m.
• Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, Room 1394, Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Paleontology Collection, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1309 Earth and Physical Sciences Building, 434 LaRue Road, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Phaff Yeast Culture Collection, Robert Mondavi Institute Brewery and Food Processing facility, Old Davis Road, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Last year's Biodiversity Museum Day drew some 4000 people, said chair Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator for the Bohart of Museum of Entomology who co-founded the event.

"Traditionally UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day is a free, educational event for the community where visitors get to connect with UC Davis scientists from undergraduate students to staff to emeritus professors," Yang posted on the website. "In 2021, we pivoted to a month-long, virtual program. In 2022, also because of COVID regulations, we held the event in the UC Davis Conference Center as an 'expo.' In 2023 and again this year in 2024 we continued to maintain that spirit and were excited to have the event in our near our home departments."

See Biodiversity Museum Day website for more information and to download a map, which shows free parking spaces. 

Who loves dinosaurs?

And who especially loves triceratops, the dinosaur with that three-horned face that lived 66 to 68 million years ago in North America? Measuring about 26 to 30 feet long, it weighed 5.5–9.9 short tons, according to Wikipedia. "It shared the landscape with and was most likely preyed upon by Tyrannosaurus, though it is less certain that two adults would battle in the fanciful manner often depicted in museum displays and popular media."

If you attend the 13th annual UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day, a free and family friendly "Super Science Day" on Saturday, Feb. 10, showcasing 10 museums and collections, keep your eyes open for crocheted triceratops.  The  treasures will be hidden around some of the buildings, including the Earth and Physical Sciences Building, home of the Paleontology Collection.

They're the work of Jakob Lopez, a third-year animal biology major at UC Davis and an intern at the Bohart Museum of Entomology.  How his eyes lit up when he saw the triceratops riding the double-decker bus, a Biodiversity Museum Day graphic.  

"I am going to make around 15-20, most likely," he said. An attached note will read: "CONGRATS, you found me. Now please take care of me.--Happy Biodiversity Day 2024."

The story behind the story?

Jakob has interned at the Bohart Museum since the beginning of the winter quarter.  "I plan on using my time at the Bohart wisely and I eventually would like to spread awareness of using bugs as a food source/enhancer. I also would also like to be involved in using art to depict science. For example I would like to come out with my own book of scientific illustrations."

The 10 museums or collections participating on Feb. 10 and the hours open are: 

• Anthropology Museum, 328 Young Hall and grounds, open from noon to 4 p.m.
• Arboretum and Public Garden, Habitat Gardens in the Environmental GATEway, adjacent to the Arboretum Teaching Nursery on Garrod Drive,  10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Bohart Museum of Entomology, Room 1124 and main hall of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Botanical Conservatory, the greenhouses along Kleiber Hall Drive, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• California Raptor Center, 1340 Equine Lane, off Old Davis Road, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
• Center for Plant Diversity, Katherine Esau Science Hall off Kleiber Hall Drive, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Nematode Collection (part of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology), Katherine Esau Science Hall, off Kleiber Hall Drive, 10 am. to 2 p.m.
• Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, Room 1394, Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Paleontology Collection, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1309 Earth and Physical Sciences Building, 434 LaRue Road, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Phaff Yeast Culture Collection, Robert Mondavi Institute Brewery and Food Processing facility, Old Davis Road, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The double-decker bus is the 2020 work of Ivana Li, UC Davis biology laboratory manager. It was colorized and updated this year by Caitlen Comendant, an undergraduate design major at UC Davis, and a media intern for the Center for Plant Diversity and the Botanical Conservatory. 

Sharing the bus on the upper level are (from left)

• California Raptor Center: Golden eagle
• UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden: Valley oak leaf
• Anthropology Museum: Projectile point
• Botanical Conservatory: Titan arum
• Phaff Yeast Collection: Budding yeast
• Paleontology Collection: Skull of Triceratops

Lower level (from left)

• Bohart Museum of Entomology: Chinese praying mantis, Tenodera sinensis
• UC Davis Bee Haven: honey bee
• Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology: Salt marsh harvest mouse
• Nematode Collection: Hookworm
• Center for Plant Diversity: Seed cone of a gray pine
• Marine Invertebrates Collection: California sea cucumber (included on bus but this collection will not be included at the Biodiversity Museum Day)

Last year some 4,000 visitors learned "about biodiversity through our amazing biological collections," said Yang, co-founder of the event. It's an opportunity to talk to the scientists and learn about the work they're doing.

All aboard for the 13th annual UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day!

You can visit UC Davis museums or collections, talk to the scientists, and learn more about what makes UC Davis an internationally known science-based university. The free-and-family-friendly event, set Saturday, Feb. 10, features 10 museums or collections. It's a Super Science kind-of-day, and one you won't want to miss!

Your preferred choice transportation will involve your feet (walking) or wheels (bicycle and car to get to campus and the California Raptor Center on Old Davis Road). It won't be the double-decker bus in the graphic below. But isn't it cool? Each of the museums or collections is represented by a passenger on the bus.

Behind the scenes: In 2020, UC Davis biology laboratory manager (and talented artist) Ivana Li was asked for a graphic to help publicize the event, and she came up with a double-decker bus featuring the participating museums and collections. Fast-forward to this year and Caitlen Comendant, an undergraduate design major at UC Davis, and a media intern for the Center for Plant Diversity and the Botanical Conservatory, colorized the graphic and updated it.

In 2022, we wrote this about the double-decker bus: "All aboard! C'mon in, Ms. Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse. Don't sit too close to Mr. Golden Eagle.  Buzz in Ms. Honey Bee. Stay away from Mr. Chinese Praying Mantis, Tenoderasinensis. Sorry, but the driver can neither guarantee your safety nor your arrival at your intended destination."

This year all 12 passengers kept their seats, but the event now features 10 museums and collections instead of 12. Not participating this year are the UC Davis Bee Haven (represented by the honey bee) and the Marine Invertebrates Collection (represented by a California sea cucumber).

The passengers depicted, upper level (from left)

• California Raptor Center: Golden eagle
• UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden: Valley oak leaf
• Anthropology Museum: Projectile point
• Botanical Conservatory: Titan arum
• Phaff Yeast Collection: Budding yeast
• Paleontology Collection: Skull

Lower level (from left)

• Bohart Museum of Entomology: Chinese praying mantis, Tenodera sinensis
• UC Davis Bee Haven: honey bee
• Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology: Salt marsh harvest mouse
• Nematode Collection: Hookworm
• Center for Plant Diversity: Seed cone of a gray pine
• Marine Invertebrates Collection: California sea cucumber (included on bus but this collection will not be included at the Biodiversity Museum Day)

So, is bee is declared safe from the praying mantis?  They're still on the bus.  (No flora or fauna got eaten or thrown under the bus.)

The 10 museums or collections participating on Feb. 10 and the hours open are: 

• Anthropology Museum, 328 Young Hall and grounds, open from noon to 4 p.m.
• Arboretum and Public Garden, Habitat Gardens in the Environmental GATEway, adjacent to the Arboretum Teaching Nursery on Garrod Drive,  10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Bohart Museum of Entomology, Room 1124 and main hall of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Botanical Conservatory, the greenhouses along Kleiber Hall Drive, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• California Raptor Center, 1340 Equine Lane, off Old Davis Road, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
• Center for Plant Diversity, Katherine Esau Science Hall off Kleiber Hall Drive, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Nematode Collection (part of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology), Katherine Esau Science Hall, off Kleiber Hall Drive, 10 am. to 2 p.m.
• Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, Room 1394, Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Paleontology Collection, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1309 Earth and Physical Sciences Building, 434 LaRue Road, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Phaff Yeast Culture Collection, Robert Mondavi Institute Brewery and Food Processing facility, Old Davis Road, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Last year some 4,000 visitors learned "about biodiversity through our amazing biological collections," said UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day chair Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator for the Bohart Museum of Entomology.