This Weekend: Join Us for the Annual Science Open House
Posted in Programs and Events on May 29 2015, by Lansing Moore
This weekend is NYBG’s annual celebration of the groundbreaking botanical science and research that takes place at the Garden all year round. Partake in behind-the-scenes tours with our scientists and more during the Annual Science Open House through May 31!
Saturday, May 30, is the next of our special series of Frida al Fresco evenings, featuring cocktails, shopping, and live music. During the day, film screenings and performers bring Frida’s world to life. Enhance the experience with the Frida Mobile Guide, created with the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies, which allows you to create your own Frida-style selfie. Decorate your selfie with elements drawn from Frida’s artwork, and share it to social media with #FridaNYBG.
Read on to view the full schedule of upcoming programs, and plan your perfect day at the Garden!
Saturday, May 30
Textile Demonstrations: Women Artisans from Oaxaca – 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Part of FRIDA KAHO: Art, Garden, Life
Women artisans from Oaxaca demonstrate their age-old techniques in weaving and embroidery. Using the backstrap loom, these textile artists evoke ancient motifs with natural dyes, striking a beautiful balance between traditional and contemporary.
Annual Science Open House 2015
Across the Science Campus and Conservatory Vicinity
Partake in behind-the-scenes tours and more through the eyes of our scientists during this once a year event!
*Grounds admission required for Science Open House programming; Conservatory tours require an All-Garden Pass ticket. (Space on tours is limited; first-come, first-serve.)
Plant Collecting Demonstrations – 10:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
Conservatory Plaza
See critical components of a scientist’s tool kit used on expeditions around the world and learn how biodiversity is expertly documented in the field and preserved as museum collections for later study.
Science Tours in the Haupt Conservatory – 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.
A World of Plants with Garden scientists, hear first-hand about their scientific field research, and learn how plants—through evolution—have adapted to the vastly different ecosystems on Earth. (Requires an All-Garden Pass ticket).
Guided Tours of the Steere Herbarium–12 & 3 p.m.
Go inside the largest herbarium in the Western Hemisphere—and among the four largest in the world—and meet some of the curators responsible for its 7.3 million preserved plant specimens in this centerpiece of the Garden’s scientific research program.
Guided Tours of the Plant Research Laboratory–12:30 & 3:30 p.m.
Walk through the Garden’s world-renowned, state-of-the-art, laboratory research facility and meet some of the scientists who lead teams studying DNA and genomes in order to understand plants, fungi, and algae at their most essential levels.
Bird Walk – 11 a.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center.
The diverse habitats of the Botanical Garden offer visitors a chance to see dozens of species of birds throughout the year. Bring your binoculars and walk the Garden grounds with an expert to learn about bird-friendly habitats, migrating species, and birds that make a permanent home at the Garden.
Spring Highlights Tour – 12:30 & 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
The sights and scents of the season flourish across the 250 acres of the Botanical Garden. Join us for a walking tour featuring spring highlights of the gardens and plant collections.
Live Music and Dance
Part of FRIDA KAHO: Art, Garden, Life
1 p.m. Ross Hall; 2–4 p.m. Garden Grounds
Take a journey through Mexico through the sound of each region’s music with Mexico Beyond Mariachi. After their indoor set, see them perform throughout the Garden.
¡Cámara, Acción! Mexican Film Series – 3 p.m.
Part of FRIDA KAHO: Art, Garden, Life
In Ross Hall
Experience Frida Kahlo on the big screen with the Academy Award-winning film Frida, directed by Julie Taymor and starring Salma Hayek. Rated R, 123 minutes
Frida al Fresco Evening – 6:30–9:30 p.m.
Part of FRIDA KAHO: Art, Garden, Life
Enjoy these festive evenings out at the Garden by experiencing FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life after hours. Stroll through Kahlo’s beloved Casa Azul reimagined in the Conservatory, see rare works in the Art Gallery—and then transport yourself to Mexico without leaving New York via live music performances, Kahlo-inspired items from Shop in the Garden, an outdoor Cantina, and delicious Mexican fare inspired by Kahlo’s own recipes, all enjoyed with a complimentary Modelo Especial draft cerveza or Jose Cuervo Tradicional margarita.
Evening Performers: Rana Santacruz
Mixing banjo, accordion, and traditional instruments—and influences that range from classic Mexican cinema and the magical realism of García Márquez to Tom Waits, The Pogues, The Cure, and bluegrass—the music of Rana Santacruz redefines eclectic. A Mexican native living in Brooklyn, he has toured extensively across the U.S. and Mexico, with featured showcases at South by Southwest (SXSW), Lincoln Center Out of Doors, and L.A.’s Getty Museum, as well as a feature on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series. His new CD, Por Ahi (Somewhere) was released in May. ranasantacruz.com
“Mariachi meets Tom Waits. Cohesive and all-embracing …a marriage of the U.S. and Mexico’s musical traditions with healthy injections of contemporary songwriting.” – Huffington Post
“Mexican bluegrass? Irish mariachi? Santacruz is helping to redefine Mexican-American music.” – The Washington Post
Sunday, May 31
Textile Demonstrations: Women Artisans from Oaxaca – 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Part of FRIDA KAHO: Art, Garden, Life
Women artisans from Oaxaca demonstrate their age-old techniques in weaving and embroidery. Using the backstrap loom, these textile artists evoke ancient motifs with natural dyes, striking a beautiful balance between traditional and contemporary.
Annual Science Open House 2015
Across the Science Campus and Conservatory Vicinity
Partake in behind-the-scenes tours and more through the eyes of our scientists during this once a year event!
*Grounds admission required for Science Open House programming; Conservatory tours require an All-Garden Pass ticket. (Space on tours is limited; first-come, first-serve.)
Plant Collecting Demonstrations – 10:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
Conservatory Plaza
See critical components of a scientist’s tool kit used on expeditions around the world and learn how biodiversity is expertly documented in the field and preserved as museum collections for later study.
Science Tours in the Haupt Conservatory – 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.
A World of Plants with Garden scientists, hear first-hand about their scientific field research, and learn how plants—through evolution—have adapted to the vastly different ecosystems on Earth. (Requires an All-Garden Pass ticket).
Guided Tours of the Steere Herbarium–12 & 3 p.m.
Go inside the largest herbarium in the Western Hemisphere—and among the four largest in the world—and meet some of the curators responsible for its 7.3 million preserved plant specimens in this centerpiece of the Garden’s scientific research program.
Guided Tours of the Plant Research Laboratory–12:30 & 3:30 p.m.
Walk through the Garden’s world-renowned, state-of-the-art, laboratory research facility and meet some of the scientists who lead teams studying DNA and genomes in order to understand plants, fungi, and algae at their most essential levels.
Rock Garden Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
The Rock Garden is a 2.5-acre oasis complete with a pond and waterfall and featuring alpine plants from six continents. Join an expertly trained Garden Guide for a walking tour to see and learn more about these jewel-like plants.
Live Music and Dance
Part of FRIDA KAHO: Art, Garden, Life
1 p.m. Ross Hall; 2–4 p.m. Garden Grounds
Take a journey through Mexico through the sound of each region’s music with Mexico Beyond Mariachi. After their indoor set, see them perform throughout the Garden.
Native Plant Garden Tour – 2:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Join a tour guide for an insider’s view of the newly designed Native Plant Garden. Enjoy a mosaic of nearly 100,000 native trees, wildflowers, ferns and grasses designed to flourish in every season
¡Cámara, Acción! Mexican Film Series – 3 p.m.
Part of FRIDA KAHO: Art, Garden, Life
In Ross Hall
Experience on the big screen a revolving series of compelling documentaries, shorts, and features takes you inside the vibrant culture of Mexico today, presented in partnership with Cinema Tropical.
Today’s Feature: Las Marthas
(Cristina Ibarra, USA, 2014, 68 min.)
Las Marthas, the annual debutante ball in Laredo, Texas, is unlike any other in the country. In 1939, the Society of Martha Washington was founded to usher each years debutantes ( called “marthas”) into proper society at the Colonial Pageant and Ball. The girls attendants also dress as figures from the Americas colonial history and participate in traditional ceremonies. Celebrated as a striking alternative portrait of bordertown life, the film follows two Mexican-American girls carrying this gilded tradition on their shoulders during a time of economic uncertainty and tension over immigration.
Garden Highlights Tour – 4 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Sights and scents flourish across the 250 acres of the Botanical Garden. Join a Garden Guide for a walking tour featuring highlights of the gardens and plant collections.
Ongoing Children’s Programs
Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens – 1:30–6 p.m.
In the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden
Garden beds are filled with plants featured in the favorite recipes of the chefs from Mario Batali’s restaurants. Kids can explore the gardens to solve Mario’s Menu Mystery game.
Dig! Plant! Grow! Salad Days – 1:30–6:00 p.m.
In the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden
Plants and imaginations grow at the Howell Family Garden, where kids are allowed!—no, encouraged!—to play in the dirt. Display gardens, such as the Global Gardens and the Bean Tunnel or Salad Bowl, and daily interactive gardening activities delight and inspire. Drop-in activities end at 5:30 p.m.
Cooking with Frida – 2 & 4 p.m.
Part of the FRIDA KAHO: Art, Garden, Life
Hands-on activities in the Edible Academy’s Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden bring together children and their families to experience the colors, textures, smells, and tastes of Frida Kahlo’s Mexican kitchen. Cooking demonstrations feature recipes inspired by those Frida served to family and friends, using nutritious, garden-based ingredients. Visitors can explore and tend to the plant staples of Mexican cuisine growing throughout the Family Garden: beans, tomatoes, peppers, chiles, herbs, and more!
Frida’s Flora and Fauna – 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Part of the FRIDA KAHO: Art, Garden, Life
Visit the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden to experience the inspiration Frida Kahlo found in the natural world that can be seen and appreciated in her artwork. Throughout the Adventure Garden investigate plants and animals growing and living in New York City, using your senses as well as scientific tools to discover your own creative muse.
