2024 Game Night Report

One Saturday each month, the Bean Life Science Museum hosted a game night after hours. Students came either with their friends, a willingness to make new friends, or just an urge to grab some candy, play one round of Uno, and leave. While life-science-themed games like Wingspan, Evolution, or a new game called Zoo King were provided, students were encouraged to bring their own games. If you have a game your roommates refuse to play with you, try coming to the next game night where the educators aren’t allowed to tell you, “No, I don’t want to play Settlers of Catan with you.”

Joanna, museum educator

2024 Easter Family Night Report

It may have been April 1st, but Easter Family Night at the Bean Museum was no joke! Families, friends, and everyone in between came to enjoy a hoppin’ good time. Visitors could snap a picture at the Easter photo booth, make carrots and eggs in our craft room, or enjoy a program about different animals. The highlight of the night was an egg-cellent bingo scavenger hunt, where winners could spin the wheel for a special prize! 

That’s all yolks!

Sylvia, museum educator

2024 Winter Trivia Night Report

On the Saturdays of January 20th, February 17th, and March 23rd, ten teams battled to be the most knowledgeable in various subjects. Teams chose from various specimens to represent them as their mascot, and fought for prizes like bucket hats, t-shirts, water bottles, and more! 

January’s theme covered extinction and endangered species. We explored invasive species that threaten native animals, and dinosaurs that disappeared long ago.

February’s theme helped to celebrate the birthday of the mighty Charles Darwin and his accomplishments. We learned about his life and his discoveries, along with the evolution of civilization and other parts of life.

March lifted everyone’s spirits as finals approached with some funny Disney questions. We had sections covering Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar, as well as talking about some well known animals from Disney. This is the Bean Life Science Museum, after all.

Ethan, museum educator

2024 Night at the Museums Report

The most popular museum event of the year has come and gone again! On Friday, March 22, over 1000 people came through the 5 museums on BYU campus. At each museum, patrons solved a clue that directed them to a certain area within the museum where they could earn a sticker: five stickers earned the patron the grand prize of a museum tote bag! 

It was a perfect mix of educational and fun, with visitors having the opportunity to learn from biome programs, curiosity carts, and of course our museum educators ready to share! For visitors with an appetite for not just learning, we had plenty of maple bar donuts and a station with balloon animals and other creations.

Plenty of patrons had their phones out to commemorate the occasion, but for the ones that wanted something a little more professional there was a photo booth set-up complete with props that can only be found at a life science museum.

We ended up with extra donuts at the end of the event (an exciting prospect for museum workers who wanted to bring some home) but it’s also a sign that there’s always room for more visitors during our yearly Night at the Museums event!

Amy, museum educator

2024 Mystery Dinner Night Report

On March 9, 2024 history’s greatest and most influential scientists were invited to the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum to witness the unveiling of a brand new exhibit. Following the dinner, invited guests were horrified to realize that the specimen, Ursus Gummimus or the North American Gummy Bear, had been stolen! 

The museum’s security team quickly locked down the museum and identified eight primary suspects: Charles Darwin, Gregor Mendel, Sally Ride, Jane Goodall, Bill Nye, Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, and Beaker. 

Guests completed tasks, puzzles, and riddles to reveal that the specimen had been stolen and hidden in the museum by none other than Jane Goodall, the famous primatologist. Thanks to three teams, she was quickly brought to justice and the specimen was returned to its exhibit in one piece.

Jonathan, museum educator

Pictured above is the second place team with the eight suspects, Monte L. Bean, and our head security guard.

Below are the eight suspects waiting for the thief’s identity to be revealed. 

2024 Winter Birding Report

On February 17th the Bean Museum hosted its birding Nature Experienceship with Utah birding expert Merrill Webb. The group traveled to the Gunnison Bend Reservoir in Delta, Utah to see the snow goose migration. There was also a stop at Oxbow Lake for waterfowl viewing. 

Here is the full list of birds spotted:

Western meadowlark

Sandhill crane

Green-winged teal

Northern pintail

Gadwall

Mallard

Canada goose

House sparrow

Snow goose

Ross’s goose

Trumpeter swan

American wigeon

Canvasback

Common goldeneye

Common merganser

Ruddy duck

Clark’s grebe

Ring-billed gull

California gull

Northern harrier

Northern flicker 

House finches

American goldfinch

Dark-eyed junco

Ferruginous hawk

Red-tailed hawk

American kestrel

Bald eagle

Trumpeter swan, which was a vagrant sighting for Delta.

Snow geese flying into the reservoir. 

The snow goose flock

Attendees using scopes at Oxbow Lake.

Sylvia, museum educator

2023 Fall Game Nights Report

Three game nights were held at the Bean Museum this semester and each was a blast! Participants were able to register for this free event and come play a mix of life science related games or games they brought in themselves. Along with free treats, getting to play board games with friends while seated beside a giant elephant and rhino is a pretty neat experience. With popular games like Pandemic and Wingspan, and other lesser known but just as enjoyable games like Planet and Ecosystems, this event is the perfect way to learn a little more about our planet and all its ecological intricacies. With plenty of opportunities to come next semester, this is an event that any board game and science loving individual won’t want to miss out on!

Joanna, museum educator