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      February School Vacation Week

      Caring for Creatures and Climate

      Thursday, February 22, 2024 from 10 am—5 pm
      Friday, February 23, 2024 from 10 am—5 pm

      Caring for Creatures and Climate

      Know before you go

      In person events
      Location: Main museum

      Included with admission
      Same-day ticketing required for the workshop “Bats Are Amazing!”

      Join us for a weeklong constellation of programs that invite participants of all ages on an inspiring journey of environmental stewardship. Meet live animals, learn about the ecosystems in your backyard and explore practical ways to tackle climate change. Explore pop-up installations, drop-in art making and exhibitions that deepen your understanding of the vital roles we play in preserving Earth’s biodiversity.

      Monday, February 19
      10 am–5 pm

      Participatory Project | Letters to the Future
      10 am–5 pm | Main Atrium
      Write a message to someone living in the future! Based on an ongoing project by artist Xavier Cortada, this activity invites you to imagine the future generations of people and animals who will inherit the planet.

      Installation | The Great Marsh and Climate Change
      10 am–5 pm | Groups Hub
      Investigate the remarkable living web of the North Shore’s Great Marsh through an art and science project created by the River Valley Charter School students with art teacher Lucinda Cathcart, science teacher Rebecca Schwer and silk painting artist Susan Quateman.

      Live Animal Program | Helping Endangered Species with Joy Marzolf
      10:30–11 am and 11:30 am–12 pm | Main Atrium
      Why are animals and their habitats disappearing? Learn about endangered species in New England and around the world and what we can all do to help them. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet a snake or turtle up close!

      Live Animal Meet and Greet
      12:30–1:30 pm | Main Atrium
      Meet a friendly reptile and ask wildlife expert Joy Marzolf your questions!

      Drop-In Art Making | Upcycling Clothes with Screenprinted Animals
      11 am–3 pm | Create Space Studios
      Bring in a well-worn piece of clothing and give it a new look with a print of artist Xavier Cortada’s animal drawings from the Endangered World Project.

      Drop-In Art Making | Adopt-a-Species Rock Painting
      11 am–3 pm | Create Space Studios
      Paint a rock with the coordinates of a threatened or endangered species and take it home as a reminder of our commitment to protect life on Earth.

      Thursday, February 22
      10 am–5 pm

      Installation | The Great Marsh and Climate Change
      10 am–5 pm | Groups Hub
      Investigate the remarkable living web of the North Shore’s Great Marsh through an art and science project created by the River Valley Charter School students with art teacher Lucinda Cathcart, science teacher Rebecca Schwer and silk painting artist Susan Quateman.

      Art & Science Workshop | Bats Are Amazing!
      10:30–11:30 am | Create Space Studios
      Included with admission. Same-day tickets required. Tickets available at the Admissions and Information desks. Create your own bat portrait collage while learning about the science and Indigenous perspectives around bats. The workshop will be led by Olivia Maliszewski (Rappahannock), an artist and bat scientist who has worked hands-on with big brown bats.

      Drop-In Art Making | Upcycling Clothes with Screenprinted Animals
      1–3 pm | Create Space Studios
      Bring in a well-worn piece of clothing and give it a new look with a print of artist Xavier Cortada’s animal drawings from the Endangered World Project.

      CANCELED Drop-In Art Making | Adopt-a-Species Rock Painting
      1–3 pm | Create Space Studios
      Paint a rock with the coordinates of a threatened or endangered species and take it home as a reminder of our commitment to protect life on Earth.

      Friday, February 23
      10 am–5 pm

      Installation | The Great Marsh and Climate Change
      10 am–4 pm | Groups Hub
      Investigate the remarkable living web of the North Shore’s Great Marsh through an art and science project created by the River Valley Charter School students with art teacher Lucinda Cathcart, science teacher Rebecca Schwer and silk painting artist Susan Quateman.

      PEM Pals | Wonder Walkers
      10:30–11:30 am | Main Atrium
      Join us for a special reading of Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer, followed by a hands-on activity inspired by the book! Designed for children (5 and under) and their caregivers, PEM Pals aims to engage and excite all of the senses through books, movement, music, art and hands-on activities.

      Drop-In Art Making | Upcycling Clothes with Screenprinted Animals
      1–3 pm | Create Space Studios
      Bring in a well-worn piece of clothing and give it a new look with a print of artist Xavier Cortada’s animal drawings from the Endangered World Project.

      CANCELED Drop-In Art Making | Adopt-a-Species Rock Painting
      1–3 pm | Create Space Studios
      Paint a rock with the coordinates of a threatened or endangered species and take it home as a reminder of our commitment to protect life on Earth.

      About our collaborators

      Xavier Cortada
      Xavier Cortada

      Xavier Cortada is a Cuban-American artist who engages people in hands-on projects that inspire action around the climate crisis and other social justice issues. Over the last three decades, he has created more than 150 public artworks, installations and collaborative murals across six continents and become the only artist to create work at both of the Earth's poles. Pioneering eco-art in Miami, his community-driven art has catalyzed over 25 acres of ecological restoration, generated participatory projects in every Miami-Dade County public school and library and sparked science-art initiatives to address sea level rise. Cortada received his bachelor’s, master’s and law degrees from the University of Miami, where he currently teaches in the Department of Art and Art History, the School of Law and the Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics. He is also Miami-Dade County’s inaugural artist-in-residence. Learn more at www.cortada.com.

      Joy Marzolf
      Joy Marzolf

      Joy Marzolf has loved animals and exploring nature since she was a child growing up in New England. She has worked with reptiles in the wild and in captivity for over 20 years, including through live animal education programs in Oregon and field work with the Crocodile Research Coalition in Belize and the Copperhead Institute in New England. Now, she shares her knowledge about wildlife, wildlife photography and nature in general through her company Joys of Nature. The company provides nature, travel and live animal programs for all ages, including programs for senior centers, libraries, summer camps and schools. One of Marzolf’s favorite things to do is counter people’s misconceptions about fear-inducing predators such as sharks, reptiles and spiders.

      Olivia Maliszewski (Rappahannock)
      Olivia Maliszewski (Rappahannock)

      Olivia Maliszewski (Rappahannock) is an Indigenous woman, artist and scientist who believes that art is a powerful tool for conveying environmental messages and getting people interested in animal science. She holds a degree in Science, Technology and Society (STS) from Brown University. As an artist and chiropterologist (bat scientist), she has created a career through her studies of bats and colorful works of visual art. Maliszewski enjoys recording bat calls in the field and believes it is incredibly important to spread awareness and information about these animals.

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