2026 Kayak Camp (June 3-5)

Kayak Camp June 3-5

A Wetland Expedition

Over the past three days we got to see our amazing campers learn to kayak, identify birds, and explore marshes and rivers. On Wednesday, we learned how wetlands act as filters and how to kayak leaving no trace. We traveled to the Provo River Delta to kayak, spotting bald eagles, a muskrat, and a partially submerged telephone pole. On Thursday, we created life cycles for imaginary organisms and built beaver dams. We explored the Provo River at Alligator Park, where we encountered stonefly larvae, ducklings, and water beetles. On Friday, we looked at algae and insects collected from both sites underneath microscopes. Then, we returned to the Provo River Delta to bird along the shore with binoculars, go on a treasure hunt, and kayak to the bald eagle nest. Our campers had a blast and us educators did too!

Samantha, student educator

2026 Kayak Camp (June 1 & 2)

2026 Kayak Camp 

June 1&2 Adventures

The first week of Kayak Camp 2026 with third and fourth graders was a blast! The boys and girls learned about wetlands, keystone species, animal life cycles, habitats, and explored the Provo River Delta from both land and kayaks.

On Monday, they learned what defines a wetland and discovered that wetlands act as important filters in the environment. They then learned about animal life cycles and experimented with creating their own animals with unique lifestyles. There were animals ranging from taco-birds to snogs (snake dogs)! Understanding keystone species was the next task on the list. The campers built their own miniature beaver dams using materials they found outside and participated in a challenge to see who could build a dam that held back the most water while still allowing a little to flow through. In the afternoon, the campers learned how to kayak - how to hold their paddles, how to turn, and other basic skills. They spent an hour and a half on the water in the Provo River Delta practicing what they had learned.

On Tuesday, they spent the entire day at the delta! Half of the day was spent on land. During this time, they took part in a scavenger hunt, birded with binoculars, spent time writing in their field journals, and explored a trail along the delta. The other half of the day was spent on the water, kayaking to a small island and finding animals along the way. They spotted bald eagles, ospreys, muskrats, hummingbirds, yellow-headed blackbirds, killdeer, pelicans, gulls, and so much more!

What a fantastic week of Kayak Camp! From building beaver dams to spotting wildlife and exploring the delta by kayak, the campers packed a lot of learning and adventure into just two days. We are looking forward to next week and all the fun, exploration, and discoveries that await our next group of campers.

Lydia Crookston, educator

2026 Easter Family Night Report

The Monday following Easter, the Bean Life Science Museum celebrated the night filled with an assortment of fun activities. Guests could go to a face painting station with the option to have a butterfly, Easter egg, or some cougar stripes painted. There was a paper flower craft for anyone feeling artsy. And we had a balloon animal station going. One of the most popular activities of the evening was the Easter egg scavenger hunt. Guests used a bingo sheet of different Easter egg designs to spot throughout the museum. Anyone who got a bingo got the chance to spin our prize wheel!

There also was a photo booth to pose with some unique museum specimens and show off cool face paint designs. Lastly, was a special interactive presentation about Easter traditions and animals found all around the world. The night was a success and hundreds of guests of all different ages came and participated. We look forward to many fun family nights in the future.

Laurel, student educator

A Recap of the Bean Museum’s April 2026 Trivia Night

On Friday, April 3rd, we hosted our annual Spring Trivia Night here at the Bean Museum! The theme celebrated new life and Easter. Participants tested their knowledge on baby animals, flowers, eggs, and Easter traditions. Questions ranged from why baby chicks are associated with Easter to how the rare corpse flower gets its famous smell.

The event sold out completely, making for a fun and crowded evening. The Kahoot speed round covered the national bird of the USA, how many minutes are in a year, and which country started the Easter Bunny legend (Germany, in case you were wondering). The winning team proved their mastery of both biology and the history of Easter, taking home coveted Bean Museum bucket hats and bragging rights.

Thus, we concluded another exciting trivia night at the Bean Museum. People were already asking when the next event will be. Keep an eye out for future Trivia Nights to secure your spot you won't want to miss it!

Ellie, museum educator

2026 Mystery Dinner Night Report

Arrrggghhh mateys! On March 21st, we set sail on the good ship Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum for our semesterly mystery dinner night. Joined by many a scallywag from the local community, we uncovered which treacherous pirate stole the golden beans from Monte's treasure chest! Through swabbing the poop deck, steering the helm, and cracking ciphers, our guests revealed the traitor. Captain Hook was forced to walk the plank for his villainous deed. Finishing up with cake, we all slept soundly that night, narrowly avoiding a Pirate’s Curse.

Samantha, museum educator

2026 Sketching Dead Things Report

On Saturday, February 28, BYU students and animal specimens came together at the Bean Life Science Museum for the Sketching Dead Things event. After a brief introduction and overview of the evening, participants spread out across the museum to begin sketching.

Artists used a variety of materials, including their own sketchbooks and preferred mediums, along with supplies provided by the museum such as paper, pencils, a how-to video, and touchable classroom specimens. For an hour and a half, the museum galleries filled with focused creativity as students sketched their chosen subjects.

Afterward, everyone gathered to socialize, enjoy cookies, and share their work. Another successful Sketching Dead Things event came to a close—and we’re already looking forward to the next one!

Tasia, student educator

2026 Winter Tanner Lecture with Dr. Jessica Ware

Did you know, dragonflies mate while flying in midair?

At this semester’s Tanner Lecture on Thursday, February 12th, entomologist and Curator and Division Chair of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History, Jessica Ware, masterfully outlined key aspects of the evolutionary history of dragonflies.

Students, faculty, and members of the public were awed as Dr. Ware walked us through the evolution of some of the key traits that dragonflies have optimized over their 300 million year history. Dragonflies are an incredibly diverse and wonderful group of insects that can be found across the globe—everywhere from puddles in parking lots to remote jungles. In case you missed the lecture, here are 3 fun facts about dragonflies:

1. Early dragonflies during the carboniferous period could be over a foot long!
2. Dragonfly wings are optimized depending on if they are primarily “fliers” or “perchers” that spend more time resting on plants.
3. Dragonflies such as the Globe Skimmer, Pantala flavescens, will migrate thousands of kilometers!

After her lecture and the refreshments, Dr. Ware was kind enough to take a look at our very own invertebrates here at the Bean. Our Chilean Rose-Hair tarantula, Belle, was even deemed “gorgeous.” Many thanks to Dr. Ware for sharing her time and expertise with all of us here at the Bean.

Margaret, museum educator