Friday, November 18, 2022

2022 Clue Date Night Recap

 30 couples got out their magnifying glasses and donned their trench coats for the Bean Life Science Museum’s Clue Date Night on November 12, 2022. The night started as many romantic evenings do: delicious food, mood music, and rumors being spread by the maids. The rumors on this particular night? “Who are these six strange characters invited by Monte L. Bean? And where has he gone?” Tragically, Mr. Bean would never arrive to his own banquet, as it was soon discovered that he had be murdered - in his own museum!


After a quick briefing, the 30 pairs of detectives set to work, faced with a task of utmost consequence: determine the location and weapon used in the murder, and ultimately rout out Mr. Bean’s killer. These quick-thinking sleuths had to parse riddles, use reason and logic, and deduce the truth from the six whose motives were anything but honest.

Miss Scarlet and Mr Green assisting our detectives in determining who could have possibly committed this unthinkable act.

One of the maids – in the face of unparalleled horror – bravely helping detectives as they examine the possible murder weapons.


After arduous examination, two extraordinarily clever detectives determined the facts of the evening: Mr. Bean was murdered on the patio, with the hippo tusk, by none other than hunting master, Colonel Mustard. The seemingly daft old-timer concocted a villainous plot as revenge against Mr. Bean for failing to tell his guests that the Colonel had trophied most of what was on display (medical professionals later determined that the Colonel is a pathological liar. He is also probably not a military-designated Colonel). After a daring pursuit by Mr. Bean’s employed, the criminal was caught. Justice and cake were served.


The team of winning sleuths, with Mr. Bean’s six strange acquaintances. 

The face of a guilty man.


Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Halloween at the Bean 2022

The Monday night before Halloween was all tricks and no treats here at the Bean Museum! For three hours, hundreds of patrons and families came in to celebrate their favorite spooky holiday, many of them in their costumes! Dinosaurs and princesses and cats (oh my!) and many more made an appearance to everyone’s delight.



Upon arriving, everybody got a bingo sheet showing all the fun things available to do at the museum! There was a photo booth where patrons could pose with real bones and skulls and claws, resulting in some rather unique family photos. Afterwards, they could wander the museum looking for the skulls and pumpkins that were hidden throughout the exhibits.



They were also invited to visit our craft room and curiosity carts, where either Candace and Vanessa helped them to make spooky scary fridge magnets to take home with them or Radagast the Brown taught them about spiders and owls and other frightful animals that sometimes go bump in the dark! The curiosity cart also showcased a live tarantula and a real black widow, who luckily didn’t lose any more husbands that night.




Anyone listening during the event could also hear the announcements about our spooky spectacular shows being held down in the basement auditorium. During one of three times, patrons could go down and learn about the most terrifyingly awesome animals there are in nature, featuring another one of the Bean Museum’s very own tarantulas! Screams and a good time were to be had by anyone who enjoys an adrenaline rush.



Once someone got a bingo, they could take it to the prize table. There, they could spin the prize wheel and earn sea shells, small animal toys, or reusable shopping bags. No matter what they won, everyone left with a smile and we can’t wait to see them again next year! 



Arissa, student educator

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Wild Edibles Nature Experienceship - 2022 Report

Foraging for food seems to be a thing of the past, well more specifically the ancient past. On Saturday, September 24, 2022, Dr. Tom Smith showed us that foraging for food can be a fun hobby! Friends and families alike joined us on our foraging adventure around BYU campus.



We stopped off at many trees and bushes and discussed nutritional value and palatable value, in other words; is it tasty or not? Each guest was given a baggie that they could fill with wild edibles and learned how they could use it. 

We all sojourned to a campus cafe where we got to indulge in homemade chocolate, bread, jams and jellies, cookies, and cheesecake. These treats were all made with ingredients we had been able to forage, just around campus, with a few exceptions!



If I learned anything, as a starving college student, it's that I have free and delicious food all around me!


Sarah Shelley, Museum Educator


Thursday, September 15, 2022

2022 Insects with Shawn Clark Report


Let’s be honest, the creepy-crawly insects that live their lives alongside us aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. But for some, those glossy exoskeletons and waving antennae spark joy, and it’s those intrepid insect enthusiasts that we found this weekend at the Bean Life Science Museum.


The Bean Museum kicked off the semester with a special insect outing, the first of their “Nature Experienceship” series, where participants have the chance to spend the morning with one of the museum experts. In this case we were joined by Dr Shawn Clark, our insect collections manager, who was quick to share his wealth of insect expertise gained from a lifetime of study.


Participants loaded into vans to take a trip up Provo Canyon to Big Springs Park, where they were supplied with catching equipment, and given free reign to catch as they pleased. When we regrouped after over an hour, specimens ranged from the littlest of flies to praying mantises to butterflies, and smiles were especially abundant. Everyone returned home with their new finds to add to their collections, and a deepened appreciation for these numerous buggy friends that surround us.


Sage, museum educator



Thursday, July 7, 2022

FREE Public Biome Programs


 Have you had the chance to attend one of our free, public biome programs?

We have 8 different programs, each focused on a specific biome and its inhabitants. These programs are given year round in the auditorium every weekday at 7:30PM (and 6:30PM on Mondays), and weekends at 1:00PM and 3:00PM. Over the summer, we have additional biome programs on weekdays at 1:00PM and 4:00PM. Every time you attend a biome program, you’ll receive a bio-card. The programs rotate weekly, so visit each week for a new program and bio-card. Collect a bio-card from every biome program, and show it to the educator in the Citizen Science Center to receive a prize!

Thursday, April 14, 2022

2022 Easter Family Night

 The Monday before Easter, the Bean Life Science Museum held a wonderful family night for people of all ages. The kids and kids at heart had the options to do a craft, listen to an educational presentation, take a group picture at the photo booth, make a pledge to be a better steward of the planet, and could even complete a bingo scavenger hunt to win prizes! 


The craft room stayed busy throughout the night. Crayons and markers were used to decorate, as well as colorful paper to make eggs and bunnies out of! Limitless varieties of egg and bunny could be made, since the bunnies size depended on the size and shape of your own hand’s cutout. This was a room that everyone could enjoy.



In the basement, the museum’s educators gave several presentations of one of our favorite biome programs, which are usually put on every night of the week at 7:30pm! Visitors could also learn more about animals by visiting our curiosity cart, where we had several specimens of ducks and eggs to show off.



Eggs were hidden among the animals of the museum, and could be found anywhere from the leopard’s mouth, to the baboon’s butt! Once a bingo, or even a blackout, had been found visitors could go to our prize booth and spin the wheel for the chance to take home a toy animal, reusable straw set, seashell, or one of our other options!



Thanks to our amazing team and even more amazing visitors, the Easter Family night event was a huge success! We look forward to similar events in the future!

-Sarah Palmer, Museum Educator

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Birding with Merrill Webb Nature Experienceship - March 26, 2022

As the sun was rising on a beautiful spring Saturday morning, a group of excited birders gathered in the BYU Life Sciences Museum parking lot. The group eagerly anticipated the five destinations between Provo and Mona picked by birding expert and our guide, Merrill Webb. Mr. Webb gave the group a breakdown of the day and expressed his high expectations to see many unique bird species. 

First stop: Salem Pond

When we arrived at the Salem Pond, everyone quietly exited the vans and pulled out their binoculars. It was a picturesque scene as the waterfowl swam and the birders fixed their binoculars on the beautiful birds. The birders identified several different waterfowl species. Mr. Webb brought everyone’s attention to a Belted Kingfisher, Virginia Rail, and Steller’s Jay. Everyone observed them in awe. As we drove away from our first spot, a few of the birders saw some species – a Kestrel and others – that intrigued the group enough to pull over and once again commence birdwatching. 


Second stop: Payson City Cemetery

Mr. Webb took the group to the Payson City Cemetery in search of one bird – the Great Horned Owl. Immediately upon arrival, Mr. Webb spotted a couple that was there for the same reason. They were kind enough to show us where they had spotted the owl. Our group of birders followed and admired the beautiful owl perched in a tree overlooking a field of gravestones. 




Third stop: Cedar Hollow Reservoir

The next stop took us on dirt roads and right by a beautiful orchard. Cedar Hollow Reservoir was a prime location for observing waterfowl. The group spotted Green-winged Teal, Red-winged Blackbird and others.


Fourth stop: Goshen Playa

The fourth stop took us to a reservoir a mile or so east of Goshen. With Mt. Nebo in the backdrop, the group observed more species of waterfowl. 





Fifth stop: Mona Reservoir

Mr. Webb took the group to Mona Reservoir to observe more waterfowl. The drive through Goshen Canyon had the passengers amazed by the beautiful views. Upon arrival at the reservoir, one of the birders heard a Meadowlark and had all of the birders searching for the beautiful birds. After observing it for a while, everyone’s attention returned to the beautiful waterfowl. 



Sixth stop: Rowley's Red Barn in Santaquin for some ice cream. :)

Alex, museum educator

Species spotted:

Canada Goose

Gadwall

American Wigeon

Mallard

Cinnamon Teal

Northern Shoveler

Green-winged Teal

Canvasback

Redhead

Lesser Scaup

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Ruddy Duck

Pied-billed Grebe

Eared Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Northern Harrier

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Cooper’s Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

American Kestrel

Virginia Rail

American Coot

Sandhill Crane

Killdeer

Ring-billed Gull

California Gull

Eurasian Collared-Dove

Great horned Owl

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Say’s Phoebe

Steller’s Jay

Black-billed Magpie

American Crow

Common Raven

American Robin

European Starling

Song Sparrow

Red-winged Blackbird

Western Meadowlark

House Finch


BYU Night at the Museums 2022

It was a night to remember as we had record amounts of people participate in the BYU Night at the Museums event this past Friday (March 25, 2022)! Thousands of people came pouring through the door, searching for the answer to one of the five clues they had to solve to win a free water bottle. To find what they were looking for at the Bean Life Science Museum, they had to make their way to the basement where one of our educators, Holly, was waiting by the bat display with stickers for the visitors who had solved the riddle.

But that’s not all the fun that was waiting for them! There were education stations where patrons could learn more about animal furs and skins or native Utah plants; 

a craft room where they could make their own butterfly or dragonfly out of pipe cleaners, paper and beads; and donuts for visitors - at least until all 1,000 of them had been handed out! 


Visitors who came later also got the chance to guess the name of a mystery animal that stumped everyone but our museum director! And even he had to think for a while before he could think of ‘ringtail cat’.


All in all, it was a great night. If you couldn’t make it, don’t feel too bad - there’s always next year! 

Check out the Daily Universe article about the event.

Arissa, museum educator