2026 Kayak Camp (June 10-12)

This week, we got to learn a bunch about the wildlife living in and around the Provo River Delta, and how wetlands help so many other environments. On Wednesday, we learned about different types of wetlands, then went out on the Provo River Delta to see waterfowl, shorebirds, fish, and bald eagles in their nest! On Thursday, we learned about the life cycles of animals and how beavers shape their environment. We went to Alligator Park to kayak, where we saw some ducks and a great blue heron! We spent all Friday on the Provo River Delta, either kayaking or birdwatching and going on a treasure hunt. We saw a bunch of cool birds and fish, including hawks, hummingbirds, herons, carp, egrets, pelicans, and bald eagles! The whole week, both the kids and the educators had a wonderful time and learned lots!

Elise, museum educator

2026 Kayak Camp (June 8-9)

This week of kayak camp for our younger group was filled with making new friends, learning all about Utah wetlands and the animals that live in it, and exploring our very own Provo River Delta, both on land and in the water! We saw many exciting things this week. On Monday we learned all about the Provo River Delta, its ecosystems, what keystone species are, and even made our very own animals! We made our very own field journals, which we put to use both Monday and Tuesday as we went out on the Delta. After exploring and finding all sorts of birds and animals on Monday (including a real beaver lodge!), we split up into two teams on Tuesday to see what we can find on the water and on land.

We saw large eagle nests, and saw real eagles flying above us. We also found ourselves deep in carp territory, and though it was scary at times, our campers were very brave as we watched and felt the carp splash around and bump against our kayaks! After bracing some wind, we met back up for lunch and continued on our adventures, with some of us going to a nearby river to explore the wildlife that lives there, including some baby ducks.

We look forward to seeing what adventures will come next week, and are so grateful for the time we could spend with these amazing, curious, and courageous campers!

Eliza, museum educator

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, museum 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, museum 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