Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination

Embark on a daring voyage into the depths of human imagination at the Harvard Museum of Natural History’s new exhibition, Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination. Featuring ancient mariners' maps, literature, works of art, and natural history specimens, this exhibit explores the allure of serpents, krakens, and other monsters of the deep. Peer into the minds of scholars from centuries past, and study sea creatures whose real lives are often more astonishing than the fantastical beings we might have imagined. Dive into the ocean of human consciousness, where dreams and fears entwine with reality, offering profound insights into our world and ourselves. Join us in unraveling the mysteries of the deep sea and the human psyche, where sea monsters—both real and imagined—beckon us to explore the unknown.

Harvard Museum of Natural History

Castaway: The Afterlife of Plastic

In this exhibition, the art collective TRES invites us to share their 2016 journey to document, collect, and photograph debris along the beaches of Australia. Evoking archaeology, marine biology, and cartography, their images summon us to more deeply engage with the natural vistas and objects they have encountered, and to examine and interpret them with fresh perspectives. TRES transports us with photographs of glowing orbs that resemble celestial spheres more than the bottle caps they once were. Making their way as garbage to Australia from as far away as China, these objects have been scarred by Bryozoa, tiny micro-organisms which can be seen in the display case in this exhibition. Now, plastic items such as these lay scattered about the otherwise pristine-appearing landscapes. The rhythmic flow of images challenges us to make sense of the terrain. With hand-drawn maps and charts, TRES attempts to bring order to a perplexing world, where plastic objects resemble organic ones, and “natural” landscapes bear unmistakable traces of human-made pollution.

Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

Regular museum admission rates apply. Free museum admission for Massachusetts residents every Sunday morning from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Proof of residency required. Free museum admission is not available to commercial groups. *Blackout dates: November 1, November 27, 2025–January 29, 2026 and March 14–22, 2026 Harvard student guides connect visitors with the research, teaching, and Indigenous engagement surrounding the cultural heritage in the museum’s care. How do items come to the museum? Who studies them? How are they cared for? How do they return home? Visitors may drop in at the scheduled times. No reservation is required. Tours meet in the lobby and last approximately 45 minutes. Groups of 10 or more groups may contact reservations to schedule other times, student schedules permitting. Please complete the reservation request form.

 I Heart Science

Shake off the winter blues and release your inner scientist! This popular annual event offers the chance to interact with professional scientists and amateur collectors, while also trying your hand at simple science explorations. Meet Harvard scientists who study how our brains learn and how plants behave, and look closely at what DNA tells us about animals! See spectacular shells from around the world and even bring one home. Experiment with sound made from rocks or seen in water. Look closely at insect metamorphosis. This event has something for everyone and is appropriate for children and adults of all ages. Regular museum admission rates apply. Free event parking at the <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/52+Oxford+St,+Harvard+University,+Cambridge,+MA+02138/@42.3801645,-71.1153057,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x89e37740a3c56959:0xe17bf20973449411">52 Oxford Street Garage</a> starting at 12:30 pm. Presented by the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, and the Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture.

Lenape, the 14th State? American Indian Treaties Reimagined

Hybrid Lecture <a href="https://hmsc.harvard.edu/calendar_event/lenape-the-14th-state-american-indian-treaties-reimagined/">Lenape, the 14th State? American Indian Treaties Reimagined</a> Thursday, February 12, 6:00–7:00 pm, Advance registration recommended for <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/2SPN0AZLtW">in-person</a> and <a href="https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QpEhPVsNS-C6Vh9rPQbNCA#/registration">online attendance</a> Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA Speaker: Philip J. Deloria, Leverett Saltonstall Professor of History, Harvard University During the American Revolution, representatives of the Continental Congress sought to forge alliances with Native nations through treaties, much as they did with European powers like France. This talk will examine the failure of these early diplomatic efforts, focusing on the treaties signed with the Maliseet in 1776 (Treaty of Watertown) and the Lenape in 1778 (Treaty of Fort Pitt). Philip Deloria will highlight notable provisions in these agreements—including their shift from Native diplomatic forms to legalistic ones—and consider how truly reciprocal and respected treaties with Native nations might have altered the very nature of the United States. The talk will invite an imaginative rethinking of the course of American history, a creative thought experiment that centers Indigenous land, diplomacy, and sovereignty. Free admission. Free event parking at<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/52+Oxford+St,+Cambridge,+MA+02138/@42.3801643,-71.1153065,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x89e37740b4804b09:0x1ca7c4a4324b1694!8m2!3d42.3801643!4d-71.1153065!16s%2Fg%2F11c2133ff1"> the 52 Oxford Street Garage</a> starting at 5:00 pm. Presented by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology &amp; Ethnology and the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture. This lecture is presented to mark the 250th Anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.&nbsp; Deloria photo by Garrett Vreeland; Treaty photo: NAID 176316992&nbsp;

Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA

Monumental Ritual Texts in Ancient Egyptian Pyramids

Hybrid Lecture <a href="https://hmsc.harvard.edu/calendar_event/monumental-ritual-texts-in-ancient-egyptian-pyramids/">Monumental Ritual Texts in Ancient Egyptian Pyramids</a> Wednesday, February 25, 6:00–7:00 pm ET, Advance registration recommended for <a href="https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8gMF4qhoQlCuu4Li-vXR4w">online</a> and <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/mzGcn6884D">in-person</a> attendance Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA Speaker: Christelle Alvarez, Assistant Professor of Egyptology, Brown University The earliest large-scale records of ancient Egyptian religious literature come from Saqqara, an important royal cemetery from Egypt’s Old Kingdom period. For nearly two centuries, the subterranean chambers beneath some of Saqqara’s pyramids were inscribed with hundreds of ritual texts carved in hieroglyphs. In this lecture, Christelle Alvarez will discuss the final Old Kingdom pyramid to bear such inscriptions: the tomb of King Qakare Ibi. Smaller than its predecessors, badly damaged, and marked by architectural and textual idiosyncrasies, this monument has often been dismissed as marginal to the main Pyramid Text tradition. Alvarez argues that Qakare Ibi’s pyramid actually provides a rare glimpse into the process of monumentalizing ritual texts, revealing how this tradition was composed, transmitted, and continually reshaped over time. Free admission. Free event parking at<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/52+Oxford+St,+Cambridge,+MA+02138/@42.3801643,-71.1153065,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x89e37740b4804b09:0x1ca7c4a4324b1694!8m2!3d42.3801643!4d-71.1153065!16s%2Fg%2F11c2133ff1"> the 52 Oxford Street Garage</a> starting at 5:00 pm. Presented by the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East and the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture. Fragment photo by Christelle Alvarez

Family Activities at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East

Join HMSC volunteers for a live story reading and hands-on, family-friendly activities at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East. Recommended for ages 5–12. Admission to the museum is free. Sponsored by the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East and the Harvard Museums of Science &amp; Culture.

Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

hmsc

Experiences

Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination

Castaway: The Afterlife of Plastic

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

I Heart Science

Lenape, the 14th State? American Indian Treaties Reimagined

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

Monumental Ritual Texts in Ancient Egyptian Pyramids

Family Activities at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students

Peabody Museum Tours Led by Harvard Students