Natural History Society of Maryland
Event Registration Page
Natural History Society of Maryland

Shark Fest 2021

  • 15 Aug 2021
  • 10:00 AM
  • 16 Aug 2021
  • 12:00 AM
  • Natural History Society of MD

Registration

  • Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and museums across America to offer special admission rates to the nation’s active duty military personnel including National Guard and Reserve and their families each summer. The military ID holder and up to five family members. The military ID holder can be either active duty service member or other dependent family member with the appropriate ID card. The active duty member does not have to be present for family members to use the program. Just bring your DD Form 1173 ID Card, or DD Form 1173-1 ID Card, for active duty military family members.
  • Children who may be accompanying individual adults
  • Museums for All is a way to broaden a museum’s visitor base, and reach out to underserved communities. A museum visit can inspire the development of new skills and interests, and ignite creativity and enrich social connections. Museums for All will help expand access to museums and also raise public awareness about how museums in the U.S. are reaching their entire communities. By addressing financial and logistical barriers to visitation, Museums for All also aspires to be an effective strategy for mitigating the social and academic barriers individuals face when they are not exposed to high quality museum experiences. https://museums4all.org/
  • Up to 5 people in a group.
  • Groups up to 5 individuals

During checkout, please indicate your first and second choice for timed ticket. Once you are registered, you will receive an email with your timed ticket.
TIMED ENTRY

10:00-10:30
10:45-11:15
11:30-12:00
12:15-12:45
1:00-1:30
1:45-2:15
2:30-3:00
Registration is closed

Surviving all major mass extinctions, they have been on earth for 450 million years. They also call Maryland waters home – including the largest shark to have ever lived, the Megalodon.

Shark Fest is an annual educational event that celebrates one of the most evolutionarily successful species to ever live. Visitors will learn through hands-on activities, presentations and exhibits that cover shark evolution, morphology, anatomy, natural history and ecology. There are activities designed for all ages, including opportunities to make a shark toothed necklace ($), play shark-themed games, trace the evolution of sharks through their teeth, learn what shark skin looks and feels like, talk with shark scientists and paleontologists. In the kids zone, dig for real shark teeth you can take home. Shark Fest is where fear and misinformation is replaced with fascination and facts.

Watch the promo video!

Planning Your Visit

The Kid’s Zone will run from 10AM to 2:00PM only. More advanced lectures and presentations are scheduled for 2:30PM-5:00PM.

View the Shark Fest 2021 Schedule.

Confirmed Presenters

Why Sharks Matter book coverWHY SHARKS MATTER – David Shiffman is a marine biologist specializing in the ecology and conservation of sharks. He received his Ph.D. in environmental science and policy from the University of Miami. Follow him on Twitter, where he’s always happy to answer any questions anyone has about sharks.
http://twitter.com/whysharksmatter

 

illustration of an ancient shark huntingTHE GODZILLA SHARK  – Paleontologist and program coordinator of the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission’s Dinosaur Park John-Paul Hodnett, who was a graduate student at the time made the discovery. Dracopristis hoffmanorum was discovered and identified to have 12 rows of teeth along with two, 2.5-foot long fin spines on its back.

 

Researches tagging a sharkOCEARCH – Research expeditions are conducted aboard the M/V OCEARCH, which serves as an at-sea laboratory. The M/V OCEARCH offers a 75,000 lb. capacity hydraulic platform designed to safely lift mature marine animals out of the ocean for access by a multi-disciplined research team to gather up to 12+ samples in 15 minutes.

 

GREENLAND SHARKS – Shark Videographer Nick Caloyianis – Over a span of 30 years, Nick’s artistry has been honored with numerous awards, including an Oscar, Primetime Emmys and a NOGI in the Arts. He has directed and produced films for National Geographic and Discovery Channels, has filmed for IMAX and Hollywood screens and still continues to collaborate with marine scientists not only to record their work, but to help them make their groundbreaking discoveries. He was the first to film the bizarre Greenland shark in Arctic waters. At the time (1995), not much was known about this polar creature.

Timed Entry Tickets

To ensure safety of volunteers, staff and guests, admission to this event is limited.  Tickets per time slot will be made available for purchase online ahead of the event.  NOTE: The time regulates entry not exit. Stay as long as you would like. You must arrive on time for your tickets to be honored. Walk-ins will not be accepted. The parking lot will also be closed to vehicular traffic. Overflow parking is available in two lots near the museum.

Entry time slots every half hour from 10:00am – 3:00pm and 4:00pm.

Safety Precautions

  1. Limited attendance
  2. Timed attendance
  3. Masks mandatory indoors
  4. One-way pedestrian path through exhibits – you can go more than once
  5. No food or drink indoors – you can bring a picnic lunch.

The Natural History Society of Maryland is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and contributions are tax-deductible.

The mission of the Natural History Society of Maryland is to foster stewardship of Maryland’s natural heritage by conserving its natural history collections, educating its citizenry, and inspiring its youth to pursue careers in the natural sciences.


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