GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural History will hold several special events for the 18-and-older crowd this spring.

The first adult event of the season, titled “An Epoch Night at the Museum,” will be held Feb. 9 from 7:30 to 11 p.m. All guests are invited to explore the museum and enjoy a night of live music and dancing. Tickets start at $100 and other sponsorship opportunities are available.

The Florida Museum will host “A Valentine’s Night at the Museum” on Feb. 14 from 7 to 10 p.m. Throughout the evening museum visitors will have the opportunity to participate in trivia centered on romance, monsters and science. Admission is $30 per person or $50 per couple. Pre-registration is required and closes Feb. 11.

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Scientists tell stories of mishaps they’ve had while working in the field. ©Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Back by popular demand, “Fieldwork Fails: A Live Storytelling Event” will be held March 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. Visitors can enjoy the museum as well as listen to live first-person storytelling from Guts & Glory GNV. Admission is $15, or $10 for University of Florida students with a valid Gator 1 card. Pre-registration is suggested and closes March 21 at 3 p.m.

“People really love storytelling and this event is a great introduction to Gainesville scientists,” said museum educator Chelsea Collison.

To celebrate the 500th anniversary of Leonardo Da Vinci’s death, a new adults-only program, “Da Vinci After Dark” will be held March 28 from 7 to 10 p.m. Participants can try their hand in trivia as well as try to re-create and improve some of Da Vinci’s famous designs. Admission is $35, or $30 for museum members. Pre-registration is required and closes March 24.

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Da Vinci After Dark will give visitors the opportunity to answer trivia and try to improve Da Vinci’s original inventions.

“Visitors will get the chance to express their inner inventor,” said Florida Museum educator Tiffany Ireland. “Da Vinci was commissioned by multiple families and governments to invent bigger and better inventions, and some were not feasible then but are now! Visitors can use their modern knowledge to improve these inventions in the Da Vinci Dares event.”

SciArt meetups, offered in partnership with Santa Fe Art Gallery and Wayfaring Painter, will be held monthly this spring. Each meetup includes brief presentations by a guest artist or scientist on the featured topic. The first meetup is scheduled for March 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information on “An Epoch Night at the Museum” visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/epochparty or call 352-273-2047.

For more information on “A Valentine’s Night at the Museum” visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/a-valentines-night-at-the-museum or call 352-273-2061.

For more information on “Fieldwork Fails: A Live Storytelling Event” visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/storytelling or call 352-273-2062.

For more information on “Da Vinci After Dark” visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/science-after-dark or call 352-273-2061.

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Writer: Jessica Finkel, 352-273-2032, PRintern@flmnh.ufl.edu
Sources: Chelsea Collison; 352-273-2062; ccollison@flmnh.ufl.edu; Tiffany Ireland; 352-273-2061; tireland@flmnh.ufl.edu
Media contact: Paul Ramey, 352-273-2054, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu