MEMBERS’ NEWSLETTERMEMBERS’ NEWSLETTERVOL. 34 NO. 4 JULY/AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009

P L A C E S O Y & F S C L O G O S H E R E

General InformationHOURSMuseum: Daily, 10 am–5:45 pm The Museum is closed Thanksgiving andChristmas.Space Show: Every half hour, 10:30 am–4:30 pm Research Library: Tuesday–Thursday, 2–5:30 pmHours are subject to change.

ENTRANCESDuring Museum hours, visitors may enter throughthe subway (lower level), Central Park West at 79thStreet (second floor), and the Rose Center/81stStreet entrances. The Columbus Avenue entranceis open on weekends and holidays. The 77th Streetentrance is closed until further notice.

TRANSPORTATION AND PARKINGSubway: B (weekdays) or C to 81st Street;1 to 79th StreetBus: M7, M10, M11, or M104 to 79th Street;M79 to Central Park WestParking Garage: Open daily, 8 am– 11 pm; enter from West 81st Street. Members receive a discounted rate of $10 if entering after 4 pm. Toreceive this rate, you must show your MembershipCard or event ticket when exiting the garage.For more information, call 212-313-7275.

FOOD SERVICEMuseum Food Court: Daily, 11 am–4:45 pm (lower level)Café on 1: Daily, 11 am–4:45 pm (first floor)Starlight Café: Saturday and Sunday,11 am–4:45 pm (first floor)Café on 4: Saturday and Sunday, 11 am–4:45 pm(fourth floor)Hours are subject to change.

MUSEUM SHOPSThe following Museum Shops are open during regular Museum hours:Main Shop (first and second floors)Dinostore (fourth floor)Extreme Mammals Shop (fourth floor)Frogs Shop (first floor)Planetarium Shop (Rose Center, lower level)Cosmic Shop (Rose Center, second floor)Online Shop (www.amnhshop.com)

PHONE NUMBERSMuseum Information 212-769-5100Membership Office 212-769-5606Central Reservations 212-769-5200AMNH Expeditions 212-769-5700Communications 212-769-5800Development 212-769-5151Education 212-769-5304Event & Conference Services 212-769-5350Library Services 212-769-5400Member Birthday Parties 212-769-5606Museum Shop 800-671-7035Natural History Magazine 646-356-6500Patrons Circle 212-769-5153Planetarium Information 212-769-5900Planned Giving Office 212-769-5119Volunteer Office 212-769-5566Website www.amnh.org

JOURNEY TO THE STARS

An All-New Space Show Opening July 4, 2009

Journey to the Stars,the spectacular new Space Show,

launches visitors through time and space to experience the life and death of the stars

in our night sky—from the birth of the first stars to

the future transformation of our Sun.

Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg.

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Membership DepartmentCentral Park West at 79th StreetNew York, New York 10024-5192www.amnh.org

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invite visitors to activate recordedfrog calls, view videos of frogs inaction, and test their knowledgeabout frogs.This exhibition is presented with appreciation to ClydePeeling’s Reptiland.

Saturn: Images from the Cassini-Huygens MissionThrough July 26, 2009IMAX Corridor

This stunning exhibition revealsdetails of Saturn’s rings, moons, andatmosphere with images sent overhalf a billion miles by the Cassinispacecraft.The support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is appreciated.

Special thanks to the Cassini imaging team, especiallythose scientists at Cornell University’s Department ofAstronomy, along with the staff of Cornell Universityphotography. The Eastman Kodak Company ofRochester, New York, printed the images.

On Feathered WingsThrough August 30, 2009Akeley Gallery

This exhibition brings together thework of renowned wildlife photo-graphers whose artistry showcasesthe majesty of birds in flight.

León, Spain; Korea Green Foundation, Seoul; NaturalHistory Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen; PapaloteMuseo del Niño, Mexico City, Mexico; and Saint LouisScience Center.

Climate Change is proudly presented by Bank of America.

Major support has also been provided by The Rockefeller Foundation.

Additional support for Climate Change and its relatededucational programming has been provided by Mary and David Solomon, the Betsy and Jesse FinkFoundation, the Linden Trust for Conservation, and the Red Crane Foundation.

Frogs: A Chorus of ColorsThrough January 3, 2010Gallery 77 Members’ tickets are $12 adults;$7 children

With more than 200 live frogs shownin recreated habitats, complete withrock ledges, live plants, and waterfalls,this delightful exhibition introducesvisitors to the colorful and diverseworld of amphibians. Featuringapproximately 25 species from aroundthe world, the exhibition explores the evolution and biology of frogs,their importance to ecosystems, andthe threats they face in the world’schanging environments. Interactivestations throughout the exhibition

Sciences, San Francisco; GOTO INC, Tokyo, Japan;Papalote • Museo del Niño, Mexico City, Mexico andSmithsonian National Air and Space Museum,Washington, D.C.

Journey to the Stars was created by the AmericanMuseum of Natural History, with the major supportand partnership of NASA, Science Mission Directorate,Heliophysics Division.

Made possible through the generous sponsorship of Lockheed Martin Corporation.

And proudly sponsored by Accenture.

Super-computing resources provided by The TexasAdvance Computing Center (TACC) at the University of Texas at Austin.

IMAX MOVIESSamuel J. and Ethel LeFrak TheaterFor films and showtimes, visitwww.amnh.org or call 212-769-5100.

Wild OceanExperience the massive feeding frenzythat takes place each year in theoceans of South Africa as billions offish migrate up the KwaZulu-NatalWild Coast. Breaching whales,frenzied sharks, herding dolphins, anddiving gannets compete in an epicunderwater struggle for survival.

BeaversShot on location in the Canadian RockyMountains and Ontario, Canada, thisfascinating film follows one family asit overcomes dangers, grows, playsand proves why the beaver is one ofnature’s great engineers. With breath-taking underwater photography,viewers also travel inside the lodge fora rare, intimate look at the habitat ofthese charming, industrious creatures.

AND DON’T MISS…AMNH Birthday PartiesCelebrate this year’s birthday at theAmerican Museum of Natural History!With four exciting party themes:Dinosaur Discoveries, Cosmic Blast-off, Underwater Treasures and SafariAdventures your party is sure to be a hit! The birthday child and guestswill experience an unforgettable

CURRENTLY ON VIEWExtreme Mammals: The Biggest,Smallest, and Most AmazingMammals of All TimeThrough January 3, 2010Gallery 4Free for Members

Explore the surprising and sometimesbizarre world of extinct and livingmammals. This exhibition examinesthe ancestry and evolution of anastonishing range of mammalspecies, showcasing such “extreme”adaptations as oversized claws andfangs, jaw-dropping speed, andmassive–or miniscule–body size.Extreme Mammals will alsoinvestigate how some lineages diedout, while others diversified to formgroups of well-known mammalsliving today. With fascinatingspecimens, spectacular models,dynamic media displays, and hands-on activities, the exhibition highlightsmammals’ amazing qualities andilluminates the shared ancestry thatunites these diverse creatures.Extreme Mammals is organized by the AmericanMuseum of Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org),in collaboration with the California Academy of Sciences,San Francisco; Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa,Canada; and Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Major funding for Extreme Mammals has been providedby the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund.

Additional generous support for Extreme Mammals hasbeen provided by the Bill and Ann Ziff Foundation, theEileen P. Bernard Exhibition Fund, and Harlan B. Levine,MD and Marshall P. Levine.

Climate Change: The Threat toLife and A New Energy FutureThrough August 16, 2009Gallery 3Free for Members

This timely exhibition explores thescience, history, and impact of climatechange on a global scale, providing acontext for today’s most urgentheadlines.Climate Change is organized by the American Museumof Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org), incollaboration with the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage, United Arab Emirates; The ClevelandMuseum of Natural History; The Field Museum, Chicago;Instituto Sangari, São Paulo, Brazil; Junta de Castilla y

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The presentation of both Saturn and On FeatheredWings at the American Museum of Natural History is made possible by the generosity of the Arthur Ross Foundation.

SLEEPOVER PROGRAMA Night at the MuseumCall 212-769-5200, Monday–Friday,9 am–5 pm$119 per person for Members

After-hours at the Museum: as thedoors close and the lights dim,adventurers head out on flashlighttours before bedding downsurrounded by Museum icons.

HAYDEN PLANETARIUM SHOWSJourney To The StarsOpens July 4, 2009

Journey to the Stars, a spectacular newSpace Show, launches visitors throughtime and space to experience the lifeand death of the stars in our night sky.Travel 13 billion years into the past,when the first stars were born, andwitness brilliant supernovas that sentnew kinds of matter coursing throughthe universe, into the atoms of ourown bodies and the air we breathe.Visit the heart of our fiery Sun, andglimpse its distant future as it trans-forms into a massive red giant. Tourfamiliar stellar formations, explorenew celestial mysteries, and discoverthe fascinating, unfolding story thatconnects us all to the stars.Journey to the Stars was developed by the AmericanMuseum of Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org)in collaboration with the California Academy of

Museum Notes

SAVE A TREEThe current issue of Rotunda is now available

online! Download it at www.amnh.org. If you’d like to stop receiving paper copies, please

email members@amnh.org.

ISSN 0194-6110 USPS Permit #472-650Vol. 34, No. 4, July/August/September 2009

Lewis W. Bernard, ChairmanEllen V. Futter, PresidentLynn DeBow, Senior Vice President for Developmentand MembershipRosemary Caulk, Director of Membership

Rotunda is published bimonthly,except for a combinedissue in July/August/September and a single issue inDecember,by the Membership Office of the AmericanMuseum of Natural History,Central Park West at79th Street,New York,NY 10024-5192.Phone:212-769-5606.Web address:www.amnh.org.Museum Membership of $70 per year and higherincludes a subscription to Rotunda. © 2007 AmericanMuseum of Natural History. Periodical postage paid at New York,NY,and at additional mailing offices.Postmaster:please send address changes to Rotunda,Membership Office,AMNH,at the above address.

journey that will make this party one to cherish!

For ages 4 and up. Available every day to Contributor and higher-levelMuseum Members only.For details and to request a date,visit www.partymakers.com or call212-288-7112.

© AMNH

Waxy Monkey Frog | © AMNH/H. Davies

COVER: Students present their projects for UrbanAdvantage 2008. | © AMNH/R. Mickens

RELOCATION OF ROSE CENTERMEMBERSHIP DESK

The Membership Desk at the Rose Center Entrance (81st Street) is now located on the first floor,

directly to your rightas you enter the building.

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f imitation is the sincerest form offlattery, the American Museum ofNatural History stands roundlycomplimented.The Museum’s

innovative Urban Advantage MiddleSchool Science Initiative to augmentscience education for public school-children has inspired pilot programs inDenver and Miami for the 2009–2010school year; and feasibility studies inBoston, Buffalo, and Cleveland.

“The Urban Advantage partnership hashad tremendous impact in New YorkCity and we are deeply gratified that itis now spreading to cities across thecountry,” said Ellen V. Futter, Presidentof the American Museum of NaturalHistory. “With the involvement of thepartner cities now investigating andpiloting their own local versions, thispioneering program has the opportunityto achieve national scale, and therebymake a very real difference inimproving the teaching and learning ofscience throughout the country.”

Just as the name suggests, UrbanAdvantage was founded upon theconviction that urban settings offerunique opportunities for enrichmentoutside the classroom.When AMNHcreated and implemented the New York

City program in 2004, it broughttogether such collaborators as theBrooklyn Botanic Garden, the New YorkBotanical Garden, the New York Hall ofScience, the Queens Botanical Garden,the Staten Island Zoo, the WildlifeConservation Society’s Bronx Zoo, theNew York Aquarium, and the New YorkCity Department of Education, withleadership funding from the New YorkCity Council.The program currentlyserves all five boroughs, some 25,000students, and 250 teachers in 150schools—about 30 percent of the city’spublic schools with an 8th grade.

Working in partnership with theGoldman Sachs Foundation, whosesupport has made possible UA’snational expansion, the Museum hasbeen able to introduce this successfuleducational model into cities nationwide.

In their planned pilot programs for the2009–2010 school year, the DenverPublic Schools, along with Aurora PublicSchools and Adams County SchoolDistrict 14, are working with the DenverMuseum of Nature and Science as theirlead institution, and the Miami-DadeCounty Public School is collaborating withboth the Zoological Society of Floridaand the Miami Museum of Science.

These cities’ collaborating institutionscommit to designing and conductinghigh-quality professional developmentfor teachers over several years;honoring student, family, and class-visitadmission vouchers; partnering withone or more UA demonstration schools,and sending representatives to visit avariety of schools each year in supportof UA programs.

“UA’s comprehensive model, withstudents, teachers, and parents allinvolved, is very appealing,” says PollyAndrews, Director of Youth and TeacherPrograms at the Denver Museum ofNature & Science.“And the nationalnetwork provides us with opportunitiesto compare challenges, brainstormsolutions, and learn from colleagues insimilar situations.This is very important.”

The need for improving science literacyamong students preparing for highschool is an urgent one. In April of thisyear, New York Times columnist ThomasFriedman reported that after decades ofdominating the world in education, theU.S. has fallen way behind in the numberand quality of our high school graduates.Included in his evidence was the 2006Program for International StudentAssessment that measured appliedlearning and problem-solving skills in15-year-olds: the U.S. was number 25 outof 30 industrialized countries in mathand number 24 in science.

Tellingly, in a 2005 report called “HowStudents Learn Science in the Classroom,”the National Research Council concludedthat a deep understanding of science isgrounded in doing science. UrbanAdvantage, now run at AMNH underthe umbrella of the David S. and Ruth L.Gottesman Center for Science Teachingand Learning, gives students richresources for conducting hands-oninvestigations called “exit projects”—acity-wide requirement for 8th gradestudents—that engage them in scienceas a way of thinking, rather than simplyas a body of knowledge.

"Urban Advantage is all about scientificinquiry," explained Dr. Jim Short,

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Director of the Gottesman Center forScience Teaching and Learning at AMNH."UA focuses students and teachers onengaging in scientifically orientedquestions, gathering data, and develop-ing explanations based on evidence.Learning science becomes more thanunderstanding a body of knowledge,science is also a process for investigatinghow we know what we know.We helpstudents do science, think like scientists,and behave like scientists."

The NYC Department of Educationdefines four types of exit projects:controlled experiments; field studies;design projects; and secondary researchin which students work with scientificdata sets obtained by others. UApartner institutions can serve as the“fields” where observations are made,labs offering hands-on experiences, orsimply as valuable sources ofinspiration for hypotheses to be testedand topics to be explored.

Every year, AMNH sponsors a ScienceExpo in which students’ exit projectsare exhibited under the blue whale inthe Milstein Hall of Ocean Life—a sourceof pride for all involved.Typical exitprojects ask such questions as howmuch bacteria can be found on everydayobjects used in school? Which monkeyis more active: the White-Faced Saki orthe Cotton-Top Tamarin? How do differ-ent types of music affect concentration?Does the type of plate boundarydetermine the magnitude of earth-quakes? What is the effect of roomtemperature on the life span of a bubble?

Passes to partner institutions forstudents and their families are anotherimportant feature of the program.Over the past four years, nearly 30,000UA students and their family membershave taken advantage of the admission vouchers.

“I was surprised that many of mystudents don’t visit the institutions inthe city,”said Christina Kola,a UA teacherat Middle School 45 in the South Bronx.“I have students who have never beento the Bronx Zoo.They live across thestreet and have never been there.”

To further encourage parental involve-ment, family guidelines for the programare available in eight languages besidesEnglish: Chinese, Korean, Haitian Creole,Arabic, Russian, Bengali, Urdu, andSpanish. UA Partner institutions provideworkshops for parent coordinatorsabout the eighth grade exit project andtheir role in helping teachers usecultural institutions to support scienceinvestigations. Parent coordinators helpteachers plan and carry out activitiessuch as weekend family field trips to UAPartner institutions, class trips, familyscience nights and science fairs, andexit project workshops.

“Parents are their children’s first teachers,”said Rachel Oechsner,assistant principalof Intermediate School 259 in the BayRidge neighborhood of Brooklyn.“We try very hard to get parents involved

Students present their 8th grade exit projects for Urban Advantage 2008. | © AMNH/R. Mickens

because we realize that the support hasto come from home.”

The final, critical component of theUrban Advantage model is professionaldevelopment for teachers—addressingwhat has been identified as a severeshortage of qualified science teachersin the city.Teachers receive a stipend tospend time after school and on weekendslearning how to help students designexperiments, attending sessions onhow to weave science resources intoclassroom instruction, becoming morefamiliar with UA’s partner institutions,and even conducting their own exit projects.

So far, the results have been exceedinglypositive. According to a preliminaryevaluation of UA in New York, 83 percentof participating teachers saw signs of improvement in the quality of UAstudents’ knowledge of science content,and 80 percent reported increasedunderstanding of the process ofscientific investigation.

“Urban Advantage introduced me tothings I didn’t think about, and myteaching has completely changed,” saidKola.“Hopefully, if one kid can startthinking,‘Well, maybe science isinteresting; maybe that’s what I wantto do, that’s the topic I want to learnabout,’ it will be worth it.”Support for the American Museum of Natural History's Urban Advantage Program is provided by the Goldman Sachs Foundation.

Urban Advantage: A Seed Takes Root

Students at the Urban Advantage Science Expo | © AMNH/R. Mickens

Urban Advantage students demonstrate their projects. | © AMNH/R. Mickens

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influenced the design of RiversidePark and Drive and the developmentof the area. Heading north from 135thStreet, the tour will also coverRiverbank State Park, built on top of asewage treatment plant.

HALL TOURSThe Solar System: Earth and itsFascinating Cosmic NeighborsSaturday, September 12 MH0912093–4:30 pmFree

Our solar system is as fascinating andfilled with wonders as the distantquasars, black holes, and neutron stars.Join tour guide Larry Bassett for aspeedy journey through the solarsystem. As you walk through the Hallof the Universe and the Hall of PlanetEarth, you’ll learn about new discoveriesand the search for life on other planets.

Weights and MeasuresSunday, September 27 MH0927093–4:30 pmFree

Every civilization had its own methodof accounting: the Sumerians hadtheir clay models, the Incas theirQuipu. Eratosthenes measured thecircumference of the Earth in 200 BC-and today we measure the expansionof the universe. Travel through theMuseum’s halls with tour guide JudithCubbon to weigh, measure, and counteverything.

Windows on Nature:Hall of North AmericanMammals and Ocean LifeWednesday, Octobor 7 MH1007096:30–8 pm$35

The American Museum of NaturalHistory houses some of the world’smost superb examples of habitatdioramas. With Stephen C. Quinn,Senior Project Manager of Exhibitions,

Rails & Trails in the BerkshiresSaturday, September 19 MO0919098:30 am–6:30 pm$115 (includes buffet lunch andtransportation by private coach)

At Western Gateway Heritage StatePark in North Adams, Massachusetts,step back in time with former docentRobert Campanile and experiencehistory from the perspective of asmall mill town in early America. Visitan exhibit on the construction of theHoosac Tunnel, a major feat ingeological engineering in the mid-19th century. Tour the Natural BridgeState Park, a place that contains cluesto our planet’s complex evolution.Witness the tremendous power offlowing water from the 300-footnatural white marble bridge and itsassociate walkways.

Paleozoic Fossils of theDelaware ValleySaturday, October 3 MO1003098:30 am–6 pm$95 (includes transportation by private coach)

Bring your collecting bags and lunchand join Museum paleoentomologistPaul Nascimbene on this specialcollecting trip to several outcrops inWestern New Jersey and EasternPennsylvania where ancient Paleozoicfossils of sea creatures—includingbrachiopods, corals, and trilobites—can be found. Surface collecting ispermitted for Members on this trip.

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where the trackways of dinosaurs andother ancient creatures can be found.

Sail on the ClearwaterFriday, July 24 MO0724096–9 pm$75Limited space is available; pleaseregister early.

Join us for a sunset sail aboard thehistoric Clearwater, a 106-footwooden sailing sloop, designed after18th- and 19th-century Dutch ships,to learn more about the culturalheritage of the area and the ecologyof the Hudson River.

From Quarry to Pleasure Ground:The Art of the Geological LandscapeSaturday, August 15 MO0815098:30 am–6 pm$95 (includes transportation by private coach)

Landscape architect Donna Walcavageleads this journey to two extraordinarylocations where art meets nature.See Opus 40, a magnificent sculpturein the Catskills near Saugerties, NewYork, and Manitoga, the unique homeand landscape of designer RusselWright, in Garrison, New York.Don’t forget to bring your camera,binoculars, and lunch.

EXPEDITIONSFossils! Fossils! Fossils!Saturday, July 11 MO0711098:30 am–5 pm$85 (includes transportation by private coach)

Pack your collecting bag, old sneakers,and lunch, and join Carl Mehling,Fossil Collections Manager in theDivision of Paleontology, for anexpedition to Big Brook in MonmouthCounty, New Jersey.

West Point: The Geology and HistoryThursday, July 16 MO0716099 am–5 pm$95 (includes transportation by private coach)

Join geologist Sidney Horenstein on this day trip to West Point andConstitution Island, which is home tosome of the oldest rocks in our region,along with other historic features thatdate back to the Revolutionary War.

Birds of Jamaica BaySaturday, July 18 MW0718099 am–3 pm$36

Renowned as a prime birding spot, over325 species have been recorded at theJamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge duringthe last 25 years. Observe some of thethousands of water, land, and shorebirdsthat stop here during their migration,and see numerous bird species—including the Glossy Ibis, Osprey, Tern,Laughing Gull, Oystercatcher, andmore—that breed in the area duringthe summer months.

Tracking Dinosaurs in Northern New JerseyWednesday, July 22 MO0722099 am–5 pm$85 (includes transportation by private coach)Join Museum paleoentomologist PaulNascimbene on a visit to two sites

Programs are available to Members only,unless a non-Member’s price is given.Members’ Programs

As a bonus, you will enjoy the naturalautumn beauty of the area.

Exploring Connecticut’s Natural TreasuresSaturday, October 17 MO1017099 am–6 pm$130 (includes lunch, transportation byprivate coach, and all admission fees.)

Ethnobotanist E. Barrie Kavasch guidesthis walking tour through the colorfulNorthwest Hills of historic Kent,Connecticut. Visit the Sloane-StanleyMuseum and view early Americantools and artifacts, take a guided tourof the Connecticut Museum of Mining

and Mineral Science, and explore theKent Greenhouse and Gardens toexamine local plants and herbs. Lunchwill be held at Kent’s legendary Fife’nDrum Restaurant.

WALKING TOURSReunion with Trees Evening WalksTuesday, July 28 MW072809Tuesday, August 4 MW080409$30

Become acquainted with the trees ofCentral Park on this evening walk withSidney Horenstein. Delve further intothe trees’ unique botanical featuresand evolutionary history. Learn aboutthe links these plants have with theadventures of the early explorers andtravelers who first collected them.

Geology and History ofRiverside Park and DriveThursday, August 27 MW0827096:30–8 pm$30

Join geologist Sidney Horenstein onthis walking tour to learn how geology

For tickets, call 212-769-5200, Monday–Friday, 9 am–5 pm, or visit www.amnh.org.Please have ready your credit card, your Membership number, and the program code.

All Members’ programs require advance registration.

Turtle Pond, Central Park | © AMNH/C. Chesek

© S. Marsel © R. DiGianigi

Natural bridge chasm | National Bridge State Park

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The Benefits of a Gift of Life Insurance

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any people buy lifeinsurance to provide fortheir young children or to ensure payment of a

home mortgage. Many years later,the children are grown, or themortgage has been paid off. If younow own more than enough lifeinsurance, or if you have a policy thatis no longer necessary, please considermaking it a gift to the Museum.

Giving a life insurance policy is aneasy and inexpensive way to make a substantial gift to the Museum.All you have to do is make us thebeneficiary and irrevocably transferthe policy to us. We will eventually use the proceeds to help us build onour contributions in exploration anddiscovery in the natural sciences, aswell as in public education.

If the policy has a cash surrendervalue, your income tax charitablededuction is generally slightly

above the cash surrender value.Any premiums you pay on the policyafter you transfer it to us qualify as acharitable deduction for the year inwhich the premium is paid.

You can also retain ownership of thepolicy and simply name the Museumthe policy’s beneficiary. In that case,you’re not entitled to an income taxdeduction, but we will eventuallyreceive the proceeds if you don’tchange the beneficiary.

Another way to support the Museum isto name us the contingent beneficiaryof your life insurance policy so that wewill receive the proceeds if there areno surviving close family members.

Employees can receive group-term life insurance coverage up to $50,000tax-free. The value of the premiumspaid to provide coverage over thatamount, as determined by IRS tables,is generally taxed to the employee.

Under an important exception,however, the value of group-terminsurance protection over $50,000 isnot taxed when employees name acharity, such as the Museum, as thebeneficiary of the excess. There is no income tax deduction for this gift,but employees can avoid payingincome tax on the value of thepremiums needed to furnish theexcess coverage.

We urge you to speak to your attorneyor financial advisor to see if you haveenough life insurance and to discussthe benefits of giving a policy to theAmerican Museum of Natural History.

For more information, please contact:Arthur Markowitz, Esq., Director ofPlanned Giving, at (212) 769-5119 orplannedgiving@amnh.org. There is no cost or obligation to you.

Have a Seat

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onor a loved one orcommemorate an important event with a Seat for Science.

By naming a seat in one of theAmerican Museum of Natural History’sspectacular state-of-the-art theaters,you will help carry on the Museum’slong tradition of scientific research andeducation. In recognition of yourgenerosity, a plaque will be installed onthe seat of your choice.

With a donation of $2,500, you willhave an opportunity to name a seat inthe LeFrak IMAX Theater, the Museum’slargest and most popular theaterfacility. Its three-story screen provides

education and entertainment tothousands of visitors daily.

With a donation of $5,000, we inviteyou to name a seat in the stars! Abeloved landmark and major attractionfor New Yorkers, the Hayden Planetariumprovides starry-eyed children andadults a glimpse into the outer reachesof the universe.

Naming a seat provides support for theAmerican Museum of Natural History’scontinued efforts to research, interpret,and disseminate knowledge about ournatural world.

For more information about naming aSeat for Science,contact our DevelopmentOffice by phone at 212-769-5929 or byemail at development@amnh.org. © AMNH/D. Finnin

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and alyssum, among other flowers.Finally, tour Stonecrop Gardens,originally the home of Anne and Frank Cabot located in Cold Spring,where you’ll be greeted by a thicketof blooms.

artist, naturalist, and author ofWindows on Nature:The Great HabitatDioramas of the American Museum ofNatural History, tour the Hall of NorthAmerican Mammals and the MilsteinHall of Ocean Life to learn about thehistory of the dioramas, how theywere made, and who created them.

Windows on Nature:North American Birds andAfrican MammalsWednesday, November 18 MH1118096:30–8 pm$35

Tour the Sanford Hall of NorthAmerican Birds and the upper level ofthe Akeley Hall of African Mammalswith Stephen C. Quinn, Senior ProjectManager of Exhibitions, artist,naturalist, and author of Windows on Nature:The Great Habitat Dioramasof the American Museum of NaturalHistory. Learn about the history of

the halls' dioramas, how they weremade, and who created them.

PREVIOUSLY LISTED(Space may be available for thefollowing program)

Hudson Valley Garden TourThursday, June 25 MO0625099 am–6 pm$95 (includes transportation by private coach)

Spend a day touring three remarkablegardens of the Hudson Valley. First,visit Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate nearSleepy Hollow, which is a landmarkknown for its spectacular scenery,architecture, art, history, and, ofcourse, remarkable gardens. Then,view the elegant formal gardens ofthe Lasdon Park and Arboretum inSomers, boasting petunias, nicotiana,

(Members Programs continued from previous page)

© AMNH/D. Finnin

Name a Seat for Science and watch our new Space Show,

Journey to the Stars, from your seat!Seat donors receive six complimentary

passes to the Space Show.

Center Fountain at Lasdon Memorial Garden | © Lasdon Memorial Garden

Public programs are made possible, in part, by the Rita and Frits Markus Fund for Public Understanding of Science.

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Central Park in the Dark with Marie WinnWednesday, July 8 EL0708097 pmLinder Theater$15 ($13.50 Members, students,senior citizens)

Explore Central Park’s nocturnalwildlife with naturalist Marie Winn.An illustrated talk is followed by aguided walk through the park, and a book signing is included.

Adventures in the Global Kitchen: BeerTuesday, July 14 EL0714096:30 pmLinder Theater$20

With Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster atthe Brooklyn Brewery and author ofThe Brewmaster’s Table, learn aboutthe history of brewing beer. Tastingsare included.

Evening Bat Walks in Central ParkFriday, July 17 EW071709AFriday, July 24 EW072409BFriday, July 31 EW073109C8:30 pm$25Enrollment is limited.

Join Chanda Bennett, AMNH, DanielleGustafson, and other members of the

New York Bat Group for a bat walkthrough Central Park.Note: You must register at least one week in advance.Rain date is Friday, August 7. Meet on the Museum stepson Central Park West at 79th Street.

Wild, Wild World:Awake at NightSaturday, July 2511 am–12 pm EC072509A1–2 pm EC072509BLinder Theater$8 children; $10 adults

Get an up-close look at somefascinating nocturnal animals withRob Mies, Organization for BatConservation.

WEEKEND WORKSHOPS IN THESACKLER LAB: FIRST CULTUREFirst Tools:A Demonstration of the First Stone Tool TechnologiesSunday, July 12Session I 1–2:30 pmSession II 2:30–4 pmFree with Museum admissionSackler Educational LabFor families with children ages 10 and up

Watch archaeologist Dr. Bill Schindler,Washington College, bring the earliesttool technologies to life with realartifacts and stone tool replicas.

TUESDAYS IN THE DOMEAll programs take place at 6:30 pm in the Hayden Planetarium SpaceTheater.

Virtual UniverseJourney through the Milky WayTuesday, July 7 HM070709

Journey to the furthest reaches of our galaxy to learn about amazingscientific discoveries.

Motion through the UniverseTuesday, August 4 HM080409

Learn about the history and future of the universe from the way planets,moons, nearby stars, distant haloobjects, and galaxies move.

Celestial HighlightsFamily Astronomy Fun-damentalsTuesday, July 28 HM072809

Bring your budding astronomer tothis family-friendly presentation.

Look Ma...No Rings (or Moons)!Tuesday, August 25 HM082509

Hear about the unusual circumstancesthat will lead to the temporaryvanishing of Saturn’s rings andJupiter’s moons.

A New Path to the Moon and Beyond Using Gravitational ChaosMonday, July 20 HL0720097:30 pmHayden Planetarium Space Theater$15 ($13.50 Members, students,senior citizens)

Learn about weak stability boundarytheory, the alternative approach tospace travel developed by Ed Belbrunoin the 1980s.This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Newman’s Own Foundation.

These programs are available to the general public.Call 212-769-5200 for information and tickets.Public Programs

Garret Oliver