Ever wondered where mammoths came from? Ever asked about which birds live in or visit your hometown and why? Wondered about weather patterns? You are not alone! In the 18th and 19th centuries, natural philosophers, or what we'd now call scientists, were trying to figure out how the world worked through observation and experimentation. Natural philosophers wanted to know everything from how living things existed to observing the weather for patterns. In their spirit of exploration, it’s time for you to go outside and take part in the hands-on activities below as you explore the wonders of nature. These activities will give you skills to observe nature and think critically about the outside world.
Learn from Museum Education Coordinator Ali Rospond about how natural philosophers discovered fossils in the 18th century.
Natural philosophers were the scientists of their day. They uncovered and interpreted the natural history of our world. Nature continues to fascinate us -- scientists are always finding new things, whether they are animals, fossils, or flowers!
Take a look at the nature observation sheet to the right and explore outside to see what’s out there!
In the 18th and 19th centuries, naturalists had to rely on their own drawing and scientific skills to document the world around them. As science grew, specific fields of study were created to focus on all the different parts of the natural world. So, who were some of the people who observed and taught us about the world around us?
Click on the link to the right to take a quiz and learn about some of those naturalists from the 18th and 19th centuries.