Neil DeGrasse Tyson Coming to DC!

Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia

Next February, Haydn Planetarium astronomer and "Cosmos" TV host Neil DeGrasse Tyson will be performing his Star Talk Live series from DAR Constitution Hall.  This is a rare opportunity to see the nation's preeminent science communicator live.

For more information on Dr. Tyson visit his page on the Haydn Planetarium web site.  For tickets to the DC show, visit the TicketMaster site here.

Finally, keep up on ALL DC-area science lectures on our Events Calendar page.

Smithsonian Sleepovers for Adults...Good Idea or Bad?

Recently Gothamist posted an article on New York's Museum of Natural History now offering sleepover for adults in their famed Ocean Hall http://gothamist.com/2014/07/08/night_at_the_museum.php).  From their article and the AMNH web page,

The overnight adventure will begin with a champagne reception and music provided by the 12^th Night Jazz trio in the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall.  Explorers can expect to roam through the nearly empty halls of the Museum, where they might run into a herd of elephants in the Akeley Hall of African Mammals or come face to face with looming dinosaur skeletons, including a 65-million-year-old Tyrannosaurs rex.

DC's own Smithsonian Natural History Museum has offered a poular children's sleepover program for years, allowing them so sleep around the centerpiece elephant and tour the exhibits at night.  As of this writing a few are already scheduled on the ScienceinDC Upcoming Events page while the kids are home for Summer.  But is it time for adults to get their own night too?

Speaking from my own experience, Natural History is a wonderful place to visit at night.  Many years ago my wife's firm held an after-hours event there and we toured the exhibits all by ourselves.  Though not a sleepover it did last late into the evening, and we were allowed to wander. It was a fantastic opportunity.  Viewing the Hope Diamond is already an amazing experience, but spending time together alone with just you, your soon-to-be-wife, and a friendly security guard (at a respectful but secure distance) is a wonderfully romantic moment.  There are no pushy gawkers or inane comments from tourists.  Perfect for letting the wonders on display wash all over you.  And no need to speed read the explanations...take all the time you need to truly understand each artifact.

But what do you all think?  Would you attend an adults-only museum sleepover? Is this best left for the kids? Have you also toured late at night?  Let me know in the comments below, and hopefully the Smithsonian is listening!