November/December 2009

Exhibits & Related Programs
Special Events
Science and Culture
Family Programs

museum info: 612-624-7083
registration: 612-624-9050
www.bellmuseum.org

EXHIBITS & RELATED PROGRAMS

Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Through May 9, 2010
The grocery lists and dining tables of people around the globe are the subject of this provocative exhibit based on the national best selling book by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Alusio. Hungry Planet combines mesmerizing photos with hands-on displays that explore issues of food in the 21st century - what people eat and where it comes from, as well as how different cultures approach the growing and processing of food.

Drawn to Nature: Art Sale and Exhibition
November 15, 2009 through January 3, 2010
Free with museum admission
Minnesota is home to a wealth of artists who inspire us see nature in new ways - from meticulous studies of plants, to sweeping plein-air landscapes. During the holiday season, the museum will feature the work of some of Minnesota's finest nature artists. All the works will be available for purchase with part of the proceeds helping to support the Bell Museum's art program. Many of the artists will be on hand at the museum Thursday nights through December to discuss and demonstrate their technique.

The World on a Plate
Thursday, December 3, 2009, 7 p.m.
Free with museum admission
Why is food so deeply intertwined with our beliefs, celebrations and rituals? What makes food so useful for metaphors, insults, and visual symbols? Join folklorist Peter Harle from the University of Minnesota Department of Anthropology for a playful exploration of food's often surprising roles in communication, culture and identity.

Exhibit Walkabout: Hungry Planet with a Pro
Thursday, December 10, 2009, 5:30 p.m.
Free with museum admission
Jeffrey Pilcher is a university history professor with special interest in the history of food and in Mexico and the globalization of Mexican cuisine. His new book on tacos is expected out next year and follows books on food and the making of Mexican culture. Linda Brady is a professor of food science and nutrition with particular interest in microbes associated with what we eat and digest.

Food Film Series: Big Night
Thursday, December 10, 7 p.m.
Free
The film Big Night tells the story of two brothers running a small restaurant serving Italian cuisine in 1950s New Jersey. Members of the university's Agri-Food Reading Group, the sponsoring organization, will lead a brief discussion after each screening, and the museum's Hungry Planet exhibit will be open for self-guided tours. A complete list of the fall films in the Hungry Planet series is available.

Should I Stuff My Turkey and Other Holiday Food Safety Tips
Thursday, December 17, 2009, 7 p.m.
Free with museum admission
Join University Of Minnesota Extension food science educator Elena Yepiz for a bevy of holiday food tips and hands-on techniques such as how to calibrate a meat thermometer.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Locally Grown and Growing: An Evening with the Youth Farm and Market Project
Thursday, November 19, 2009, 7 p.m.
Free with museum admission
Established in 1995, Twin Cities-based Youth Farm and Market Project (YFMP) builds leadership skills among young people through planting, growing, preparing, and selling locally grown produce. Each year, more than 500 urban youth plant, tend and distribute more than 11,000 pounds of fresh produce harvested from nine urban garden sites in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Meet some of YFMP's youth farmers, learn what a day on an urban youth farm is like, and how to make use of your own summer herbs and produce.

Minnesota Ornithologists Union Annual Conference
Saturday, December 5, 2009, 9 a.m. Registration begins at 8 a.m.
$4 in advance; $5 at the door
The MOU's annual conference features brief reports on current research projects conducted by academics and wildlife professionals. Topics range from the exotic and mysterious birds of Costa Rica to the Bird Breeding survey and the Christmas bird count. These lively presentations will delight amateur bird enthusiasts and academics alike.

SCIENCE AND CULTURE

Café Scientifique: Can Agriculture Deliver Food, Fiber and Fuel
Tuesday, December 15, 2009, 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Bryan-Lake Bowl Theater
Tickets $5-$12
Nearly everyone has an opinion on agriculture's new contributions to our energy needs. Hear what your neighbors think as we discuss the issues with one of the country's leading scientists, Jason Hill, with the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment. He'll reveal the myths and realities of producing food, fuel and fiber from our planet's finite resources.

CHILDREN AND FAMILY PROGRAMS

Nature Tots: Winter Birds and What They Eat
Thursday, December 3, 2009, 10 a.m.
Free with museum admission
Two- and three-year-olds and their families will learn about the birds that choose to stay in Minnesota over the winter rather than migrate. Find out who they are, what do they eat and how to they stay warm. Make a pine cone bird feeder to take home and feed your birds. Finish off the program with a winter bird-inspired snack.

Nature Play: What Owls Eat
Saturday, December 12, 2009, 1 p.m.
Free with museum admission
Families will play detective and find out what owls eat by dissecting an owl pellet. Like other birds, owls cannot chew their food and small prey items are swallowed whole. Pellets, which come up and out after a big meal, often contain hints as to what the owl had for dinner the night before.

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Location: The Bell Museum is located at the corner of University Ave. & 17th Ave. SE in Minneapolis, on the University of Minnesota campus.

Children under 3 & U of M students/staff/faculty: free
Free admission for all visitors on Sundays

Program Registration Policy:
We accept payment for programs requiring advance registration by Visa, MasterCard and Discover. We can't reserve places without payment. Phone registrations require credit card payment. Send check or money order to the Bell Museum Registration Office, 10 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0104.

Museum Information: Call 612-624-7083.
Registration: Call 612-624-9050.

Receive discounts on programs by becoming a Bell Museum member.