Naturalist Center
The Naturalist Center, located next to the 3-D Theater, allows visitors to use some of the museum’s collection and research resources. Visitors can learn about nature and cultures using zoological, botanical, geological and archaeological specimens and ethnological objects, as well as make use of equipment such as microscopes and reference materials. To further stimulate the public’s interest in and exploration of nature, each season there is a special theme exhibition and lecture series, to allow the public to interact with and learn from museum researchers.
Admission to the Naturalist Center is free. Center hours are the same as museum hours. The facilities are available to adults and students in the fifth grade and above. Third and fourth grade students must be accompanied by a parent or teacher.
The Science Learning Center of the museum's Naturalist Center is a platform for the professional development of teachers, especially those at the junior high school level. A diversity of lesson plans allow teachers to bring rich and interesting educational content from this museum into their classrooms. The ultimate goal is through the professional development of teachers to elevate interest in and knowledge of science among students. However, the purpose of this center is not to help students perform better on academic tests, but rather to increase their science knowledge as assessed by internationally recognized indicators. At the same time, the ability to reason that comes with the dissemination and deepening of science knowledge is expected to benefit society as a whole.