Earth Day 2023

Alan Salazar

Alan Salazar is an author, storyteller and tribal elder in both the Chumash and Fernañdino Tataviam. As a founding member of the Chumash Maritime Association and a member of the California Indian Advisory Council for the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, he helped build the first traditional Chumash plank tomol (canoe) in modern times and has paddled in all the historic crossings from Oxnard to Santa Cruz Island. At 71, Alan is still paddling tomols and has the honor of mentoring many of the young Chumash paddlers, including his son and grandson. Alan has also taught youths about Native American cultures for over 25 years, helping to create educational programs at schools, museums, and cultural events in the United States and Great Britain. As a spiritual adviser within the Fernandeño Tataviam and Chumash communities, Alan leads ceremonies and prayer circles during traditional native indigenous gatherings.

Books: Coyote Rescues Hawk, A Chumash Story; A Tataviam Creation Story; and Tata, the Tataviam Towhee, a Tribal Story

Mona Lewis

Mona’s family comes from the United Kingdom, France, and Scandinavia. She is a watercolor artist and teacher of handwork in Waldorf education since 1996. She is co-director of the Waldorf Practical Arts Teacher Training program associated with the Southern California Waldorf Teacher Training Institute. Mona teaches artists of all ages, teachers, and home-schooling families in the plant-dye arts, making earth pigments, and in the practical arts of the Waldorf curriculum. Mona is the author of Nature’s Paintbox: Colors from the Natural World for the Young Artist and Those Who Are Young at Heart, and has illustrated three books for Alan Salazar: Coyote Rescues Hawk, A Chumash Story; A Tataviam Creation Story; and Tata, the Tataviam Towhee, a Tribal Story. 

All four books are available online at: http://www.sunspritehandwork.com 

Masanga Marimba
Masanga Marimba performs traditional and popular family-friendly music from Africa and Latin America on giant marimbas from Zimbabwe along with vocals, drums, percussion, trumpet and saxophone. The word "Masanga" comes from an African word that means the coming together of rivers or roads representing the meeting of African, Latin, and American traditions in this group. 

Artemisia Nursery

Artemisia Nursery is a retail nursery in Northeast Los Angeles specializing in California native plants. We also offer horticultural consultations and landscape design services.  Visit www.artemisianursery.com to learn more.

Wild LA Interns

The Wild LA Internship is a collaborative program between the NHM’s Community Engagement office, Community Science office, and EXPO Center. Fifteen high school students from EXPO Center’s Teen Leadership program are participating in a paid internship focused on developing their STEM identity and building comfort in nature. During the Spring and Summer, they will learn about local ecology from Museum staff and scientists, get career mentorship, learn about community science data collection techniques, and ultimately be empowered to engage their communities with the knowledge and skills gained on equitable access to nature.

This program is generously funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California State Parks, Office of Grants, and Local Services.

Horticulture Team
The Museum has a dedicated staff of horticulturalists that oversee the care and maintenance of our gardens. The Nature Gardens has over 600 kinds of plants, including California natives and others from around the world, that are home to a variety of birds, butterflies, lizards, squirrels, and more! This amazing team enjoys sharing their love for horticulture and gardens with the local community.
Follow Nature Gardens on Instagram @nhmla_naturegardens

Living Collections
Did you know the museum has a team of professional animal keepers on site 365 days a year? They take excellent care of all animals on exhibit and behind the scenes at the museum, utilizing the natural history expertise of our scientists as well as our veterinarian, who advises on any medical and nutritional needs. Because even a frog needs a doctor sometimes. We have around 15-25 species of vertebrates, and 70-100 species of invertebrates at any given time.  
Follow Living Collections on Instagram @nhmla_liveanimals

Museum Educators

The Museum Educator team at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County are the knowledgeable staff that enhance the visitor experience through personal interaction. Through research and training, Museum Educators create and facilitate educational programs for general museum visitors, for school groups, and for special events, both in-person and virtual.

Performing Arts

The team behind the Performing Arts department at the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County creates live theatrical performances based on our exhibits, research, collections, and events. Learn more about this unique program HERE. 

Research and Collections
The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County protect and share more than 35 million specimens and artifacts, the largest natural and cultural history collection in the western United States. The Research and Collections Department is the research institution within the museums. They create new knowledge through academic scholarship in history and science. Visitors can get up close to these fascinating objects and specimens, which are sometimes displayed in exhibitions and during museum events.