First Fridays | April 3 at NHM

First Fridays 2026 

First Fridays celebrates 20 years as Los Angeles’ premier museum after-hours experience, where exclusive nighttime access to NHM brings music, science, and culture together for an engaging evening of conversation and community. Throughout the night, guests are free to explore the museum at their own pace.

April 3, 2026 | Life at the Planetary Scale

First Fridays returns April 3 with a full evening of live music, DJs, pop-up experiences, food and drinks, and nighttime exploration across the museum.

At the center of the night is the launch of Life, from Our Guts to the Galaxy: Rethinking the Living World, a new discussion series from the Planetary Program at the Berggruen Institute. April's discussion “Life at the Planetary Scale,” features Austin Hendy, Assistant Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology, NHM, and Margaret McFall-Ngai, Faculty Associate, Caltech/Staff Researcher, Carnegie Science in conversation with neuroscientist, Dr. Yewande Pearse. Together, they examine how life and Earth have influenced one another over billions of years, and how that relationship continues to shape the planet we live on today.

The night comes alive with DJ sets from MIDI Riperton and GRACE KTOWN in the African Mammal Hall. In the North American Mammal Hall, featured musical performances keep the energy going into the evening. Between sets, guests can move freely through the museum, discovering collections and interactive moments across galleries and public spaces.

Throughout the evening, enjoy cocktails from museum bars, grab a bite from a rotating lineup of local food trucks, and connect with museum experts, artists, and community partners through hands-on activities and pop-ups.

Schedule Overview 

Discussion | 6:30 PM–7:45 PM | Commons Theater

• Featured Discussion: Life at the City Scale  | 6:30 pm | Commons Theater
  Co-presented by NHM and the Berggruen Institute. An engaging live conversation exploring 
  how life and Earth have influenced one another over billions of years, and how that relationship continues to shape the planet we live on today.  Featuring Austin Hendy, Assistant Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology, NHM; Margaret McFall-Ngai, Faculty Associate, Caltech/Staff Researcher, Carnegie Science; moderated by Dr. Yewande Pearse.
• Post-Discussion Meet & Greet | 7:15–7:45 pm | Commons Theater Gallery
  Continue the conversation with the moderator and speakers during an informal meet and greet immediately following the discussion. 

Musical Guests | 6–10 PM | Multiple Locations

• Featured Musical Performances | 8–10 PM – North American Mammal Hall
  Two musical performances will take place in the North American Mammal Hall at 8 pm and 9 pm. Artist announcements coming soon.
• DJs | 6-10 pm – African Mammal Hall
  DJ sets from MIDI Riperton and GRACE KTOWN 

Ongoing Activities | 6–10 PM | Various Locations

• Scientist Meet & Greets and Curiosity Crawl | 6–9:30 pm – Various Locations
  Explore NHM through informal conversations and interpretation stations hosted by scientists, educators, and volunteers throughout the museum.
• Pop-Up Experiences | 6–10 pm – Grand Foyer (Near the Dueling Dinos) 
  A mix of lively pop-ups featuring museum experts, local artists, and community partners, art activities, creative vendors, and interactive moments.
• Food & Drinks | 6–10 pm – Multiple Locations
  Cocktails and refreshments available from museum bars in the Foyer and African Mammal Hall, along with a rotating lineup of local food trucks on the Grill Patio.  

More Nights to Discover

First Fridays returns on the first Friday of each month through May. See what’s coming up and plan your next museum night.

About the Berggruen Institute 

The Berggruen Institute develops foundational ideas to shape the future, building new conceptual frameworks that transcend academic disciplines and cultural boundaries while connecting a global network of thinkers to generate ideas with real-world impact. Working across philosophy, governance, science, and culture, the Institute advances critical inquiry into the forces reshaping society. Within this work, the Planetary program addresses the political, philosophical, and institutional challenges of an interconnected Earth system, recognizing that issues such as climate change, technological systems, and ecological breakdown exceed national borders and require a fundamental rethinking of politics, responsibility, and interdependence at a planetary scale.