Orcas Welcome Day
Date
Sunday, July 12
11 am–3 pm
Location
Tickets
The Orcas exhibition requires an additional ticket, or become a member and see it for FREE!
Join us in welcoming our latest traveling exhibition, Orcas: Our Shared Future. Get up close to Museum collections, take part in hands-on activities, and connect with local organizations working to deepen our understanding of orcas. Explore the powerful connections between orcas, people, and the oceans we share through the lens of science and culture, and discover how you can support efforts to save orca populations and the overall health of our oceans.
This exhibition requires an additional ticket, which can be purchased at any ticket counter or outside of the exhibition gallery, or become a member and see it for FREE!
Program Schedule
Timed Programs
11 am–1 pm | Legacy Up Close
Meet artist Ken Hall beneath Legacy for a hands-on look at how the sculpture was created, what it's made from, and the story behind this powerful work of art.
11 am–3 pm | Museum Collections
Chat with our researchers from the Anthropology and Mammalogy departments as they highlight orca-related specimens from the collections.
11:30 am | Storytime: Orca Chief
Join us for a storytime reading of Orca Chief, a retelling of an ancient First Nations tale of Kitkatla fishermen who encounter the titular legend in their expedition.
1:30 pm | Discussion: Orcas – The Human Connection
Discover how Orcas influence our culture and deepen our understanding of the oceans around us. Hear from the art and science perspectives.
Exhibitor Tables
Available from 11 am–3 pm
- Aquarium of the Pacific: Learn about the wonderful world of whales by exploring our ocean backyard. Discover which of these amazing giants we find in our local waters, why these animals are so important to our ocean ecosystems, and some of the ways we can study them.
- Cabrillo Marine Aquarium: Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is a leader in accessible, science-based marine education where every person is inspired to understand, respect, and protect the ocean and all life it sustains.
- Environerd: Hopeful marine conservation stories and art, highlighting species in need and the amazing science saving them.
- Marine Mammal Care Center: Our mission is to inspire ocean conservation through rescue, rehabilitation, release, research, and education.
- Wave Makers: Hands-on outdoor education adventures (i.e kayaking, tidepooling, coastal nature walks) led by a marine biologist expert, in hopes of inspiring curiosity, confidence, and care for our coast.
Activities
Orcas Exhibition Scavenger Hunt
Explore Orcas: Our Shared Future to solve this scavenger hunt with your friends or family! Grab your prize sticker at the nearest ticket station upon completion.
Coloring Activity
Color your very own orca created by our visiting artist Ken Hall.
Meet the Discussion Speakers
Alisa Schulman-Janiger is a long-time marine biologist, cetacean researcher, and educator. She is a Research Associate at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Co-Founder and Lead Research Biologist of the California Killer Whale Project, and has been the Director and Coordinator of the shore-based ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project for 42 seasons. Alisa has been studying and photo-identifying killer whales off California for more than 45 years, has been a whale researcher/naturalist off California, Massachusetts, Alaska and Baja California, Mexico, and was a NOAA Fisheries staff scientist/marine mammal observer on cruises from Alaska to California. Her published works include photo-ID catalogs and scientific papers on killer whales, gray whales, humpback whales, pilot whales, and sperm whales.
Ken Hall is a Canadian artist, sculptor, creative director, and consciousness researcher whose work bridges art, science, natural history, and public engagement. Trained in Mechanical Engineering and Fine Arts at the University of Waterloo, his evocative installations bring people together while exploring our relationships with each other and the world around us.
Ken’s work examines complex social and ecological issues in an uplifting and inclusive fashion, creating talismans of awareness, connection, and change.
Dr. Gaila Sims is the Assistant Curator of History at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Originally from Riverside, California, she received her BA in History and African American Studies from Oberlin College and her MA and PhD in American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Sims has held positions at several museums, archives, and cultural institutions, including the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, the Bullock Texas State History Museum, the Harry Ransom Center, and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
From 2022-2025, she served as the inaugural Curator of African American History at the Fredericksburg Area Museum in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
The exhibition is a joint venture between and produced by the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, Canada, and MuseumsPartner in Austria.
Lead Sponsor
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