Programs & Events

FRANCES HUMPHREY LECTURE SERIES

Since 1993 the Nevada State Museum has honored educator and historian Frances Humphrey with a lecture series in her name. These evening talks on a Nevada history topic are held on the fourth Thursday of every month except December. We are currently offering lectures in-person and via Zoom. Check our events calendar for details on this month’s lecture.

CURATOR’S CORNER

On the first and third Wednesdays of every month, curators present an object or group of objects to visitors passing through the museum’s demonstration gallery. The museum has collected and interpreted objects related to Nevada’s unique heritage, including historical, cultural, anthropological, and natural history since 1941. This is an opportunity for visitors to experience some of these amazing objects not regularly on display. Check our events calendar for details.

LUNAR NEW YEAR

We celebrate Lunar New Year on the first or second Saturday of February. This program includes a display of historic Chinatown artifacts from our collections, Chinese music and dance demonstrations, hands-on activity to make Chinese noise makers, and a Lion Dance parade up Carson Street to the Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada. This program is free to the public and takes place in our Dema Guinn Concourse.

EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS

Since 2006 the Nevada State Museum has celebrated Nevada’s Hispanic heritage with an El Dia De Los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) Celebration. Over the years this program has evolved into a three-day celebration in collaboration with the Western Nevada College Latino Cohort. During the event, we have community-made ofrendas (altars) on display, folkloric dancers, face painting, sugar skull decorating, and many other hands-on crafts.

NEVADA STATE CAPITOL BUILDING TOURS

The Capitol was completed in 1871 and housed all three branches of government. Today, the Capitol building houses the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, and state treasurer, as well as a business office for the secretary of state. It’s also home to the Battle Born Hall museum on the building’s second floor. Trailblazing Nevada, the current exhibit, takes visitors through the full Silver State narrative, from prehistory to the 19th-century mining boom to current times. This building — a structure rich with history, still functioning, and open to the public — is a state treasure of which all Nevadans can be proud.

The Nevada State Capitol Building is currently open to the public. There are docent-led tours of the building available on Saturdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. To request a tour, visit NSMConnect or email [email protected] or call the Nevada State Museum Education Department at 775-687-0653.