EUGENE, Ore. — (Oct. 1, 2013) — The UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History will host its annual Fall Family Day on Sunday, Oct. 6, as part of the month-long statewide Oregon Archaeology Celebration. The event will introduce families to archaeology and paleontology through a variety of hands-on activities.

Fall Family Day is open to the public and will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the museum, 1680 E. 15th Ave. The cost is $5 per family. Museum members will be admitted at no cost.  

Lauren Willis, the museum's community education coordinator, said that rubbish and recycling will play starring roles in Family Day. "Crafts and other activities will illustrate how archaeologists learn about the past by examining the materials that people threw away," she said. "Children can investigate simulated archaeological sites, exploring 'trash’ from three different eras and constructing theories about how it was used. "

The museum has partnered with the local non-profit MECCA (Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts) to offer a special craft station where children can make saber-toothed salmon using recycled materials. At other stations, visitors can create fossil imprints, handle animal bones, and examine replicas of historical artifacts uncovered by museum archaeologists.

Willis said that the activities are designed to instill a sense of wonder about natural and cultural history. "Kids get to play detectives for a day, digging for clues in Oregon's past, and creating unique crafts that they can take home and share with their friends," she said.

About the Museum of Natural and Cultural History
The UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History is located at 1680 E. 15th Ave., near historic Hayward Field, on the UO campus. Public exhibition hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  For more information call 541-346-3024.
 
Media Contact:
Kristin Strommer, Museum of Natural and Cultural History, kstromme@uoregon.edu, 541-346-5083
 
Museum on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/oregonnaturalhistory