CLEVELAND—May 30, 2024—Party like it’s 1974! Join the Cleveland Museum of Natural History on Thursday, June 20 for a special retro edition of Think & Drink with the Extinct: Get Groovy with Lucy. The popular 21+ event will invite guests to explore the Museum’s newly transformed spaces after dark, while sipping on 70’s-themed cocktails and enjoying groovy beats from a disco DJ.
The evening puts a spotlight on early hominin and iconic Museum specimen, Australopithecus afarensis. Better known as “Lucy,” this partial skeleton was discovered in 1974 by an international team of scientists led by former Museum curator Dr. Donald Johanson. Fifty years later, the Museum is honoring the significance of this discovery with a variety of programming, including demonstrations of ancient stone toolmaking, encounters with specimens from the paleontology collection, Lucy-themed trivia in Murch Auditorium, and conversations with Museum scientists and partner organizations:
Kent State University
Scientists from Kent State University, Drs. Bebber and Eren, will show and discuss a variety of replica artifacts created in the Kent State University Experimental Laboratory, including pottery, copper knives, stone tools, and the atlatl (spear thrower). Additionally, Dr. Eren will offer live demonstrations of the flintknapping of stone tools.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Partners from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will join us to meet and talk with visitors about how music can bring meaning to people in a variety of ways. Whether it’s purposeful—like a DJ playing a curated playlist at a wedding—or just in the background of everyday life, music often helps cement a memory or a moment in time.
Cleveland Museum of Natural History members will also enjoy exclusive access to a Members-Only Lounge. The Astronomy department will lead an exploration of the night sky over Ethiopia at the time of Lucy’s discovery and showcase fossil casts from the anthropology collection.
Ready to boogie? The event begins at 6pm and 70s-era attire is encouraged, but not required. Tickets are $15 for members and $25 for non-members. A limited selection of warm and cold foods will be available for purchase in Origins Café. For more information and tickets, visit CMNH.org.
About the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Transformation Project
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s $150 million transformation project is an unprecedented reinvention that will align the Museum’s architecture with its mission of instilling a passion for nature and science in all learners. The Transforming the World of Discovery campaign has raised $140 million for this project, which will expand the Museum's building to more than 375,000 square feet and its outdoor visitor areas to more than 2 acres. The transformation project aims to broaden community access and help all stakeholders understand their connection with the natural world and the relevance of science to their daily lives. The latest milestone in this project was the opening in October 2023 of a welcoming new Visitor Hall, a free community space that showcases eight of the Museum’s most iconic objects and specimens.
This dramatic, 14,650-square-foot gallery features ceilings that soar to 21 feet and stunning new exhibits placed along the Douglas McCreery and Dr. Laurie McCreery Timeline of the Earth, which marks key events in the history of the Universe. Slated for completion in late 2024, the Museum’s transformation encompasses a complete reimagining of the Museum campus and all its exhibits. Pioneering a new model for natural history museums, the redesigned exhibits will highlight the Museum’s world-class assets while reflecting its role as a trusted community resource. The Museum appreciates the generous support from community members, corporations, foundations, and government grants that has helped to make this transformation a reality.
About the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History illuminates the world around us and inspires visitors to engage with the natural forces that shape their lives. Since its founding in 1920, the Museum has pioneered scientific research to advance knowledge across diverse fields of study and used its outstanding collections, which encompass more than 5 million artifacts and specimens, to deepen the public’s understanding of the dynamic connections between humans and nature. Through its Natural Areas Program, the Museum stewards more than 12,000 acres of protected ecosystems across northern Ohio. A community gathering place, educational center, and research institution, the Museum is a vital resource that serves Cleveland and the nation. For more information, visit CMNH.org.
Media Contact:
Samantha Guenther
External Communications Manager
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
216.403.4557
sguenther@cmnh.org