The Natural History Museum Of Los Angeles County Announces First Fridays Schedule About Fandoms And Fantasy
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has announced the line-up for their First Fridays, the Museum’s annual once a month after hours series featuring a mix of science, live music, DJs, signature cocktails, and more.
This year’s theme sounds amazing: Fandoms and Fantasy. The first event will be held Friday, February 3 and will be an in depth discussion of Dragons, Lore, and More. It will feature Dr. Yewande Pearse, host of the podcast Sound Science, and Rebecca C. Thompson, author of Fire, Ice, and Physics: The Science of Game of Thrones, who will discuss the science behind fantasy worlds and creature building. Here is a breakdown of the event:
DISCUSSION – 6:30-7:30pm (Level 2, North American Mammals Hall)
Dragons, Lore, and More with Dr. Rebecca C. Thompson and Moderator Dr. Yewande Pearse
What does the fantasy world’s made-up science, outlandish creatures, and fanciful environments look to the scrutinizing scientist? How can the fun fantasy science of our beloved books, shows, and movies be a gateway to the appreciation and understanding of fascinating real science? Join the Discussion with our guest Rebecca C. Thompson, author of Fire, Ice, and Physics; The Science of Game of Thrones and our moderator Dr. Yewande Pearse.
Rebecca C. Thompson, PhD, is a physicist and author of the popular Spectra series of comic books about physics. She is Head of the Office of Education and Public Outreach at Fermilab, the particle physics research facility near Chicago. She served as Director of Public Engagement for the American Physical Society from 2008 to 2019.
Moderator Dr. Yewande Pearse is a neuroscientist and science communicator. She has dedicated over ten years of research to understanding rare genetic brain disorders at both King’s College London and The Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA. Her communication work includes hosting Sound Science on Dublab Radio and Inside Biotech, a podcast from Biotech Connection Los Angeles. She has also worked with Headspace, Seed, Deem Journal, NAVEL, Fathomers, Massive Science, TEDMED, and more.
DJ LOUNGE – 5-8pm (DJ Stage, Nature Gardens)
Chulita Vinyl Club / Linda Nuves, Que Madre, Trankis - 5pm-10pm
Chulita Vinyl Club is made up of women, gender-non-conforming, non-binary, LGBTQ+ and self-identifying people of color. CVC launched with the context of providing a safe space for empowerment, togetherness and to utilize music and vinyl as a form of resistance against the erasure of culture. Each Chulita identifies with their own identity. They are not to be classified as one nationality or culture. The unifying denominator is that they come together over the belief that EL DISCO ES CULTURA and they believe that it is worth preserving and perpetuating.
LIVE MUSIC – 8-10pm (Level 1, North American Mammal Hall)
Headliner: Black Belt Eagle Scout
Black Belt Eagle Scout’s upcoming album, The Land, The Water, The Sky, rises and falls, in darkness and in light, but even in its most melancholy moments it is never despairing. That is the beauty of returning home. When you stand on ancestral lands it is impossible to be alone. You feel the arms and hands that hold you up, unwilling to let you fall into sorrow or abandonment. In her songs Katherine Paul has channeled that feeling of being held. In every note she has written a love letter to indigenous strength and healing.
Opener: Ari Rivera
Ari Rivera is a 20-year-old multimedia artist raised overseas and living in Los Angeles. A songwriter/producer who writes emo music with a pop sensibility, Ari released his debut EP 'Leaving Flowers Out' on the new year-- a six-track project about teenage affection and processing loss. He is currently working on a follow-up project to be released later in the year and building the foundation for Harcourt Paloma, a creative studio/collective of artists and close friends.
POP-UP EXPERIENCE – 5-10pm
Cosplay for Science (Ground Level, Otis Booth Pavilion)
The Cosplay for Science Initiative assembles scientists, educators, and cosplayers to bridge the connection between science and pop culture. Brought to you by the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology.
Golden Apple Comics and Art Foundation (Foyer, Next to the Dueling Dinos)
The Golden Apple Comic and Art Foundation was started by Kendra and Ryan Liebowitz, owner of the world-famous Golden Apple Comics on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. The purpose of the foundation is to preserve, safeguard, and showcase private collections and ensure that comics, books, art, and collectibles are secured for future generations to enjoy.
This sounds like an amazing event. I wish that the discussion part could be streamed somewhere because I would totally watch it since I don’t live in the L.A. area. Tickets are $20 for non members and the event is free for members with tickets available now. If dragons are somehow not your thing, here is the lineup for the rest of the year’s events:
February 3: Dragons, Lore, and More
March 3: Witches, Wizards, and Magical Powers
April 7: Space, Time, and Beyond
May 5: Giant Monsters/Giant Robots
June 2: Superheroes
They all sound super fun to me and make me really wish I lived closer. But if you can make it, any of these would be super fun to attend. Which one interests you the most?