Join Jean-Paul Perrotte, Associate Professor of Composition and Director of the Electro-Acoustic Lab at the University of Nevada, Reno, as he discusses the creation of an immersive soundscape for the exhibition Deep Time: Sea Dragons of Nevada. Drawing from the ancient, mysterious world of prehistoric sea reptiles, Perrotte will discuss how sound can help bring the deep history and vast scale of Nevada’s prehistoric past to life. 

Join Dr. Paula Noble, Professor and Chair of the Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno, as she discusses diatoms, a group of algae that produce intricate skeletons of glass. There are over 20,000 known species of diatoms inhabiting virtually every moist environment, and contributing 20-30% of the oxygen we breathe. Learn more about their life and habitat and discover how diatom arrangements became an art form and fascination of amateur naturalists in the Victorian era. You will hear about the masterful techniques used to create these tiny works of art and take a tour of many beautiful micro-mosaics captured by the bright field and dark field photography, featuring works by Johan Diedrich Möller (1844-1907), Henry Dalton (1836-1912), Eduard Thum (1847-1926) and Klauss Kemp (1937-1922). 

Image courtesy of The Magazine Antiques

Microscope slide of diatoms, sponge spicules, butterfly-wing scales, synapta plates, and wheels of chirodota (sea cucumber), probably made by Eduard Thum (1847–1926), sold by Watson and Sons, London, c. 1880. Collection of Howard Lynk.

One of the best climate and oceanic record keepers through deep time are marine fossils, including ichthyosaurs and reefal ecosystems, which fossilize extremely well and have millions of years of data to share. The marine fossil record of Nevada shows one particular mass extinction record with eerily similar conditions to today. Join Montana Hodges, paleontologist, professor and science writer, to learn about mass extinctions of the past and present. 

Join Artist Thomas J Price and Arts Leader and Cultural Strategist, Yesomi Umolu for an in-depth conversation exploring Price’s powerful investigations into identity, perception, and representation. Known for his monumental figurative sculptures, Price challenges dominant narratives by centering fictionalized yet deeply resonant characters—often underrepresented in public art—through a hybrid practice that blends traditional sculpture and digital innovation.

The talk will focus on Price’s recent work Grounded in the Stars (2024), featured in his upcoming exhibition. The piece—a serene, life-sized depiction of a fictional Black woman—invites viewers to reconsider how value, presence, and dignity are visually constructed. The discussion will also touch on Price’s evolving practice, including a new painting created during his residency at the Joyner/Giuffrida Collection, and the wider implications of his upcoming solo exhibition and public installations in New York City.

Together, Price and Umolu will unpack how form, scale, and representation intersect to create new possibilities for human connection and cultural recognition.

Registration is free and made possible by the Joyner/Giuffrida Visiting Artists Program.

Join Museum volunteer docents for a discussion of Learning to See: A Novel of Dorothea Lange, the Woman Who Revealed the Real America by Elise Hooper making connections to current exhibition Dorothea Lange: Seeing People and artists featured at the Museum. Participants should have completed the book prior to meeting. Register online for guiding questions that will be discussed at the book club. Please note that lunch will not be available for purchase at this meeting. Space is limited, advanced reservations are recommended.

Back in 1809, Mary Anning collected the first ichthyosaur skull known to humans in England, shocking the Victorian society. Since that time, we have found more than 100 species of ichthyosaurs from around the world, across various time segments of the Dinosaur Era. Join Ryosuke Motani, Professor of Geobiology and Paleobiology at UC Davis, for an overview of different types of ichthyosaurs through time, illuminating their evolution in the sea while dinosaurs roamed on land.

Seniors are invited to spend the afternoon at the Museum. Enjoy a guided tour and a studio art class. Monthly tours and projects are designed for participants of all levels of experience and offer an engaging and interactive experience. 

Senior Art Afternoon will be hosted in-person in the E.L. Cord Museum School. Advanced registration is required and space is limited. Monthly sessions are offered on the second Thursday and the second Friday of the month. Tour and project will be the same for the Thursday and Friday offerings, but change monthly.

Sponsored by the Leonette Foundation Seniors and Art Endowment. 

Additional support provided by the City of Reno.

Seniors are invited to spend the afternoon at the Museum. Enjoy a guided tour and a studio art class. Monthly tours and projects are designed for participants of all levels of experience and offer an engaging and interactive experience. 

Senior Art Afternoon will be hosted in-person in the E.L. Cord Museum School. Advanced registration is required and space is limited. Monthly sessions are offered on the second Thursday and the second Friday of the month. Tour and project will be the same for the Thursday and Friday offerings, but change monthly.

Sponsored by the Leonette Foundation Seniors and Art Endowment. 

Additional support provided by the City of Reno.

Seniors are invited to spend the afternoon at the Museum. Enjoy a guided tour and a studio art class. Monthly tours and projects are designed for participants of all levels of experience and offer an engaging and interactive experience. 

Senior Art Afternoon will be hosted in-person in the E.L. Cord Museum School. Advanced registration is required and space is limited. Monthly sessions are offered on the second Thursday and the second Friday of the month. Tour and project will be the same for the Thursday and Friday offerings, but change monthly.

Sponsored by the Leonette Foundation Seniors and Art Endowment. 

Additional support provided by the City of Reno.