While the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens are gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday, UC Davis, is gearing up for a "Super Science Day" — the second annual “Biodiversity Museum Day."

The event, free and open to the public, will be from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2, when six museums or centers that engage in education and research involving insects, vertebrates, fossils, or plants will host open houses.

They are the Bohart Museum of Entomology, the Botanical Conservatory, Center for Plant Diversity, the Geology Museum, the Anthropology Museum, and the Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology.

The event showcases UC Davis’ impressive research collections and museums; each museum has a research collection that documents the biodiversity of life in California.

All participating museums have active education and outreach programs, but not all the museums are always accessible to the public. On Feb. 2 they will be.

"This will be the only time during the year when many of these collections of rare objects can be visited by the public," said Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum and professor of entomology at UC Davis. "Our staff is excited to show off some of our more important specimens. The event is perfect for all ages; we have something for everyone."

Visitors can go behind-the-scenes to learn how research is conducted, and to see some of the curators’ favorite pieces. They can explore displays and talk with scientists, and participate in fun activities and crafts. The event is billed as a "family event" and an opportunity for people of all ages to see the museums.

The UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day could also be “Super Science Saturday,” because the event is the day before “Super Bowl Sunday.”

The first-ever UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day originated last year when Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator for the Bohart Museum and Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology approached Ernesto Sandoval of the Botanical Conservatory and asked about the possibility of weekend hours. Then two other centers committed: UC Davis Botanical Conservatory and the  UC Davis Center for Plant Diversity.

This year the Geology Museum, the Anthropology Museum joined the Biodiversity Musem Day.

All museums are located on the main UC Davis campus, and parking is free. Visitors are encouraged to stroll around the campus visiting the six different collections (all indoors).

Maps, signs and guides will be available at each site.  

The locations:

Bohart Museum of Entomology, Room 1124 of Academic Surge, Crocker Lane (formerly California Drive)

Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, 1394 Academic Surge, Crocker Lane

UC Davis Botanical Conservatory, Kleiber Hall Drive

Center for Plant Diversity, Sciences Laboratory Building, off Kleiber Hall Drive, near Briggs Hall

Anthropology Collections, Young Hall, off A Street

Geology Collections, Earth and Physical Sciences Building, across from Academic Surge Building