On Wednesday, May 1, at 6:30 pm, followers of @AMNH and Scientific American (@SciAm) on Twitter are invited to explore Whales: Giants of the Deep after hours, meet curators and scientists, and enjoy free drinks and snacks in our historic Hall of Northwest Coast Indians.

Fifty-five million years ago, a group of hoofed mammals began a slow move from shore to sea, in time evolving a set of extraordinary features to thrive in their new environment. Today’s whales share many anatomical traits with other mammals, but the unique adaptations of species such as sperm whales illustrate how organisms can transform over time as they carve out their place on the planet.

The Museum's popular, free Creatures of Light iPad app has been nominated for a 2013 Webby People's Voice Award, in the Mobile & Apps: Education and Reference category. 

A story from the Kwakwa̱ka̱'wakw peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast—roughly 20 diverse communities united by a common language—inspired this exquisite carved feast dish, which is featured in the special exhibition Whales: Giants of the Deep, now open at the American Museum of Natural History.

Most of us know about blue whales, sperm whales, and dolphins (a type of specialized whale). But what about beaked whales, an elusive group that includes nearly a quarter of all living whale species?