Color

Open your eyes to a world of color

Our world is awash in color, making it feel vibrant and alive. Color is much more than decoration: It has shaped the evolution of organisms all across the planet. It plays a big role in how we feel and communicate. And it contains vast amounts of information, helping us make sense of the world. Visit the immersive and interactive exhibition The Nature of Color, to explore the rainbow.

Video Color in Nature Our oceans are full of colorful creatures. Find out how animals use color for attraction, communication, and camouflage. Video Seeing Color We see with our eyes, but our brains do most of the work. Watch what happens when light bounces off an object and enters your eye.  Reading What's This? Colorful Creatures Why did colorful organisms evolve? Discover some of the amazing ways that animals use color to help them survive. Game Play with Color and Light What happens when you mix colors of light? The results might surprise you! Exhibit The Nature of Color Explore what color tells us about the natural world–and ourselves. March 9, 2020 — December 5, 2021 Video Warning Colors in the Animal Kingdom Bright colors help protect species from predators. Hands-on North American Mammals Coloring Book Find out how six species of mammals survive in their habitats. And bring them to life in this coloring book! Hands-on Make Your Own Creatures of Light Ever wonder why some organisms flash, blink, or glow? Discover how by making your own land and ocean creatures that generate light. Blog Post Researchers Reveal Covert World of Fish Biofluorescence The vibrant glow of biofluorescence in fish highlights its role in their communication and survival. January 8, 2014 Game Dress Up a T. rex What skin color, eye color, and type of feathers will you give this T. rex? Hands-on Draw a Monarch You don't have to be a terrific artist to create a scientific illustration of a monarch butterfly—just willing to take your... Hands-on Drawing Dinos Ever wonder how scientists can look at a bunch of bones and draw what a dinosaur looked like? Learn their five-step trick. Then,... Video Our Senses: How Mammals See the World In Many Colors Humans see more colors than most mammals. Hands-on Crazy Camouflage Some animals can instantly change the color or pattern of their skin. Create a flounder fish that's hard to spot! Reading All About Jade Jade has been used by people around the world for thousands of years—first to make tools, later to create precious works of... Game Optical Illusions and How They Work What you see and what you think you see are different things. Find out what your brain doing behind-the-scenes! Hands-on Microbes Coloring Book & Scavenger Hunt What is a microbe? Learn all about bacteria, viruses, and protists as you color them in. And try to find the hidden microbes!