First Fridays get frisky at Natural History Museum

THINGS TO DO

The populist science series kicks off with a look at the love lives of animals and plants

It’s been awhile since this guy had a date, but that’s not stopping the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County from exploring mating and reproduction in the plant and animal world during this year’s First Fridays series, starting tonight. COURTESY OF THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

DAVID CRANE — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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By Richard Guzman

riguzman@scng.com

Friday nights are going to get a little frisky, as a museum in downtown Los Angeles takes a peek into the art of wooing and the sex lives of various animals and plants.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County’s First Fridays series turns 18 this year and kicks off a season dubbed “From Feeling to Pheromones” tonight with an evening focused on “Animal Love.”

“We’re looking at the forces that shape the behaviors of life forms large and small. We’re looking at reproduction, propagation in the natural world and the sex lives of other species. Basically what keeps the planet alive and thriving,” said Joel Quizon, program manager for the museum.

First Fridays is the museum’s popular annual series that is a mix of science lectures, live music and a cocktail party. Each year it falls under a different theme, and since First Fridays is 18 and technically an adult, the series is looking at love in nature via four events through June.

Opening night will include a discussion led by evolutionary biologist Patty Brennan, who will talk about the various ways animals are preoccupied with attracting that special someone. One subject will be the dating life of dolphins, who hook up not just to reproduce but for social reasons.

“It’s going to be a lot of really interesting things we don’t always think about,” Quizon said.

Since the night is all about love, DJ Senay M. Kenfe, who specializes in soul and R&B slow jams, will be setting the mood. More music will be provided by Jamaican American singer Jesse Boykins III and soul musician Annahstasia. To keep the good vibes going, the indoor Sensory Lounge will mix visual art and soundscape in the Grand Foyer.

However, the series is also about science and will still be family-friendly, Quizon said.

“We just want people to celebrate the intersection of nature and culture with us,” he said.

First Fridays continues April 5 with “The Nature of Gender,” which will look at myths and assumptions about gender in the natural world. On May 3, it’s all about plant love and replication with “The Plant Clones are Coming.” It ends June 7 with “How we Multiply,” which looks at the effects of population growth.