Map marker opens location in Google MapsMost visitor centers and the Desert Institute will be closed for the duration of the government shutdown. The Joshua Tree Visitor Center is open.
Juniper and Monolith at Sunset | Photo by NPS/Hannah Schwalbe | Public Domain | Source
The Desert Institute’s community outreach program brings cutting edge presentations on the cultural history, natural science, and the arts pertaining to Joshua Tree National Park, the Morongo Basin, and the Coachella Valley with various partners. The Desert Institute partners include Joshua Tree National Park, the Twentynine Palms Historical Society, the Palm Springs Public Library, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Palm Desert.
The Old Schoolhouse Museum
6760 National Park Dr
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
Map marker opens location in Google MapsThe Old Schoolhouse Lecture Series started in 1999 and is run in partnership with the Twentynine Palms Historical Society. Lectures start at 7 pm and are $5 at the door.
| Date | Class | Instructor(s) |
|---|---|---|
| January 11 | The Dunn Family History in 29 Palms | Jeff Dunn + Bob Dunn |
| February 8 | Adventures in the Mojave Trails National Monument | Kyle Sullivan |
| March 8 | The Treaty of Temecula and the American Invasion in Southern California | Sean Milanovich |
| April 12 | Desert Plant Ecology or Why Does The Desert Poke Me? | Dr. Chris McDonald, Ph.D. |
| May 10 | Civilization Through Citrus: Sherman Institute, 1901-1950 | Amanda Wixon |
| June 14 | History of Water in the Morongo Basin - Perspectives on an Underappreciated Resource | Marina West |
Palm Springs Public Library
300 S Sunrise Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262
Map marker opens location in Google MapsSince 2012, the Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park has partnered with the Palm Springs Public Library to provide speakers for the Library's monthly lecture series. Lectures are from 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm and are free.
| Date | Class | Instructor(s) |
|---|---|---|
| January 9 | Kokoweef: Still Searching for the Lost River of Gold | Kim Stringfellow |
| February 6 | Pioneertown, USA: Where the Old West Lives Again | Kenneth Gentry |
| March 6 | The Secret Lives of Desert-Dwelling Bees | Hollis Woodard, Ph.D. |
| April 3 | Adventures in the Mojave Trails National Monument | Kyle Sullivan |