Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky

Who Needs the Dark? 
We All Do! 

Whether active during the day or night, most life on Earth evolved under the cycles of sunlight, moonlight, and starlight.  

In this exhibit, discover the beauty of the dark night sky where you can see the moon, a field of stars, and the Milky Way. Investigate how different animals are adversely affected by light pollution and what communities are doing to help.  

Listen to the nighttime sounds of different animals and hear how different cultures around the world have told stories about the night sky.  

Help a firefly find its mate and consider what solutions to light pollution can improve nighttime safety and protect nocturnal animals.  

Online Resources

• Take the virtual tour from home. 
• Explore the beauty of the night sky and the dangers of light pollution with our online StoryMap. 
• Listen to the Lights Out episode of the Smithsonian Sidedoor podcast. 
• Discover our astronomy digital collections in the Smithsonian Learning Lab.