“Orcas: Our Shared Future” opens at the Natural History Museum on April 26. (photo courtesy of NHMLAC)

Dive into an unforgettable, underwater-inspired experience coming to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County this spring, as “Orcas: Our Shared Future” brings an immersive look at the lives and impact of orcas – the apex predator of all oceans – to the Exposition Park museum beginning on April 26.

“Orcas: Our Shared Future” invites visitors to explore the powerful connections between orcas, people and the oceans. Through life-size orca family replicas and dynamic installations, guests will discover how the intelligent, family-centered animals live, communicate and thrive. Captivating sculpture, masks and prints by Indigenous artists of the Pacific Northwest Coast that honor the compelling relationships between orcas and Northwest Coast First Nations will provide additional perspectives on the orca-human connection. Weaving together science and culture, the exhibition examines the complex lives of the fascinating animals.

“Orcas are among Earth’s most complicated, fascinating and misunderstood beings,” NHMLAC President and Director Dr. Lori Bettison-Varga said. “I hope visitors will leave ‘Orcas: Our Shared Future’ with a deep appreciation for these powerful icons of the seas and the significant role they play in our ocean ecosystems – and our imaginations.”

The 10,000-square-foot multidisciplinary exhibition includes 140 original artifacts and specimens, including a sculpture of an articulated adult female orca skeleton, and a life-size family of three replica orcas. In addition to diving deep into the stories and science that surround the magnificent orca, ‘Orcas: Our Shared Future’ will follow the currents of ecological activism, popular culture and Indigenous beliefs to gain a new appreciation of the sophisticated animals long feared in Western cultures as “killer whales.”

Guests will discover the complex social structure of orca society – such as unique cultures and languages – reflect on the surprising consequences of captivity, learn which orca populations are thriving and which are at risk, and resurface with a new understanding of how orcas and humans are inextricably connected – including our shared ecology and the longstanding beliefs of the Indigenous peoples of the Eastern North Pacific.

On-site programming for “Orcas: Our Shared Future” includes a range of options for visitors of all ages, including at least one welcome day featuring panel discussions and activities, a special week of the Adventures in Nature Day Camp titled “Pod Patrol” (for rising K-5 students), and numerous evening opportunities from NHM’s beloved series such as “Elephant in the Room” and “B Movies and Bad Science.”

“Orcas: Our Shared Future” will be on view at the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park for a limited time beginning April 26 with member preview days on April 24-25. The exhibition is an add-on experience; a general admission ticket is required for entry. Tickets start at $12 for adults and $6 for children; free for members.

For information and tickets, visit nhm.org/orcas.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is located at 900 Exposition Blvd.