This Saturday, two BYU Museums will celebrate Museum Day with festivities for all ages.

"Many of the students don't know about the museums that are a part of BYU," said Paul Stavast Museum of Peoples and Culture director. "Museum Day is a great way to make them more visible in the community."

The two exhibits this semester at the MPC, 700 N. 100 East, Provo, are "Touching the Past: Traditions of Casasa Grandes" and "Seeking the Divine: Ritual, Prayer and Celebration."

The MPC is a teaching museum for students interested in archaeology and museum studies. The 18 student-employees are solely in charge of researching, designing and installing the exhibits, Stavast said.

To celebrate, the MPC offers free tours 1-5 p.m. Friday, every hour on the hour.

On Saturday, Museum Day festivities include excavating for arrowheads and beads, making pottery and creating masks.

"I encouraged all of my friends to come," said Tammy Messick, an anthropology student who works at the MPC. "I told them that they can make maracas and eat cookies, and they were pretty excited."

The MPC will give the public a hands-on experience, Messick said. By making the objects themselves, patrons will understand how objects are made and how they are used.

The BYU Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, 645 E. 1430 North, Provo, will feature three animal shows Saturday: "Animal Adaptations" at 10:15 a.m., "Invertebrate Animals" at 11:15 a.m. and "Reptiles" at 1 p.m. The Bean museum will have prizes for children and light refreshments.

"Museums are such an amazing source of knowledge," said Patty Jones, administrative assistant to the director at the Bean Museum.

Other museums are celebrating the holiday, including the Orem Heritage Museum and the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point.

For museum information, visit mpc.byu.edu and mlbean.byu.edu.