News Articles

November 30, 2016

In recognition of the many anniversaries, commemorations and unveilings in the coming year, we have designated 2017 as "The Year of Discovery." This year-long celebration will include a variety of special events, exhibits and programs: -10 years in the current facility -30th annual Thomas Jefferson Awards – March 16, 2017 -10th anniversary gala (Grapes & Grains) – April 29, 2017 -10th anniversary Dino Day Festival - July 21-22, 2017 -100th anniversary on display for the Stegosaurus recently donated from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History (to be unveiled as part of Dino Day, July 21-22, 2017). This iconic exhibit was first put on display at the Smithsonian in 1917, and was only the 2nd ...

November 21, 2016

Over 70 5th graders from Park Avenue Elementary in Danville came to the museum today to tour the exhibits and take part in a scientific investigations program, in which students honed their skills in observation, classification, data collection and data analysis. Interested in having your students visit the museum or having a museum educator come to your classroom? Be sure to check out our education program guide, which lists the plethora of SOL-based programs and other activities yours students can participate in at the museum or remotely. http://www.vmnh.net/content/uploads/PDF/Education/education_program_guide.pdf

November 19, 2016

All set up for the North Carolina Fossil Fair at the Greensboro Science Center. We're here from 9:00-4:00, so come on by and check out all the great fossils!

November 18, 2016

Dr. Nancy Moncrief, curator of mammalogy, and Dr. Elizabeth Moore, curator of archaeology, participated in STEM Day at Patrick Henry Community College on Friday, November 18. Using replica specimens from the VMNH collections, students from local schools participated in an animal remains identification program, which they explored evidence of climate change, animal extinction, and the introduction of non-native species.

November 18, 2016

Drs. Moncrief and Moore are participating in the Patrick Henry Community College STEM day exploring evidence of climate change.

November 18, 2016

Eastern Virginia Outreach Education Coordinator Susan Walton staffing the VMNH booth @VaSciTeachers Virginia Association of Science Teachers conference in Williamsburg.

November 17, 2016

VMNH paleontologists Alex Hastings & Lucy Treado had fun talking about fossil snakes & bugs with local TV show host Lock Boyce on BTW 21 tonight!

November 17, 2016

Let your next adventure take you to the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville. Spectacular dinosaur displays, fascinating animal mounts, and interactive exhibits tell Earth's story from 500 million years ago to present day. Peek inside a working paleontology lab to watch scientists prepare actual dinosaur fossils from the Mesozoic era, approximately 250 to 65 million years ago. Look inside the museum's archaeology lab to watch archaeologists and anthropologists study artifacts from ancient cultures that give us a window into human life from hundreds to thousands of years ago. Open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $7/adult, $5/ages 3-18. Free for children under 3. Check out our Facebook page ...

November 17, 2016

For those in the area, tune in tonight at 7:30pm to BTW 21 to see VMNH paleontologists Dr. Hastings and Lucy Treado talk about fossil snakes & fossil bugs!

November 17, 2016

The museum is proud to partner with Toys for Tots to collect new, unwrapped toys as gifts for less fortunate children in our community. Now through Dec. 10, those who bring in an unwrapped toy or purchase and donate a toy from the Museum Store will receive a FREE pass for a future visit to VMNH. Thank you for your support of this great program!

November 16, 2016

Dr. Elizabeth Moore, curator of archaeology at VMNH, gave a presentation last night to the Roanoke Chapter of the Archeological Society of Virginia on on the faunal remains from the Great Neck Site in Virginia Beach. The Great Neck site is a Native American settlement that dates to ca. A.D. 400. Attendees learned how to identify some of the more common remains in the assemblage, including shark, ray, various fishes, oyster, clam, crab, and more. Chapter members will continue working on the sample and the resulting data will be incorporated into the analysis and interpretation of the site.

November 15, 2016

Dr. Hastings (VMNH Paleontologist) and Katie Hastings (VMNH Educator) visited Roanoke's Science Museum of Western Virginia to talk outreach and collections today. Fun place!

November 15, 2016

Hey, museum fans in the New River Valley! Dr. Kal Ivanov, assistant curator of invertebrate zoology at the Virginia Museum of Natural History, will be presenting "Ants of the Commonwealth and other ant-centric investigations" this Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at Virginia Tech. We hope you can make it!

November 10, 2016

Dr. Joe Keiper, executive director of VMNH, 2nd Thursday Science Talk

November 10, 2016

Dr. Alex Hastings (VMNH Paleontology Curator) traveled today to Petersburg, VA to pick up a mystery fossil box donation and long-term loan from a closing visitor center at Blandford Church (site of the nearby Revolutionary War 'Battle of Blandford'). The visitor center is going under new management and wanted to pass along what they had to the VMNH. Turned out it was a great display made by the VMNH more than 15 years ago and a box full of Chesapecten, the state fossil of Virginia. Great for education and outreach, especially these awesome giant fossil scallop shells!

November 9, 2016

This is it! Youth Curator Camp is an opportunity for children ages 6 to 12 to learn about the museum, meet the museum's scientists, and participate in fun, hands-on activities and programs led by the curators! In addition, campers will enjoy pizza and a movie in the museum's education center! Visit www.vmnh.net/youth-curator-camp for a full list of activities and to register today! Deadline to register is November 28.

November 7, 2016

The museum is a polling site for tomorrow's election, but we will still be open to visitors from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We hope to see you here!

November 7, 2016

#VMNHGreenScreen

November 4, 2016

The museum hosted an open house for its members, donors and corporate supporters on Friday, November 4 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Participants were able to talk with museum curators, as they showed off their labs and collections areas, while discussing the type of work they do on a daily basis. Other highlights included being able to tour the museum's distance learning studio, where participants were able to have their photo taken in front of a green screen, with an image of Titanaboa, as well as a sneak-peak of the collections area where the museum's full-size skeleton of Stegosaurus is being worked on in preparation for its Dino Day festival unveiling July 21-22, 2017! Of course, the museum's education center was also on the ...

November 4, 2016

Dr. Elizabeth Moore, VMNH Curator of Archaeology, gave a hands-on presentation on Wednesday to the Massanutten Chapter of the Archeological Society of Virginia. Attendees learned about ongoing research on the faunal (animal) remains from the Great Neck site in Virginia Beach. The site has yielded large quantities of material to be sorted and identified. This group, like several others across the state, receive training, a set of identified specimens to use as reference, and a large bag of material to sort. They look for things like fish vertebra, teeth, and scales, pieces of crab claw, oyster and clam shell, and more. When finished, their sorted sample will be integrated with other data from the site for analysis and ...

November 3, 2016

Dr. Alex Hastings, assistant curator of paleontology at the Virginia Museum of Natural History, was featured in the latest episode of PBS's "Secrets of the Dead". You can now watch the episode in its entirety on PBS.org.

November 2, 2016

Dr. Alex Hastings, assistant curator of paleontology, is continuing his media blitz leading up to the premier of the PBS documentary "Secrets of the Dead: Graveyard of the Giant Beasts" tonight at 10 p.m. ET (check local listings). Dr. Hastings is featured in the documentary for his expertise in ancient crocodilians and for being part of the teams that uncovered the giant crocodile and snake in South America that are the focus of the show.

November 2, 2016

Dr. Alex Hastings, assistant curator of paleontology, will be featured in the PBS program "Secrets of the Dead: Graveyard of the Giant Beasts", premiering tonight at 10 p.m.