News Articles

February 28, 2018

It's never too early to learn about dinosaurs! Dr. Joe Keiper, executive director of VMNH, had a blast reading a dinosaur-themed book to children at Happy Feet Early Learning and Child Center in Martinsville today as part of the Martinsville Rotary Club's community reading program!

February 24, 2018

Earlier today VMNH paleo was at the Fossil Fair at The Schiele Museum of Natural History showing off some awesome fossil fun. Good crowd, good times!

February 24, 2018

Dr. Kal Ivanov, assistant curator of invertebrate zoology, is at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History for the annual Ohio Natural History Conference. Dr. Ivanov is taking in the conference's presentations, as well as presenting his own poster highlighting his research project of documenting the variety of ants that are found in Ohio today.

February 23, 2018

VMNH paleo was down in South Carolina today visiting the Museum of York County ahead of the big Fossil Fair tomorrow at the Schiele Museum. Great exhibits & plans for them to come up to Martinsville for #DinoFest 2018!

February 22, 2018

Can you spot the changes we've made to the How Nature Works gallery? If you haven't been to the museum recently, now is a great time to see all of the updates we've made in recent months!

February 17, 2018

Staff are out on the floor with the Girl Scouts with cool displays and activities, so don't fear the rain!

February 17, 2018

Weather is holding out enough that the JOIDES Resolution is up for an hour or two! Come on by! New exhibits and displays inside too.

February 17, 2018

New deep sea drilling exhibit in our Waker Lecture Hall. Come on by!

February 17, 2018

Staff are unpacking the JOIDES Resolution as we speak! We'll have it up until 2pm, longer if weather cooperates!

February 17, 2018

The inflatable JOIDES Resolution research exhibit is now going up in VMNH parking lot thanks to a break in the weather! Come out and enjoy the educational and fun activities!

February 16, 2018

The Virginia Museum of Natural History hosted its 31st annual VMNH Foundation Thomas Jefferson Awards February 15 at the Library of Virginia in Richmond. The Thomas Jefferson Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Natural Science was presented to Dr. Robert J. Bodnar, C.C. Garvin Professor of Geochemistry and university distinguished professor in the department of geosciences at Virginia Tech. The Thomas Jefferson Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Natural Science Education was presented to Dr. Denny Casey, retired director of education and public programs of the Virginia Museum of Natural History. The Thomas Jefferson Award for Conservation was presented to Michael J. Pinder, Aquatic Biologist/State Non-Game Fish ...

February 13, 2018

Let your next adventure take you to the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville! Open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Only $7 per adult and $5 for children and youth ages 3-18. Free for children under 3 and museum members! Members of museums that participate in the ASTC Passport program receive free admission, too!

February 9, 2018

VMNH is at #DarwinDay at Roanoke College tonight, talking evolution and natural history. Happy Birthday Charles Darwin! #FossilFriday

February 8, 2018

Dr. Alex Hastings, 2nd Thursday Science Talk

February 8, 2018

We're extremely excited to announce that the traveling exhibit "In Search of Earth's Secrets: A Pop-Up Science Encounter", is now available to our visitors for a very limited time! The exhibit is making its national, public debut at VMNH and features six, interactive, hands-on learning stations that take visitors on a journey to explore the mysteries of Earth's sub-seafloor. The exhibit will be available to visitors through Monday, February 19 before traveling to various other locations throughout Martinsville and the surrounding area. On Saturday, February 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the museum is hosting an exhibit debut celebration in partnership with Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council and the Blue Ridge Regional ...

February 7, 2018

VMNH paleontologist Dr. Alex Hastings was interviewed by the podcast "I Know Dino" about his project with the museum Education Department that fuses comic books, dinosaurs, and informal education. The episode just came out, so give it a listen!

February 7, 2018

We don't recommend using a blacklight in a hotel room, but it can be a ton of fun in a geology lab! Calcite and willemite is all business in fluorescent light, but it's a party in blacklight!

February 6, 2018

Yesterday VMNH paleontologist Dr. Alex Hastings gave a guest lesson for East Tennessee State University's Paleoherpetology course (fossil reptiles and amphibians), tied with the Gray Fossil Site. Teaching with crocodiles is always a good time! #croctastic

February 6, 2018

We are hard at work setting up the indoor portion of the exhibit "In Search of Earth's Secrets: A Pop-Up Science Encounter" in the Walker Lecture Hall at the Virginia Museum of Natural History. This exhibit will be open now through February 17 when we will host a day-long celebration event in partnership with the Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council. The large outdoor interactive ship portion of the exhibit will on display February 17. Be sure to stop by in the coming days to view this amazing collaborative exhibit developed in partnership with the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. Learn more at http://joidesresolution.org/pop-updrill-down-science/.

February 2, 2018

Be sure to catch Dr. Alex Hastings LIVE ON FACEBOOK at 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 8! Dr. Hastings will be presenting "Digging up the Shark-filled Ancient Sea: The Fossil Ecosystem of the Carmel Church Quarry in Ruther Glen, Virginia" during the next edition of the Virginia Museum of Natural History's '2nd Thursday Science Talks' series!

February 2, 2018

VMNH just set up a display for #DarwinDay at Roanoke College. The school's theme this year is poetry, so check out some paleo poetry that merges poems and ancient animals, including poetry by Charles Darwin's grandfather. The display is up for one month at the RC library...check it out!