News Articles

June 30, 2017

VMNH Research Associate and VCU professor Dr. Bernard Means of the Virtual Curation Laboratory is featured today in a VCU News story for his work with mastodon fossils from around the country. https://news.vcu.edu/research/VCU_lab_3D_scans_mastodon_fossils_helping_researchers_around

June 29, 2017

We're ready for the Dino Festival! Are YOU? Dr. Alex Hastings, assistant curator of paleontology (left), takes a break from exhibit installation to goof around with T-rex (aka Madison Pullis, our wonderful paleontology intern from Iowa State University) and the equally wonderful Belkasim Khameiss, who is also interning within the paleontology department by way of Ball State University.

June 29, 2017

We're preparing for an "epoch" Dino Festival Friday, July 21 through Saturday, July 22! Dr. Alex Hastings, assistant curator of paleontology at VMNH, gives us a quick walkthrough of some of the dino displays that are currently being installed inside the museum's special exhibit gallery in preparation of our July dinosaur extravaganza!

June 27, 2017

Yesterday the VMNH crew moved the massive Triceratops fossil skull from the paleo lab to the exhibit hall for the new Dinosaurs: Reign of the Giants exhibit, opening July 21. No simple task with a skull this big. Stop by the museum to see how set up is going!

June 24, 2017

This week Dr. Nancy D. Moncrief, curator of mammalogy, is attending the American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) annual conference at the University of Idaho. This group is comprised of more than 2,000 professional scientists and their students from universities and museums throughout the world, who study all aspects of the ecology and evolution of wild mammals, especially those that live in North America. More than 500 members attended the conference, which included more than 300 technical presentations. While at the conference, Dr. Moncrief presented information about 2 of her collaborative research projects. Dr. Moncrief is also a member of the ASM Systematic Collections Committee of ASM. This committee maintains a ...

June 23, 2017

Today was the last day for the centennial Saltville dig, an Ice Age site in charming Saltville, VA. After some more digging today, we tarped up the site and will let nature re-flood the pit. Already thinking about next year's dig!

June 22, 2017

Another great day at the Saltville fossil site, digging for ice age animals with ETSU, the VMNH paleo team was out in force today with Alex Hastings Ray Vodden Aryanna James and Madison Pullis. Checked out the Museum of the Middle Appalachians too! All part of the centennial dig marking 100 years of science at Saltville!

June 22, 2017

One giant of the Cretaceous period has already made itself comfortable inside the museum's special exhibit gallery, while patiently awaiting its public debut during the Dino Festival on Friday, July 21 from 3 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, July 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.! Any idea what type of dinosaur it is?

June 22, 2017

Live from an ice age fossil site in Saltville VA.

June 22, 2017

FACEBOOK LIVE AT 11 A.M. TODAY! VMNH scientists and researchers are in Smyth County, Virginia today participating in a paleontology dig at the Saltville site, which is well-known for its wealth of Ice Age fossils. Connect with them live from the field at 11 a.m. today!

June 21, 2017

More from today's dig at the Saltville site. A lot of the VMNH team was hard at work clearing overburden today to get to the great fossils below!

June 21, 2017

Several museum scientists and researchers are in Saltville, Virginia to participate in a paleontology dig that is taking place this week in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the first dig at Saltville. Saltville is a well-known paleontological site that has yielded a wealth of Ice Age fossils since 1917. Members of VMNH and other institutions that have worked the site over the past century are joining together for a ceremonial dig all week long.

June 20, 2017

Deadlines have been extended for the following Summer Adventure Camps! If you are interested in signing-up your child for one of these one-of-a-kind camps, please do so ASAP by calling the museum at 276-634-4185 or emailing discover@vmnh.virginia.gov! SCHOLARSHIPS ARE STILL AVAILABLE!!! See all of our upcoming camps at www.vmnh.net/summer-adventure camps! Junior Naturalist camp registration is open until tomorrow at noon. Do you like spending time outside to learn about nature? This camp is just for you! Campers will explore our local outdoor treasures and earn Junior Naturalist certification along the way. Dress for the outdoors! Space in Pop Culture Camp registration is open until June 26th at noon. Do you like Star ...

June 20, 2017

Dr. Joe Keiper, executive director of VMNH, and Dr. Elizabeth Moore, curator of archaeology at VMNH, are currently in Smyth County, Virginia to take part in the week-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the first research dig in Saltville. Saltville is a well-known fossil site that has yielded a wealth of Ice Age specimens since 1917. Members of VMNH and many other institutions that have worked the site over the past century are participating in the celebration, which is also open to the public.

June 20, 2017

VMNH research staff are working in Saltville this week. ETSU has been recovering short-faced bear and mastodon. Once the water is pumped out we can start digging.

June 17, 2017

It's a 2-day dinosaur extravaganza, featuring a plethora of dinosaur fossils, life-size cast skeletons, games, crafts and activities! LIFE-SIZE GIANTS! Full cast skeletons of Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Acrocanthosaurus, Allosaurus and Deinoncyhus, along with a plethora of dinosaur fossils, including... ... A WORLD DEBUT! For the first time ever on public display, fossil evidence that T. rex and Triceratops engaged in battle! All of the fun and games you'd expect a festival of this magnitude to have will be in full abundance! Face-painting, henna, balloon animals, take-home crafts, and everything in between will take place. The 2-day event will take place from 3 to 8 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. ...

June 17, 2017

We had a blast hosting our first-ever Dragon Festival today! Thanks to all of our visitors and to the many people, organizations and businesses that made this event possible!

June 17, 2017

Dragon Fest, fire breather performing and more shows to come! Join us!

June 16, 2017

As the rest of the museum gears up for Dragon Fest, VMNH paleontologists Alex Hastings and Ray Vodden headed to Tennessee to present at the Southeastern Association of Vertebrate Paleontology conference hosted at the Gray Fossil Site & Museum. So much great science happening!

June 16, 2017

We're getting ready for an epic Dragon Festival tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the museum! Don't miss out!

June 15, 2017

Check out our exciting lineup of activities, displays and presentations at the first ever Dragon Festival on Saturday, June 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Virginia Museum of Natural History!

June 14, 2017

The museum is proud to be featured in the June 2017 issue of Showcase Magazine! Be sure to check out the issue online today to learn about the museum, our scientific research, and our amazing lineup of summer events!

June 9, 2017

The latest paleo blog is up now, introducing paleontology's other new summer intern Belkasim Khameiss. Check out what he's working on!

June 8, 2017

Cool video of the day...a dragonfly larvae hunts and feeds on a water bug! The video was captured by the Dr. Joe Keiper, executive director of the museum, inside the museum's entomology lab.

June 8, 2017

The museum was happy to host participants of Patrick Henry Community College's Middle School Summer Experience program today! Museum curators and research technicians brought the participants to their labs and collections areas to give them insight into the type of work museum scientists conduct on a daily basis. Even the museum's executive director, Dr. Joe Keiper, gave participants a glimpse into his work as an expert forensic entomologist!

June 7, 2017

Check out the latest blog post over at the paleo lab, written by summer intern Madison Pullis. She's doing some fun work with VMNH dinosaurs!

June 5, 2017

Deadlines have been extended for the following Summer Adventure Camps! If you are interested in signing-up your child for one of these one-of-a-kind camps, please do so ASAP by calling the museum at 276-634-4185 or emailing discover@vmnh.virginia.gov! Learn more at www.vmnh.net/summer-adventure camps! Outdoor Adventures | June 12 - 16 | Ages 6 to 8 Calling all puddle jumpers and mud pie makers! Come discover the plants and animals around the museum and why it is important to care for the environment. Dress for the outdoors! Marvels of Technology | June 19 - 23 | Ages 6 to 8 Ever wonder where electricity came from? What about everyday inventions? Historical and current technologies will all be built and explored, ...

June 5, 2017

Our first week of summer camps is in full swing! There is still time to sign up for our remaining camps and a few scholarships are still available for our nature themed camps. Give Debbi Bryant a call at (276) 634-4185 or send an email to debbi.bryant@vmnh.virginia.gov if you would like to sign a child up or would like more information!

June 1, 2017

Dr. Kal Ivanov, assistant curator of invertebrate zoology, along with Kendall Cope (intern), are busy prepping dragonflies for an exhibit at the Museum and Archives of Rockingham County, North Carolina!