News Articles

August 30, 2016

Start collecting virtual fossils today! The Virginia Museum of Natural History is proud to be a supporter, and content provider, for 3D Fossil! Developed by Educational Virtual Worlds, 3D Fossil is an exciting, interactive way to learn about Virginia's fossil record. By downloading the app, the museum receives part of the proceeds, which support museum programs in education, research and exhibits! To learn more, visit www.vmnh.net/3D-fossil-app

August 30, 2016

To help celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, the museum has created a geocache opportunity for participants to travel a miniature ground sloth model named "Lil' Clawd" to as many national parks throughout the country as possible by August 25, 2017. Using GPS location devices, members of the Geocaching.com community (free registration) can find the geocache that Lil' Clawd is located, log the entry on the Geocaching.com website, then travel it to a new geocache location within or around another national park for others to find! For the full list of the national parks participants can take Lil' Clawd, visit http://www.vmnh.net/geocache.

August 30, 2016

"Clawd" the giant ground sloth is 25 this year, and he's as popular as ever! Be sure to take your photo with Clawd in the Lobby during your next visit using #Clawd25. In addition to our longtime residents like Clawd, we are adding many new specimens, displays and exhibits, with recently added displays throughout the galleries. VMNH Membership is a great way to see these updates throughout the year; visit https://www.vmnh.net/membership/new to join. We look forward to seeing you at the museum!

August 30, 2016

We are excited to announce the 2016-2017 Doodle Bugs series for children ages 3 to 5 (with a parent/grandparent). These fun, educational, hands-on programs are held at 10 a.m. on the 2nd Wednesday of each month (unless otherwise noted) from September 14, 2016 through May 10, 2017. Pre-registration is required one week prior to each event by contacting the museum at 276-634-4185 or discover@vmnh.virginia.gov. Don't wait - register today!

August 29, 2016

Dr. Kal Ivanov, assistant curator of recent invertebrates at VMNH, led a program on ant taxonomy and field research techniques for participants of the Virginia Master Naturalist statewide conference on Sunday, August 28 at Smith Mountain Lake. After presenting the necessary background information on the taxonomy, ecology, natural history, and evolution of ants, Dr. Ivanov led participants on a field trip, in which they participated in collecting and sampling techniques, as well as the associated lab work focused on specimen preparation, sorting and labeling.

August 27, 2016

Dr. Nancy Moncrief, curator of mammalogy, presented a mammal trapping program at the statewide Virginia Master Naturalist conference today at Smith Mountain Lake. Most native mammals in Virginia are small, secretive, difficult to identify, and active only at night. The only effective method for studying many species is trapping. During the program, participants explored various methods of capturing mammals, as well as set their own traps. Participants observed and photographed the animals that were captured, and then released them where they were caught. Additionally, Dr. Moncrief reviewed with participants various other methods for studying mammals that do not require capture and handling.

August 26, 2016

Dr. Alex Hastings, assistant curator of paleontology at VMNH, will be featured in the documentary, "Prehistoric Megabeasts: Croc vs Snake", set to debut in the UK this Sunday on British public television broadcaster, Channel 4! Plans are in the works to have the documentary released in the U.S. and we can't wait!

August 25, 2016

#TBT As we continue to add new specimens, displays and exhibits to our galleries, we also want to recognize our popular displays that have been around a bit longer. "Clawd" the giant ground sloth has been greeting visitors of all ages for the past 25 years, having first arrived at the museum's previous facility in 1991. Be sure to stop for a selfie with Clawd and wish him a happy 25th anniversary during your next visit!

August 24, 2016

Scientific American has published an interesting article about the roles of carnivores during the Ice Age. If you're interested in the era of saber-toothed cats and giant ground sloths, be sure to visit the museum and its one-of-a-kind Ice Age exhibit!

August 24, 2016

Dr. Kal Ivanov, assistant curator of recent invertebrates, found this male black widow spider with a tiny larva attached to it. He is keeping it alive in hopes of rearing the larva. Since Sunday, it appears to have doubled in size. Various wasps will sting a spider before depositing an egg, and the resulting larva feeds as an ectoparasite (parasitizing from the outside) on the paralyzed but still living host spider. We watched as the digestive system worked to pump fluids out of the doomed host...

August 22, 2016

The museum is teaming-up with Stratford Hall to help conserve the fossils of the Stratford Hall Crocodile, a crocodile that lived approximately 14 million years ago! Dr. Hastings, assistant curator of paleontology at VMNH, showed off the top and lower jaws of the crocodile today, which have been reunited inside the museum's collections for the first time in many years.

August 19, 2016

The Virginia Museum of Natural History is proud to announce that we are taking part in the "Museums for All" initiative, an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) program that provides discounted museum admission to low-income families. Please click the link below to learn more, or contact us at information@vmnh.virginia.gov with questions. Please share and help us spread the word about this important program.

August 17, 2016

A new job opportunity is now available at the museum!

August 17, 2016

Have you signed up for Adult Curator Camp? This unique 21-and-older event includes hands-on science, a delicious meal, refreshments (beer, wine, tea, water) and great company! Space is limited, with only a few spots left. Don't wait...reserve your space today online at http://www.vmnh.net/events/details/id/262/adult-curator-camp or by calling 276-634-4171. We look forward to seeing you at camp!

August 17, 2016

We had a blast during this year's Summer Adventure Camps! Thanks to all our campers who made the summer so special! Sit back and enjoy some of the highlights from this year's camps in this video recap produced by our wonderful education intern, Cynthia Barajas, who also helped lead many of the camps throughout the summer!

August 16, 2016

We were happy to host Sen. Mark Warner yesterday evening at the museum for a business round table meeting with Martinsville and Henry County officials!

August 15, 2016

Thanks to Charlie Cooper and WFXR (Roanoke FOX affiliate) for coming out to the museum for a series of live interviews during last Friday's "Good Day Virginia" telecast to showcase the museum's exhibits and scientific research!

August 15, 2016

Thanks to Charlie Cooper and WFXR (Roanoke FOX affiliate) for coming out to the museum for a series of live interviews during last Friday's "Good Day Virginia" telecast to showcase the museum's exhibits and scientific research!

August 5, 2016

Mark your calendars for the VMNH Science Talks at the Wayne Theatre in Waynesboro from September 13 through November 8!

August 3, 2016

We're busy with more updates to our permanent exhibit galleries! Today, we installed a phenomenal scene of two lions hunting a cape buffalo in the Lee & George W. Lester, II How Nature Works gallery. More images to follow as the updates progress!

August 2, 2016

The iconic Stegosaurus skeleton from the Smithsonian's Natural Museum of Natural History will be unveiled at VMNH during the 2-day Dino Day festival, July 21-22, 2017.

August 2, 2016

Staff and volunteers successfully installed a sable antelope display in the Hahn Hall of Biodiversity today. This is just one of many additions to the museum's permanent exhibits that are planned for the coming weeks!

August 1, 2016

Dr. Nancy Moncrief, curator of mammalogy, and Dr. Kal Ivanov, assistant curator of invertebrate zoology, were at the Skelton 4-H Center at Smith Mountain Lake to scout options and locations for field activities during programs they will present at the statewide Virginia Master Naturalists Conference from August 26-28!

August 1, 2016

Dr. Alex Hastings (VMNH Asst. Paleontology Curator) gave a presentation for Science Circle, an international online community of science enthusiasts that meets on Second Life. Check out this great blog entry put together by K.T. Burnett!