News Articles

September 27, 2013

The Virginia Museum of Natural History and the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce hosted an annual teacher appreciation event at the museum on September 26 for all area and regional teachers and educators. The event was sponsored by El Norteño restaurant and attracted over 100 participants, including out of state educators as far away as North Carolina A&T University. The evening included dinner, drinks, behind-the-scenes tours, door prizes, and gift bags. Three lucky participants had the thrill of opening their gift bags to discover gift certificates worth $1,000 from Dr. David Jones's orthodontics practice located in Martinsville! The museum and Chamber thank all teachers and educators for their ...

September 25, 2013

Join us for Smithsonian Museum Day at the Virginia Museum of Natural History on September 28, and help us support the Grace Network food pantry! Visitors who present their Museum Day pass will receive free admission to VMNH that day. Passes are available in Smithsonian magazine and online at www.smithsonian.com/museumday. Visitors who bring one or more canned food items will also receive a complimentary museum pass for a later visit, with the donated food items to be given to Grace Network, a local food pantry.

September 23, 2013

The museum has released a short video letting everyone know some of the unique ways VMNH brings learning and fun to its audience!

September 23, 2013

TEACHERS!! The Virginia Museum of Natural History and the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce are hosting their annual Teacher Appreciation Night on Thursday, September 26 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the museum! The event is FREE to teachers and educators in Martinsville, Henry County, and the surrounding school districts. Stop by to enjoy complimentary food and refreshments provided by El Norteno, and learn about how the museum can help support you this school year! SPACE IS LIMITED, so please RSVP to Charlotte Harter by September 23 at 276-634-4162 or charlotte.harter@vmnh.virginia.gov. We look forward to seeing you at the museum!

September 21, 2013

Well over 1,000 visitors took part in the Reptile Day family festival at the museum on Saturday, September 21 and they all witnessed a plethora of scaly, slithering creatures. Hundreds of snakes and other reptiles were on display, including rattlesnakes, cobras, and even an alligator! We hope everyone who attended had an amazing time and hope those of you who couldn't attend will be able to next year! More photos to be posted soon...

September 20, 2013

Friday with turtles, snakes and students!

September 20, 2013

Hundreds of live snakes are at the museum and hundreds of children are coming to see them! The museum is hosting Reptile Day Student Day today for area students and, thanks to the support of the Fontaine and Oak Level Ruritan Clubs, the students are able to attend the event for free! The children are able to check out all the snakes and other reptiles (even handle some of them), as well as take part in educational activities presented by Philpott Lake Rangers, Dan River Basin Association, reptile expert Keith Farmer, and museum educators. The museum thanks all community partners and supporters for making today one to remember for the kids! Be sure to catch all of the fun tomorrow during the Reptile Day Family Festival ...

September 19, 2013

The reptiles are arriving! Don't miss the Reptile Day festival at the Virginia Museum of Natural History on Saturday, September 21. We look forward to seeing you at the museum! #Reptileday

September 19, 2013

Keith Farmer (right and facing) has brought hundreds of snakes to the museum in preparation for Saturday's Reptile Day family festival! Approximately 250 area students will be visiting the museum tomorrow for our Reptile Day student day activities. Don't miss out on all the excitement at the museum this weekend! #Reptileday

September 19, 2013

We are looking forward to a great Reptile Day event on Saturday, September 21! We'll have a museum full of snakes and other reptiles and amphibians! Visitors can enjoy special presentations, hands-on reptile-themed games and other crafts, and special Reptile Day items in the Museum Store. We look forward to seeing you there! #Reptileday

September 19, 2013

Dr. Alton Dooley, VMNH Curator of Paleontology, and Ray Vodden, Research Technician, recently presented a casting display at the Joseph Moore Museum on the campus of Earlham College in Indiana.

September 19, 2013

Dr. Joe Keiper, VMNH Executive Director, was recently interviewed by WDBJ7 about the future VMNH branch facility.

September 17, 2013

Dr. Bernard Means of the Virtual Curation Laboratory at Virginia Commonwealth University recently traveled to VMNH, where he and VCU staff scanned Miocene whale vertebra from an adult whale fossil skeleton. VMNH staff will use the digital models to make printed replicas to help reconstruct the juvenile whale's skeleton.

September 17, 2013

Slither your way into the Virginia Museum of Natural History and witness some of the most exciting cold-blooded creatures around! * Over 200 live snakes and other reptiles * Reptile-themed games and crafts throughout the day * Cobras, rattlesnakes, alligators and other amazing creatures * Reptile and amphibian specimens from the VMNH collections * Special presentations by reptile experts Mark Kilby and Keith Farmer Visit www.vmnh.net for more information! #Reptileday

September 13, 2013

Don't miss the Reptile Day festival on Saturday, September 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Virginia Museum of Natural History! We look forward to seeing you at the museum! #Reptileday

September 13, 2013

Student Day is Friday, September 20 Public Day is Saturday, September 21 Slither your way into the Virginia Museum of Natural History and witness some of the most exciting cold-blooded creatures around! --Over 200 live snakes and other reptiles --Reptile-themed games and crafts throughout the day --Cobras, rattlesnakes, alligators and other amazing creatures --Reptile and amphibian specimens from the VMNH collections --Special presentations by reptile experts Mark Kilby and Keith Farmer Visit www.vmnh.net for more information! #Reptileday

September 12, 2013

Dr. Joe Keiper, executive director of VMNH, presented "Insect evidence from serial killings: The use of museum collections to assist investigators" to the public on September 12 at the museum. During his presentation, Dr. Keiper discussed his work as a forensic investigator in actual serial killing cases and how the use of insects from crime scenes can often serve as an important element in helping the justice system. The lecture was part of the museum's "2nd Thursday Science Talks", which features a new scientific topic each month presented by experts on the respective subjects. The presentations are free to the public and occur the second Thursday of each month though May 8. For more information, including a complete ...

September 11, 2013

Make plans now to take part in Reptile Day at VMNH on Saturday, September 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.! Hundreds of live snakes and other reptiles and amphibians will be on display...check it out!!

September 9, 2013

Dr. Alton Dooley, Curator of Paleontology, and Ray Vodden, Research Technician, presented a casting demonstration at the Joseph Moore Museum at Earlham College in Indiana on Sept. 7. In addition to showing the public how to make fossil plaster casts, Dooley and Vodden will create a replica of the Joseph Moore Museum's fossil giant beaver for display in the VMNH Hall of Ancient Life.

September 8, 2013

TEACHERS! The VMNH and MHC Chamber of Commerce Teacher Appreciation Night is Thursday, September 26 at the museum!! Be sure to RSVP by September 19!

September 4, 2013

Have you RSVP'd yet for this fascinating FREE presentation by Dr. Joe Keiper on Sept. 12 highlighting the use of museum collections in investigations of serial killings? Space is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot by calling 276-634-4162 or email charlotte.harter@vmnh.virginia.gov. We look forward to seeing you there!

September 3, 2013

Gene Baird, a longtime VMNH Volunteer, recently passed away at the age of 86. Below is a note about Gene's museum work by Dr. Elizabeth Moore, Curator of Archaeology: Gene worked here for over ten years, starting in the invertebrate paleontology collection at the Douglas Avenue building then in archaeology lab at Starling. He was a lab regular working every Thursday and sometimes more. You could set your watch by his 9:00 AM arrival. Gene was the lab handyman and repaired or built equipment, always helping fix the little things that make a big difference. A faucet that's too short? Gene made an extension to the pipe. When we needed a frame to hold an articulated human skeleton Gene built it from plumbing supplies he ...