News Articles

September 30, 2016

A recent study named a new type of dinosaur egg from VMNH fossils from Montana, in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. The approx. 66 million-year-old egg species (Dimorphoolithus bennetti) is named after VMNH Research Associate George Bennett. Congrats to him and the researchers! For the paper, check out: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02724634.2016.1185432?journalCode=ujvp20 #FossilFriday

September 28, 2016

The Virginia Museum of Natural History has been awarded a $17,000 grant from the Patterson Charitable Trust for a new Ice Age display featuring a giant short-faced bear and dire wolf. This new exhibit will feature the extinct bear that stood over 11 feet tall and lived in Virginia during the last Ice Age, about 14,000 years ago. The dire wolf, an extinct wolf that is larger than modern wolves, also lived in Virginia during the same time period.

September 23, 2016

Dr. Alex Hastings, paleontology curator at the VMNH, tabled at the Roanoke College Dragon Festival this evening, great times!

September 23, 2016

Ever wonder how scientists capture insects in the field? The Winkler leaf litter extraction method is one of the most effective procedures. In this video, Dr. Kal Ivanov, assistant curator of invertebrate paleontology at VMNH, explains this method and how he plans to use it in his ongoing Ants of Virginia Project, which aims to identify all species of ants living in Virginia.

September 23, 2016

Tax-deductible gifts of all amounts to the VMNH Discovery Fund make possible transformative education programs, groundbreaking scientific research, and one-of-a-kind exhibits. Thank you for your support!

September 21, 2016

Today, we opened up the first of the dinosaur jackets from summer field work (in partnership with Lynchburg College) in Wyoming. The bone is a tibia of a sauropod (long-necked dinosaur) from the Jurassic (about 145 million years old). It will be the main project of Martinsville High School student Lynn Dietrich. Come see the prep being done at the VMNH fossil lab! #VMNHDinoDig

September 21, 2016

The cookout of the year is taking place at the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 from 5 to 9 p.m.! The event features a barbecue plate dinner provided by the nationally acclaimed Checkered Pig BBQ & Ribs, beer, tequila, cornhole tournaments, live rock and blues music, and even live animals...because it's not really a party until the alpacas arrive! Tickets are only $20 in advance and $25 at the door! Tickets also grant you access to all of the museum's exhibit galleries. Attendees must be 18 or older. We hope to see you there! Purchase tickets online and learn more at www.vmnh.net/bugs-beer-bbq.

September 21, 2016

The museum is pleased to take part in the 2016 Patrick County Fair, September 20-24. Visitors can get up close with a giant beaver skeleton, while learning about the museum and its many programs.

September 19, 2016

Team slots and sponsorships are still available for the 11th annual VMNH Foundation Golf Tournament to be held September 30 at Westlake Golf & Country Club (Smith Mtn.Lake). Proceeds benefit vital museum programs in research, education and exhibits. Amazing prizes will be offered for the best performing teams, including a weekend golf vacation in beautiful Pinehurst, NC. Don't wait - sign up today!

September 19, 2016

We had a great time at the River Fest in Eden, N.C. this past Saturday! Ray Vodden and Christina Byrd presented a variety of fossils from the museum's paleontology collections, including fossils from the nearby Solite Quarry, which has yielded a tremendous wealth of animal and plant fossils from the Triassic period.

September 16, 2016

The popular Doodle Bugs programs for children ages 3-5 fill up quickly, so register soon!

September 16, 2016

The Virginia Museum of Natural History is proud to partner with VisitMartinsville and our many area attractions to welcome visitors from across Virginia and beyond!

September 16, 2016

VMNH scientists continue to make new discoveries - even during lunch breaks! #AntsofVirginia

September 14, 2016

Join us for the most memorable cookout of the year during the museum's 2nd annual Bugs, Beer & BBQ event on Saturday, October 8! Tickets include a one-plate dinner consisting of barbecue, baked beans, slaw, potato salad, bread and banana pudding from the nationally acclaimed (and absolutely delicious) Checkered Pig BBQ & Ribs! Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will also be provided, with the option to purchase additional drinks. Don't miss-out playing in the cornhole tournaments! Play for fun in the amateur division or compete for trophies and prizes in the competitive division! Live music will be provided by the electric rock and blues band, the Bell Hornets! If you love cool Blues and hot guitars, they've got us ...

September 13, 2016

A SMASHING SUCCESS!!!

September 9, 2016

VMNH Science Talks are coming to Waynesboro, with a presentation by Assistant Curator of Paleontology Dr. Alex Hastings on Tuesday, September 13. Dr. Hastings will share information about the museum's recent Great Wyoming Dinosaur Dig, where VMNH scientists and colleagues from Lynchburg College unearthed numerous dinosaur fossils!

September 8, 2016

Dr. Jim Beard, director of research and collections at VMNH, talks about the variety of amazing scientific specimens in the museum's collections during the first 2nd Thursday Science Talk of the season.

September 8, 2016

Exhibit maintenance continues today, as Donnie Jones, the museum's exhibit hall program specialist, carefully uses an air-blower to clean the Eobalaenoptera that is suspended from the ceiling in the Harvest Foundation of the Piedmont Hall of Ancient Life.

September 8, 2016

Mammoths and mastodons in Virginia?

September 7, 2016

It's Clawd's beauty day at the museum! Our iconic giant ground sloth received some routine care from our exhibits crew to remain presentable to museum visitors. #Clawd25

September 7, 2016

We don't just love natural history here at VMNH. Don't miss this great event at the Historic Little Post Office in Martinsville on Thursday, September 22, only 1 block from the Virginia Museum of Natural History!

September 5, 2016

Join us for the most memorable cookout of the year during the museum's 2nd annual Bugs, Beer & BBQ event on Saturday, October 8! Tickets include a one-plate dinner consisting of barbecue, baked beans, slaw, potato salad, bread and banana pudding from the nationally acclaimed (and absolutely delicious) Checkered Pig BBQ & Ribs! Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will also be provided, with the option to purchase additional drinks. Don't miss-out playing in the cornhole tournaments! Play for fun in the amateur division or compete for trophies and prizes in the competitive division! Live music will be provided by the electric rock and blues band, the Bell Hornets! If you love cool Blues and hot guitars, they've got us ...

September 5, 2016

We are proud that the Virginia Museum of Natural History was part of this groundbreaking project. This is an innovative way of making our archaeology collections accessible to many.

September 2, 2016

So what exactly is behind all of those locked doors at the Virginia Museum of Natural History? Are there dinosaurs? Mammoths? How about some of the rarest rocks and minerals on earth? Maybe archaeological finds that could even make Indiana Jones green with envy? Strange looking bugs that directors of horror movies couldn't begin to imagine? Simply put, yes! Get the inside story of the museum's vast scientific collections on Thursday, September 8 at 6 p.m., during the first "2nd Thursday Science Talk" of the 2016-17 season! Dr. Jim Beard is set to present "Why so much stuff?", highlighting the variety of natural history treasures in the vaults, and on display, at the Virginia Museum of Natural History. We hope to see ...

September 1, 2016

Dr. Kal Ivanov, assistant curator of invertebrate zoology, has published a new study in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research, in which he has recorded, for the first time, 10 ant species alien for Ohio. Congratulations, Dr. Ivanov!

September 1, 2016

Attention geocaching fans!