KU Natural History Museum

06/24/2026

All roads lead back to the museum! 🦖

Author and Kansas native Melanie Bonner Thomas and her family recently paid a visit to The University of Kansas Natural History Museum. Melanie grew up exploring the galleries and even worked at the museum while attending KU as a student. But her ties don't stop there: her brother, Orville Bonner, served as the museum's fossil preparator for 30 years! 🦴⛏️

The love of natural history runs deep in the Bonner family. Melanie's father, Marion Bonner, was a field paleontologist who discovered hundreds of fossils in the Niobrara Chalk of western Kansas. He was also the inspiration for her first book, "Old Man of the Fossil Beds," which chronicles his legacy.

But what was especially exciting about this visit? Melanie got to see her recently published book, "Fossils of the Rock Chalk: Bones and Beasts of Cretaceous Kansas," in our museum gift shop!

Huge thanks to the Bonner family for visiting and sharing their stories. Pick up both books during your next visit to the museum! 📚

06/23/2026

Another great opportunity to learn about Paleontology at your local library! Our Outreach Coordinator Eleanor Gardner is on a roll this summer teaching Kansans about geologic time, fossils, and more.

Love dinosaurs? Future Paleontologist? This program is for you!

Let’s go back in time millions of years... Led by paleontologist & museum outreach coordinator Eleanor Gardner from the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, we'll take a look at what life was like in Kansas when much of the land was covered by two different ancient oceans. Join West Monday, June 29 at 6:00 pm. 🦕🌊

Registration required - sign up at: https://www.kckpl.org/event/ku-natural-history-museum-90727

06/22/2026

KU Herpetology is putting in the WORK this summer by incorporating more than 25,000 specimens into the collection. 🐍🦎🐸🐢

The first cataloged batch includes 2,882 specimens of turtles and snakes collected by the late Dean E. matter, a professor of biology.

Over the next two months, the team is incorporating orphaned collections from four major universities: Washburn University, University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Kentucky, and Iowa State University.

06/18/2026

Our outreach team is the BEST and paleontology is their forte! 🦖

Outreach Coordinator Eleanor Gardner and her team of KU students have been busy visiting over a dozen libraries this summer connecting young readers to the paleontological history of Kansas.

Lucky for us, the Kansas City metro-wide summer reading theme is "Read, Score, Roar!" which combines three powerful concepts–reading, soccer, and dinosaurs–into a jam-packed summer.

06/18/2026

Say hello to the flatfish! Known for its odd appearance, flatfishes are a result of millions of years of adaptation to life on the seafloor. But what else can they tell us?

Find out in our latest temporary exhibit “From Specimen to Data: The Story of a Flatfish” located on the sixth floor. Through a Gulf of Mexico ocellated flounder (Ancylopsetta quadrocellata) from KU’s Ichthyology collection, visitors can explore the Digital Extended Specimen (DES) concept and discover how natural history collections and their data support new and ongoing research.

You’ll gain insight into the secure infrastructure needed to manage, connect, and preserve these valuable scientific resources.

06/17/2026

It’s official ✨ Panorama Puzzle: Amazing Adaptations ✨ is now available!

Solve the mystery by searching for mustelids (members of the Weasel family) in this free museum activity. Enter all the right codes to unlock a top-secret prize! To check out the puzzle stop by the front desk during your next visit to the museum.

Thank you to Jenna Benzing, a recent graduate in the KU Museum Studies Program, for creating such a fun and engaging way to experience the museum. Nice work, Jenna! 👏

06/16/2026

The KU Natural History Museum will be open on Juneteenth (Friday, June 19) from 9 am-5 pm. Explore the wonders of nature and history as we honor this important day of reflection and celebration. 🌍✨

Then don't miss the Juneteenth Celebration happening in Downtown Lawrence all weekend long! Festivities start at 4:30 pm on Friday and go through Saturday.

Learn all the details from our friends at Lawrence, KS Juneteenth or visit Explore Lawrence's webpage ➡️ https://rockcha.lk/opa.

06/11/2026

Shout out to our Visitor Experience team for their ongoing commitment to learning! 👏

During a training session on Monday, the team covered everything from understanding guest expectations to providing a welcoming experience for visitors traveling to the region for this summer’s international soccer events. They also toured the galleries and collections with KU Natural History Museum experts Lori Schlenker and Errol Hooper.

This team plays a vital role in creating meaningful experiences for our visitors. What makes them especially unique is that nearly all of its members are students at The University of Kansas. ❤️💙

06/10/2026

Travel the world without leaving Lawrence! ⚽️

Explore ✨Collections from Around the World✨ a new temporary exhibit showcasing flora and fauna from countries participating in this summer’s international soccer phenomenon.

On view through July 27 at the KU Natural History Museum. 🐟🦜🦋