University of Nebraska State Museum - Morrill Hall

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University of Nebraska State Museum - Morrill Hall Nebraska's premier museum of natural history, focused on promoting discovery in natural science. linktr.ee/morrillhallunl
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Visit Morrill Hall, featuring the Mueller Planetarium, the Marx Discovery Center, and our 4th floor Cherish Nebraska exhibit, renovated and opened in February, 2019. Don't forget to visit our other locations at Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park near Royal, NE, and Trailside Museum, located at Fort Robinson State Park.

Remember new entomology intern, Rachelle? Swing by the Visible Lab today to see what insects she is working on! If you c...
10/17/2026

Remember new entomology intern, Rachelle? Swing by the Visible Lab today to see what insects she is working on! If you can't make it this weekend, she will be in the lab every Saturday with these insects.

The Visible Lab is the perfect place to see researches prepare real specimens and ask them any questions you might have!

This , our junior paleontologists are busy digging “fossils” and discovering prehistoric creatures. It's day two of our...
10/17/2026

This , our junior paleontologists are busy digging “fossils” and discovering prehistoric creatures. It's day two of our Fall Discovery Day Camps and these campers had a Friday full of learning about ancient life and what it takes to become a paleontologist.

If you want to see the same specimens they discovered today, come check out our Torren Gallery of Ancient Life. Stay tuned to see what our Monday camp is up to!

This , let's continue looking at masks from our new collection. All these masks, despite having different sizes, shapes...
10/16/2026

This , let's continue looking at masks from our new collection. All these masks, despite having different sizes, shapes, decorative motifs, and being made of different materials, come from the same country of Papua New Guinea. Though only roughly the size of California, Papua New Guinea is home to hundreds of indigenous tribes with distinct customs and languages, making it one of the most culturally diverse places in the world. For many of these cultures, making and wearing masks is a way to connect to different spirits and ancestral deities. Studying the cultural diversity of a single place can help us identify the various ways humans have adapted to their environment and structured their societies.

This , it's also National Fossil Day! So, we are calling all the fossil lovers and coffee lovers to join in on a revers...
10/15/2026

This , it's also National Fossil Day! So, we are calling all the fossil lovers and coffee lovers to join in on a reverse trick-or-treat. Instead of asking you to get coffee from the cafe, we are asking you to bring coffee to donate to the Food Bank of Lincoln.

We are partnering with the Food Bank of Lincoln for our Spooktacular Halloween Event and need your help donating their most needed items, including coffee. The bins will be out and accepting donations starting now through the event on October 30th. Check out our website for more info on donating at the event.

Our entomology researchers and curators have been busy with field work, so it's up to the marketing team to teach you ab...
10/13/2026

Our entomology researchers and curators have been busy with field work, so it's up to the marketing team to teach you about insects today! Here are some "scientific" illustrations of our favorite bugs...

Our drawings might need some work, but our exhibits have real insects and plenty of facts. Come visit our Goliaths and Cherish Nebraska exhibits to learn more about insects like these. Happy !

Reminder that the inaugural Rippeteau Lecture is this evening! Join us to hear from Rob Bozel, a retired Nebraska State ...
10/13/2026

Reminder that the inaugural Rippeteau Lecture is this evening! Join us to hear from Rob Bozel, a retired Nebraska State Archaeologist who led in the repatriation of Native American sacred belongings. A presentation of the Rippeteau Prize and a short question-and-answer session will follow the lecture.

The Rippeteau Lecture and Prize is made possible through the generosity of Bruce and Sandra Rippeteau.

The event is from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and is free to the public.

It's and research is underway at Nachusa Grasslands in Illinois, where Todd, our Herbarium Curator, is studying lichen...
10/13/2026

It's and research is underway at Nachusa Grasslands in Illinois, where Todd, our Herbarium Curator, is studying lichens growing on prairie rock outcrops. Supported by a Friends of Nachusa Grasslands grant, the project will document the lichens found in these unique habitats and use population genomics to explore how populations are connected across the landscape. Most specimens will become part of the University of Nebraska State Museum’s C. E. Bessey Herbarium, with selected specimens also deposited at the Field Museum in Chicago. Enjoy these photos of field work and the lichens Rhizoplaca (second photo) and Xanthoparmelia (third photo).

10/11/2026

The rats, bat, spiders and other spooky creatures all showed up to watch Spooky Space! If you want to meet the other creatures of Halloween and their celestial counterparts, come see the show for yourself. Spooky Space plays every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and is only shown in October. Check out show times and ticket info on our website.

P.S. All the creatures shown in the video are sold in our Discovery Gift Shop if you need a Halloween themed stuffed animal!

Happy game day Huskers! There will be no museum parking today. The ADA parking stalls to the East of Morrill Hall will r...
10/10/2026

Happy game day Huskers!

There will be no museum parking today. The ADA parking stalls to the East of Morrill Hall will remain available, but visitors will be charged the UNL Parking & Transit Services' game day parking fee.

BTW make sure to high five Archie on your way to the stadium for good luck! 🦣

Happy ! In the following weeks, we’ll look at a selection of masks from our recent donation to celebrate Halloween. Mas...
10/09/2026

Happy ! In the following weeks, we’ll look at a selection of masks from our recent donation to celebrate Halloween. Masks are valuable objects for anthropologists to study because they can tell us how a culture chooses to perform and transform their identities, connect to religious and spiritual beliefs, and navigate social order. Masks can be incredibly lifelike or abstract, be worn for special celebrations or as an act of protection, and can represent human characteristics, animals, spirits, or sometimes all three. Such is the case with this Duho mask from the Bwa peoples of Burkina Faso, Africa. For the Bwa people, family well-being and agricultural prosperity is tied to the guidance and protection of nature spirits, which embody performers who wear these intricate costumes at funerals, agricultural festivals, and adulthood initiation rituals. Duho, which means “Hawk,” refers to the abstract shape of this mask and the movements of the performer who wears it, meant to imitate the large bird of prey.

Check out this video, which shows a village procession and dance with the various masks and dance costumes representing different animals and spirits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHqfky91SfY

Address

645 North 14th Street/UNL City Campus
Lincoln, NE
68588

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

(402) 472-2637

Website

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