Missouri Institute of Natural Science

10/14/2026

09/22/2026

Tonight a couple of our museum staff took a therapod dinosaur jaw to the fine folks at the Midwest Imaging MRI of Springfield for a little after hours 3d CT scanning. The data retrieved tonight will help us determine if the jaw is from a nanotyrannus or a baby T. REX. This debate has everyone in the field of paleontology taking sides. So I guess we just got in the mix too.
And we can't thank the staff enough at Miwest Imaging for their expertise and off the charts enthusiasm for scanning dinosaurs. A few pictures of the process to wet the appetite. More info and pictures of the results will be posted soon.

09/21/2026

This past weekend we had the opportunity to take book author Mark Leach and photographer Mike Chervinko along with archeologists Jack Ray into Riverbluff Cave. I thought i would post a few pics from the trip. I will share more with details on the amazing camera system that was used. Spend a few minutes zooming in on these, these are the best pictures that have ever been taken of the cave.

09/15/2026

From the bittersweet discovery on September 11, 2001 to September 11, 2026, we take a look back at the last 25 years of Riverbluff cave and how it changed what we knew about Ice Age history in the Springfield, MO area. Matt Forir, the cave caretaker and geologist/paleontologist who was responsible for the exploration and discoveries within the cave, talks about its incredible discovery, what was found within, and why it became a local historical landmark.

From the bittersweet discovery on September 11, 2001 to September 1...

09/11/2026

https://www.ky3.com/2026/09/11/springfield-cave-discovered-after-911-stoppage-marks-25-years/

Hard to believe it has been 25 years. The cave was the catalyst for the development of the museum and everything we built since. The museum has inspired many students to get degrees and careers in geology and paleontology. We are very proud of the work we do and everything we have achieved but our favorite is always going to be the lives we have influenced and the lifelong friendships we have made along the way. The cave gave us that. Today we celebrate the cave and our museum birthday.

Twenty-five years ago today, a Springfield road crew got an emergency order from the federal government to stop work. What happened next changed what is known about the Ice Age.

09/01/2026

The Museum will be closed Monday September 7 for Labor Day. We will reopen Tuesday the 8th with normal hours of 9am - 4:30pm.

08/19/2026

Hey everyone, if you find yourself at the Missouri State Fair today come by and say hello to Jennifer and Cheyenna.

08/15/2026

Check out this top 10 list. We are proud to be on it with some incredible company. Our free entry to our museum is because of our commitment to education.

https://myfamilytravels.com/these-missouri-museums-let-you-walk-in-for-free-any-day-of-the-week/?utm_source=mis&fbclid=IwdGRzaATskDtjbGNrBOyQJXBkb2YBZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEer1UBT0VeyiYumHnSUhYvwo7xXRC2P9MGoAbWGr8ZkWPQpHqAzG6HETXJWTw_aem_jE1xP8PdUoIVLEF4OXU7xg

Discover ten top Missouri museums with free admission every day, from art and history to science and dinosaurs.

07/30/2026

Day 4 of Paleo Camp we took a hike to the creek to pick up flat rocks for cave art and discover all sorts of fossils in the rocks, including clams and crinoids.

07/29/2026

On Day 3 of Paleo Camp we put field jackets on our bones to prepare to remove them from the ground.