Georgia Museum of Natural History facts for kids
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| Location | 101 Cedar Street, Athens, Georgia, United States |
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| Type | Natural History |
The Georgia Museum of Natural History (GMNH) is Georgia's official museum for natural history. It is located in Athens, Georgia. The museum has eleven different collections. These collections cover many areas like Anthropology (the study of humans), Arthropods (insects and spiders), Botany (plants), and Geology (rocks and Earth).
You can also find cool exhibitions, archives, and fun activities for kids. The main Exhibit Gallery is free to visit during certain hours. If you want to see the special collections, you can schedule a tour.
The museum staff helps thousands of people each year. They provide information and lend out items from their collections. Many requests come from groups in Georgia, like government agencies and private organizations.
The GMNH also teaches people about natural history. They help with research and offer an Internship Program. This program lets University of Georgia (UGA) students get hands-on experience with the museum's collections. In 1999, the Georgia General Assembly officially named GMNH the state's natural history museum.
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Discovering the Museum's Past
The museum was officially recognized by the university in 1978. It was first called the Museum of Natural History. In 1999, its name changed to the Georgia Museum of Natural History. However, some items in its collections are much older. They were gathered as early as the 1800s!
In 1801, a person named Josiah Meigs started collecting natural history items at UGA. Later, in 1817, Henry Jackson added minerals and science tools from France. In 1824, more minerals were donated. This made people realize they needed a special place for these collections.
UGA's Philosophical Hall, built in 1821, was the first official home for the museum. Then, New College was built in 1823 to hold the growing collections. Sadly, a fire destroyed New College and everything inside it in 1830.
In 1831, Malthus Ward started the Botanical Garden at the university. James Jackson continued to help the Botanical Garden after Ward retired.
In 1832, the university spent $500 on a new mineral collection. This collection was placed in the newly built Ivy Building. By 1834, a natural history professor received $150 to collect plants for the Botanical Garden. He also made the mineral collection bigger. The mineral collection grew very fast in the late 1830s.
In 1856, the Botanical Gardens were sold. The money was used to build the iron fence and the famous Arch. This Arch still stands around UGA's North Campus today.
The Library Building was built in 1859 near the Ivy Building. In 1862, the museum collections moved to the third floor of this new building. They were placed alongside many murals. Throughout the 1860s and 1870s, the collections grew so large that it became hard to find space for them.
UGA Chancellor Andrew Lipscomb helped the bird collection grow. He worked with Dr. Wilson, a museum staff member, to prepare bird specimens. The museum also received many small gifts. For example, George R. Gilmer gave his library and mineral cabinet in 1866. In 1880, the Claiborne fossils were added to the museum's collection.
By 1880, the museum's natural history collection had over 300 specimens. Today, it holds more than 7 to 8 million specimens! The museum's history between 1900 and 1978 is not fully known yet. However, people are working to learn more about it.
Learning and Community Programs
The GMNH Education and Outreach Program offers many ways to learn. They have events, exhibits, and special "Science Boxes." They also offer workshops and tours. These programs help people in the community learn about the natural world around them.
The Science Box Project gives materials to teachers for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. These boxes include things like artifacts, posters, games, and books. Each box focuses on a specific natural history topic.
The museum also offers tours for special groups and schools. You can visit the museum itself or see its collections.
The GMNH website has virtual slide shows called "Habitats of Georgia." These shows teach visitors about Georgia's different natural areas. They also explain environmental issues these habitats face.
The "Friends of the GMNH" group helps support the museum's education programs. They raise money and help spread awareness about the museum.
Internships for Students
The GMNH has an internship program for University of Georgia students. This program lets undergraduate students gain experience working with the museum's collections. Internships are available in the fall, spring, and summer.
Interns can earn college credit and fulfill a special learning requirement. They can work with collections like Archaeology, Entomology (insects), Geology, and more. The number of interns for each collection is limited.
Interns learn about natural history museums and collections. They work closely with GMNH staff for about 105 hours during a semester. They help with activities like collecting, identifying, and organizing specimens. They can also join tours, presentations, field trips, and help prepare exhibits.
Amazing Collections
Each of the museum's collections is the largest of its kind in Georgia. The GMNH connects these collections to research, public service, and education. The items in the collections are important for students and scientists. They also help teach the public. About 100 scientists visit each year to use the collections for their research.
Each collection is managed by experts. The GMNH provides information and lends specimens to researchers all over the world.
Anthropology Collection
The Anthropology Collection has over 3 million artifacts and specimens. These include pottery and various remains. It is the largest collection of its kind in Georgia. This collection is kept in the Archaeology Laboratory at UGA.
Arthropods Collection
The Arthropods Collection is part of UGA's Entomology Department. It holds over 1 million insect specimens. Most of these are from the southeast U.S. and have been identified by species.
Botany Collection
The Botany Collection is one of the biggest plant sample collections in the southeastern United States. Groups and people from all over the country ask this Herbarium for help identifying plants. This collection is part of UGA's Department of Plant Biology.
Geology Collection
The Geology Collection has three smaller parts: the Allard Collection for Economic Geology, the Mineralogy Collection, and the Paleontology Collection. Together, they have over 33,500 specimens, fossils, and casts. The Allard Collection can even be viewed online. This collection is part of UGA's Department of Geology.
Herpetology Collection
The Herpetology Collection started being organized in 1940. It now has over 46,000 reptile and amphibian specimens. These include most of the species found in the Southeast.
Ichthyology Collection
The Ichthyology Collection began growing in the 1940s. It now holds over 325,000 bottled specimens from over 825 different fish species. These preserved specimens help scientists study the genetic diversity of fish. The collection includes several rare or endangered freshwater fish from the Southeast.
Invertebrate Collection
The Invertebrate Collection has over 10,000 freshwater mussels. It also includes many non-insect invertebrates and a diverse collection from Gray's Reef. Some specimens are extinct or endangered.
Mammalogy Collection
The Mammalogy Collection started in the 1940s. It has specimens from the early 1900s, which helps scientists understand mammals in Georgia over time. The collection holds over 25,000 specimens, including skins, bones, and preserved mammals. It is one of the few mammal collections approved by the American Society of Mammalogists.
Mycology Collection
The Mycology Collection has over 30,000 specimens of fungi. Most are from the Southeast and other parts of the world. It is especially rich in certain types of fungi from Georgia and tropical Americas. This Mycological Herbarium is recognized internationally for research. It is one of the few important collections of its kind in the country.
Ornithology Collection
The Ornithology Collection was formed in the 1940s, but collecting started even earlier. It now has over 5,650 bird specimens, mostly study skins. It also has 800 bird egg clutches from around the world. Many specimens are from areas in Georgia that used to be rural but are now cities. Some are from rainforests in Central America that are being destroyed.
Zooarchaeology Collection
The Zooarchaeology Collection helps identify animal remains for universities, museums, and government groups. It serves the Southeast, the Caribbean, and South America. It holds over 4,100 skeletal specimens of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. This Zooarchaeology Laboratory is part of UGA's Department of Anthropology.
See also
- Elizabeth Reitz
