Museum of Natural and Cultural History

@uomnch

Oregon's science and culture museum. Located on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene, Oregon. State repository for archaeological and paleontological artifacts. @mnch_uo on Instagram and @uo_mnch on TikTok.

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Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· 1d

What time is it? This piece of an early electric mantle clock was found at an archaeological site at a homestead in Bend, Oregon. Mantle clocks were common furnishings in the early 20th century, and as electrification expanded across the United States, electric clocks quickly became popular. 🏺🏛️

A small brass structure with a cog on either side. One cog is about twice the size of the other. They are connected by a rod. A scale rule shows the structure is 64 centimeters long.

The backside of the structure, showing delicately punched holes.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· 6d

Our education team is all smiles this summer! From visiting 110 libraries, parks, and community centers around Oregon to leading science-themed activities in our museum courtyard, MNCH educators have been as busy as bees 🐝🐝🧪🏛️

Two children hold bee buzzers to their mouths and face the camera.

A child smiles up at the camera in front of a table with plastic bug toys

A child grins widely as he holds a giant plush bee and a slightly smaller plush bee under his arms. He's wearing a University of Oregon sticker proudly. Go Ducks!

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· 8d

We’re open this week during the World Athletics U20 Championships! Beat the heat and smoke at the museum. Some streets near the museum are closed, so plan on taking alternate transportation or leaving extra time for parking.

Several museum staff pose with a sign announcing the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· 13d

This replica fossil skull is of a Sea Otter Dog. The strong tooth enamel and shape of the premolars suggest this was the first dog adapted to cracking its prey's bones for the marrow inside. Enhydrocyon lived 29-21 million years ago. #paleosky #FossilFriday

A replica Enhydrocyon fossil skull on display at the natural history museum on the University of Oregon. The skull is about 8 inches long and features front canines that are three inches long and beautifully preserved.

A closer up angle on the back of the Enhydrocyon skull. #goducks

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· 20d

As the United States commemorates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, "America at 250: Before, Between, Beyond" invites you to reflect on where we have been, who we are, and what America might yet become. On view through March 2027.🏛️

A woman examines a large inked seal skin, which rests inside a 7 foot long plexiglass case mounted to the wall in front of her.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· 23d

We've been reaccredited by the American Alliance of Museums! This is the highest national distinction afforded to US museums and must be reviewed every ten years. Fewer than 4% of US museums hold this distinction. This achievement belongs to our entire staff & their dedication to best practices. 🏛️🎉

The front of the museum on a beautiful sunny day. The courtyard is bustling with kids activities, visitors walking on the sidewalks, and full bike parking.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· 24d

Our student staff have done it again! Our Paramylodon front desk attendant Mylo (from Western Science Center) has a very on-theme uniform these days. And of course their wings are anatomically correct for bees. 🐝🏛️

Mylo, a beige plushie Giant Ground Sloth, stands behind a flyer advertising "The Buzz about Bees!," the museum's newest exhibit. Mylo is wearing an intricate yellow and black striped paper leotard, two little black antennae, four paper white wings, and is holding a bouquet of adorable douglas aster flowers.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· 27d

A very happy last day to both of our summer archaeology field schools! Keep your eyes out for more pictures and updates from the Northern Great Basin Collaborative Archaeology and Applegate House field schools.🏛️🏺🧪

A perfectly manicured four foot deep hole. One student archaeologist sits inside the hole and another lays on the ground looking down into it

A close up of a hand's palm with a Civil War era buckle in the center, about an inch and half long

Archaeology student Keanu stands at a sifter on the Applegate House meadow

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jul 10

A tiny bee on a Douglas aster flower in our Native Plant Courtyard! Douglas aster loves disturbed areas and is a late-summer food source for many pollinators. 🌸🐝

A close up of a purple Douglas aster flower with its yellow orange center. A bee about half the size of the center feeds on the pollen.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jul 9

This thimbleberry flower from spring in our courtyard really brings out the yellow on the bumblebee! Thimbleberry plants have large fuzzy leaves and grow all over the western United States. 🌸🐝

A fuzzy bumblebee with its wings folded down feeds on the fuzzy yellow center of a white star-shaped thimbleberry flower.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jul 8

Nootka Rose is native and widespread west of the Rocky Mountains! Rosa nutkana are primarily pollinated by bees, who love the open-faced flowers. 🐝🌸🏛️

A bee rests on the bright yellow stamen of a light pink Nootka rose.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jul 7

The bees love our Native Plant Courtyard's showy milkweed! Asclepias speciosa is one of four common native milkweeds in Oregon. 🏛️🌸🐝

A bee makes its way to a bloom of bright pink Showy Milkweed photos.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jul 6

Have you heard the buzz? Our opening night reception for The Buzz About Bees will include light appetizers, family-friendly activities, a bee-themed craft from @uoregon.bsky.social Craft Center, and an observation hive from Save the Bee! 🐝 🏛️

A graphic with a picture of a green bee on a flower. The text reads: "New Exhibit! The Buzz about Bees! Opening night: Friday, July 10 5 to 6pm Member Preview. 6 to 7:30 pm public reception. Opening weekend: Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12 10am to 5pm."

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jul 2

As the United States commemorates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, come visit our exhibit America at 250: Before, Between, Beyond! We'll be closed Saturday, July 4 and open Friday, July 3 and Sunday, July 5.🏛️

A graphic with a woven basket with the United States flag. Text reads: Holiday Hours. Friday, July 3 10am to 5pm with free admission. Saturday, July 4 Closed. Sunday, July 5 10am to 5pm. On view now America at 250: Before, Between, Beyond. Featuring rarely seen items, America at 250 invites you to reflect on where we have been, who we are, and what America might yet become.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jun 24

Take a moment with us to celebrate a member of the @uoregon.bsky.social Class of '26. 🎓Rowan has been a museum educator for 2 years. She's brought our summer library programs all across Oregon and taught countless K12 field trips. 🏛️🏺#GoDucks

Rowan, wearing a museum branded tshirt, looks at a map activity with a kid at a library

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jun 23

Take a moment with us to celebrate a member of the @uoregon.bsky.social Class of '26. 🎓Brian worked for marketing & business at MNCH and developed our short-form videos greatly. You'll recognize his voice from the "Did you know..." He's on to work in tax services at @kpmgus.bsky.social ! 🏛️🏺#goducks

Brian hugs Caesar the No Drama Llama in the museum courtyard.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jun 18

Take a moment with us to celebrate a member of the @uoregon.bsky.social Class of '26. 🎓Alex volunteered in 2 research labs and on our exhibit floors, attended summer field school, worked as a student technician, and been a member of our student club. He's on to grad school at Wash State! 🏛️🏺#goducks

Alex Tidwell smiles and holds up his volunteer service award certificate, tote bag, and enamel pin. He volunteered over 100 hours at the museum in 2025

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jun 17

🎓Take a moment with us to celebrate a member of the @uoregon.bsky.social ky.social Class of 2026. 🎓 Claudia has worked in our collections for 2 years and graduates with a BA in Anthropology. She won a museum undergraduate research award for her poster analyzing an 8000 year old hearth. 🏺🧪🏛️#goducks

Katelyn McDonough, Sam Brewer, and Claudia van Ek stand in front of a research poster titled "What's for Dinner 8,400 Years Ago? Botanical and Faunal Analyses of a Hearth from Connley Cave 5, Oregon."

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jun 17

🎓Take a moment with us to celebrate a member of the @uoregon.bsky.social Class of 2026. 🎓 Becs has worked in our collections for 2 years and graduates with a BA in Anthropology. Her thesis was titled "Native Displacement in Central California: Analysis of Mission Records at San Juan Bautista.” 🏺🏛️

Collections student employee Becs brushes off a Yoruba beaded sash.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jun 16

@uoregon.bsky.social students are the heart of everything we do, and that's especially true of our student employees, volunteers, and club members. To the class of 2026: amazing job. We are lucky to have known you and we can't wait to see what you do next. 🎓🦆🦣 #goducks

Eleven University of Oregon students smile and pose as a group. Several are wearing museum graduation cords.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jun 8

This Pulalius vulgaris fossil shows off a crab that lived in the Oligocene - 23 to 33 million years ago! It was found near Keasey, Oregon. #worldoceanday

Two hands hold an oval stone disc about 8" in length. Protruding from the disc is a beautiful, shiny black crab.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· Jun 3

ReEnvisioned: Contemporary Portraits of our Black Ancestors illuminates the lives of some of Oregon's early Black residents. This English/Spanish bilingual exhibition of ten portraits by artist Jeremy Okai Davis and closes Sunday, June 21.

The backs of two people as they look at a family portrait in the exhibit. Their heads are framed so they are part of the portrait. Above the painting is the text "ReEnvisioned: Contemporary Portraits of our Black Ancestors by Jeremy Okai Davis" in English and Spanish

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· May 30

Checking in our Oregon Native Plant Courtyard! Spring blooms are finishing up and early summer flowers are beginning in earnest. 🌺

A cluster of small pink fuzzy spirea flowers.

Delicate grass flowers glisten with rain drops.

A circular purple aster flower with many small oval petals radiating out.

Half of a checkermallow flower stalk is bursting with vibrant pink trumpetlike flowers. The top half of the stalk is still staunchly in its green bud phase.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· May 22

The exhibit America at 250: Before, Between, Beyond explores the diverse histories represented in the museum's collections. This ink drawing on seal skin by Yupik artist Florence Napaaq Malewotkuk captures scenes from her daily life in 1943. #IndigenousArt 🏛️ 🎨

A 6 foot long stretched seal skin with inked drawings.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· May 21

(Last ones I promise)

Selfie with eight very muddy archaeologists in a damp field

An archaeologist (trust us on this one) makes a disgruntled face at a rodent skull

A selfie of three archaeologists holding artifacts in an office.

Selfie of one archaeologist in safety gear in a forest

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· May 21

I found more cool photos from our folks at ARD. You want to join this team!

A group of six archaeologists posing with a statue of Smokey the Bear

An archaeologist in a high-vis vest shows off an artifact (a really old jar, perhaps?)

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· May 21

ATTENTION ARCHAEOLOGISTS🏺: We're hiring a Director of our Archaeological Research Division! Apply today. The museum has been a major force in the archaeological research of Oregon since the early 1930s, and that legacy continues to evolve and grow. careers.uoregon.edu/en-us/job/53...

Archaeologists test a total station in front of a mammoth sculpture

Field work in Bend, with a couple people digging and sifting.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· May 20

Ooh! Ooh! I TOLD my boss I could use this some today. #BlurBee in our Native Plant Courtyard - in a thimbleberry flower!

Leafy green foliage fills the frame. In the centerish are white thimbleberry flowers. In one is a blurry fluffy bumblebee :)

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· May 20

We've been a hive of activity preparing for our newest exhibit! Save the date: The Buzz About Bees opens Friday, July 10, and promises to be as sweet as honey. Discover the vast variety of Oregon’s bees and learn about bee behavior with up-close photographs and hands-on activities. #WorldBeeDay 🐝

A close up photo of a purple flower with a brilliant green bee. The bee's antenna and wings are visible as well as tiny little hairs. Over the photos is excited text reading "The Buzz About Bees! Save the dates: Opening Night, Friday, July 10; Opening Weekend Celebration Saturday and Sunday July 11-12"

A collage of many square close ups of bees. The bees are all shapes, sizes, and colors.

Museum of Natural and Cultural History@uomnch· May 15

We raised $19500 from 84 gifts during yesterday's #DucksGive... and we couldn't have done it without you! Thank you for all your support of the museum as we strive to make education accessible for all Oregonians and help University of Oregon students meet their career-readiness goals. 🦆🐘🏛️