may 2011 art animals - friends of the state museum ...friendsofthemuseum.org/mammoth_may2011.pdf ·...

theMammothNEWS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA STATE MUSEUM

MAY 2011

friendsofthemuseum.org

IN THIS ISSUE

Museum Memories ..........................6-8

A Walk Through Time .......................9-11

Colorful Creature Day .......................12

Agate Fossil Beds: New Fossil Find Marks 30 Years of Discovery........... 14-15

Sunday with a Scientist ...................16-17

Trailside Turns 50! ...........................18

The Mammoth is available in color online!

Sunday with a Scientist

& MORE

The 3rd annual Colorful Creature Day was held April 2 at Morrill

Hall. Over 1,100 visitors of all ages came out for this fun-filled

afternoon of live animals and hands-on art activities in the Museum. Read more about this event on page 12!

ART&ANIMALS Celebrated at Morrill Ha ll April 2

T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum

2

Director: Priscilla C. GrewAssociate Director: Mark Harris

Informal Science Education: Judy Diamond, Curator Amy Spiegel

Education Coordinator: Kathy French Museum Associates: Ann Cusick Cindy Loope Annie Mumgaard Ina Van der Veen

Research Partnerships Coordinator: Brett Ratcliffe

Anthropology: Alan Osborn, Curator NAGPRA/Collections Assistant: Susan Curtis Nebraska Archaeological Survey: Alan Osborn

Botany: Robert Kaul, Curator Collection Manager: Thomas Labedz Collections Assistant: Linda Rader

Entomology: Brett Ratcliffe, Curator Collection Manager: M.J. Paulsen Geology: R.M. (Matt) Joeckel, Curator Museum Geological Specialist: Karl Baumgarten

Parasitology: Scott Gardner, Curator Collection Manager: Gabor Racz

Vertebrate Paleontology: Ross Secord, Curator Collection Manager: R. George Corner Preparators: Gregory Brown Robert Skolnick Ellen Stepleton Highway Salvage Paleontologist: Shane Tucker Highway Salvage Preparator: Nicholas Famoso

Zoology: Patricia Freeman, Curator Collection Manager: Thomas Labedz

Affiliated Courtesy, Adjunct, and Emeritus Faculty: Anthropology: Thomas Myers Entomology: Mary Liz Jameson Geology: Robert Diffendal, Samuel Treves Invertebrate Paleontology: David Watkins Parasitology: John Janovy, Mary Lou Pritchard Vertebrate Paleontology: Michael Voorhies, Robert Hunt, Jr. Zoology: Hugh Genoways, Paul Johnsgard

Ashfall Fossil Beds Superintendent: Rick Otto Museum Specialist: Sandy Mosel

Trailside Museum Staff Assistants: Susan Veskerna Pattie NormanAccounting Clerk: Judy RayDiscovery Shop Manager: Marisa KardellExhibit Design Specialist: Ron PikeGraphics Design Specialist: Joel NielsenMueller Planetarium Supervisor: Jack DunnPublic Relations Coordinator, Friends Liaison, & Mammoth Newsletter Editor: Dana LudvikPublic Service Associate: Linda BeranResearch Collections Staff Secretary: Gail LittrellScientific Illustrator: Angie Fox

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

STATE MUSEUM STAFF

South of 14th and Vine Streets (402) 472-2642University of Nebraska Lincoln, Nebraska

Open Year AroundMonday-Saturday: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.Thursdays: 9:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. (Open Late!) Sundays: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.Closed Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, December 24-25, and January 1Planetarium Closed Mondays & Husker home football game Saturdays

MORRILL HALL

86930 517 Avenue (402) 893-2000Royal, NE 68773Located seven miles north of Highway 20 between Royal and Orchard, Nebraska.

Open Seasonally. For schedule, visit ashfall.unl.edu

ASHFALL FOSSIL BEDS

PO Box 462 (308) 665-2929Crawford, NE 69339Located on Highway 20 at Fort Robinson, Nebraska.

Open Seasonally. For schedule, visit trailside.unl.edu

TRAILSIDE MUSEUM

Director’s Office (402) 472-3779Museum Information Line (402) 472-2642School Program Reservations (402) 472-6302Friends Office (402) 472-3779Mueller Planetarium (402) 472-2641Nebraska Hall Office (402) 472-2643Ashfall Fossil Beds (402) 893-2000Trailside Museum (308) 665-2929

www.museum.unl.edu

CONTACT INFORMATION

Mark A. Brohman, PresidentLois Mayo, Vice President David Rowe, TreasurerDiane Pratt, SecretaryKaren AmenMarcia HollestelleMichael LeiteKeely Rennie-TuckerLynn SobotkaDiann SorensenMark SorensenMel ThorntonNatasha VavraArt Zygielbaum

FRIENDSBOARD OF DIRECTORS

EX-OFFICIOPriscilla C. GrewMike Madcharo ADVISORY COUNCILJudy DiamondConnie PejsarNorm SmithMike Zeleny

ASHFALL CHAPTERMark Brogie, President

June 191:30-4:30 p.m.Sunday with a Scientist“Tissue Mechanics: Engineering Better Heart Health”

July 171:30-4:30 p.m.Sunday with a Scientist“Fish”

August 211:30-4:30 p.m.Sunday with a Scientist“Climate Change”

September 181:30-4:30 p.m.Sunday with a Scientist“Plants”

September 305-7:30 p.m.Grand Opening: “First Peoples of the Plains: Traditions Shaped by the Land and Sky” (Current Friends will receive invitations by mail.)

October 161:30-4:30 p.m.Sunday with a Scientist“Fossils”

October 26-275--9 p.m.“Fright at the Museum” A spook-tacular Halloween event for families at Morrill Hall!

museum.unl.edu for more event details!

MORRILL H A L LCALENDAR

AT A GLANCE

CONNECT WITH US!

May 2011 3

F R O M T H E D I R E C T O R

It’s never boring being Director of the University of Nebraska State Museum of Natural History. There’s always a chance for a first-of-a-lifetime experience. Thanks to Peggy Steward, her son Cody, and the Star City Llama and Alpaca 4-H Club, on April 2nd I received my very first kiss from a llama, right in front of the Morrill Hall steps. “Barney” was much friendlier than I had expected, but then I had never actually met a llama before. My chance came on Colorful Creature Day, the subject of the cover story of this issue. I hope you also had a chance to meet and greet some of our furry, feathery, wiggly, and scaly friends that day!

I hope you, too, have been experiencing some “firsts” during this 140th anniversary year for the State Museum. Maybe you’ve had a happy “high five” from “Archie,” the Museum’s first mascot – who participated in the finish-line festivities for the Lincoln Marathon on May 1. Perhaps a youngster in your family recorded a weather broadcast under the lights in our first ever “green screen” technology studio operated by Earth and Atmospheric Sciences faculty members during Dinosaurs and Disasters Day on February 5. Maybe you happened to notice the fossil of the American Lion from the Pleistocene (Ice Ages) on display for the first time in the special exhibit, “Life in the Past Lane,” highlighting our cooperative Highway Salvage Paleontology program with the Nebraska Department of Roads. Had you known that lions larger than today’s African lions once roamed the Nebraska plains? Or perhaps a Museum visit was the first time you ever got the feeling that frogs have personalities – as shown by the amazing facial expressions captured by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore in his exhibit “Amphibians: Vibrant and Vanishing.”

The Museum has accomplished another “first” – the first time to our knowledge that an object in the Museum’s collections has stimulated the negotiation and signing of a cooperative agreement between the University of Nebraska and a university overseas. This special development grew out of our celebration in July 2010 of the homecoming of our Japanese Friendship Doll, “Miss Mie”, after her conservation

in Japan. The doll has been in the Museum for more than 80 years as a gift from children of Japan in 1927. As the direct result of cooperative activities in exhibiting the doll, Mie University signed an agreement with UNL in December 2010 to promote academic collaboration between the two institutions. In spite of the tragic and overwhelming events in Japan that accompanied the March 11, 2011 giant earthquake and tsunami which disrupted plans for their initial visit, our friends from Mie Prefecture were able to reschedule their trip to the first week of May. Our eight visitors included both Mie University officials and representatives of Kawai Elementary School who came to present a replica doll, “Senka,” to Prescott Elementary School in Lincoln. We attended a wonderful assembly at Prescott at which all the school’s students participated in singing songs for our Mie guests. It is amazing to see how far the influence of “Miss Mie” has extended, and it is an honor for the Museum to have served as the catalyst for UNL’s new cooperative academic program with Mie University.

Finally, one more first-time experience for me – on April 5, I shipped red water bottles and T-shirts with the Museum’s logo to Canada for “product placement” in a Smithsonian video being shot in Venezuela. Jason Head, our new Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology will come to UNL in July from the University of Toronto-Mississauga. Jason studies giant fossil snakes, a first for us! Jason was leaving for Venezuela where he was to be filmed “measuring anacondas” (!), and we wanted to be sure that the world will know where he’s from when he appears on TV later this year— wearing a red Museum T-shirt and Nebraska cap. We will have a profile article on Jason in a forthcoming issue of the Mammoth.

Jason is joining our team of Curators who do extensive international research. It was another great honor for the Museum when Brett Ratcliffe, Museum Curator of Entomology and Research Partnerships Coordinator, was recognized as the 2011 Phi Beta Delta UNL Faculty International Scholar of the Year.

— Priscilla C. Grew, Director

"Barney" gives Priscilla Grew a Colorful Creature kiss. (Photo by Cody Steward)

Jason Head, the Museum’s new Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology


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F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T

GREETINGS FRIENDS MEMBERS!

School will be getting out soon, and a family trip to Morrill Hall may be just the thing to get the summer off on the right foot. Morrill Hall is open late on Thursday nights from 4:30 – 8:00 p.m. The Sundays with a Scientist continue to be very popular and are held from 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. at Morrill Hall on the third Sunday of each month. Don’t forget about the wonderful planetarium shows and the gift shop while you are there. If you are out traveling the state this summer, be sure and stop by Trailside Museum inside Fort Robinson State Park near Crawford. See the famous interlocked mammoths on display. The “Clash of the Mammoths” is a one of a kind exhibit. The two mammoths were excavated near Crawford in 1962, and they were found with their tusks locked together, suggesting they fought to the death. The Trailside Museum is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Another stop can be Ashfall Fossil Beds near Royal where you can see animal skeletons frozen in time. They are most famous for the numerous rhinos found at the site. This is Ashfall’s 20th anniversary, and they are now open for the summer. Amateur photographers can submit their favorite photos to the Wildlife and Nature Photo Contest that is open until June 18th. Details can be found at the Museum’s website. I encourage everyone to try and visit Morrill Hall, the Trailside Museum at Fort Robinson near Crawford, and Ashfall Fossil Beds near Royal this summer. Travel safely.

— Mark A. Brohman, Board PresidentFriends of the University of Nebraska State Museum

Friends President Mark Brohman stands next to one of Joel Sartore’s photographs in the new Cooper Gallery exhibit, “Amphibians: Vibrant and Vanishing.” (Image shown: Sartore’s photograph of a green and black poison dart frog, Panama morph (Dendrobates auratus); joelsartore.com.)

ALL PHOTO ENTRIES WILL GO ON EXHIBIT AT MORRILL HALL JULY 1-LABOR DAY

Wildlife & Nature Photo ContestEntries are due by June 18.

For contest rules and entry form, please visit

museum.unl.eduMammalsPlant LifeBirds

Other Wildlife Landscapes & SkyscapesNature & People

The University of Nebraska State Museum’s 3rd annual

AMPHIBIANS VIBRANT AND VANISHING

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHER JOEL SARTORE

Morrill Hall, Cooper Gallery On display through October 2011

May 2011 5

N E W S & I N F O

From historic Morrill Hall – home to “Archie the Mammoth” on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln campus -- to Ashfall Fossil Beds near Royal and the Trailside Museum at Fort Robinson, the University of Nebraska State Museum enriches the lives of more than 100,000 visitors and students each year, creating lifelong memories and inspiring a love of science and learning.

The University of Nebraska is involved in a campaign to raise $1.2 billion to support students, faculty, research and programs. You can choose to help the museum by making a contribution to the Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum Fund.

To learn more about the museum and the campaign, contact Connie Pejsar, [email protected], 402-458-1190 or 800-432-3216.

To give online, go to nufoundation.org/friendsofthestatemuseum

At the University of Nebraska State Museum

Celebrating Life in the

PASTPASTPAST

“Life in the Past Lane” highlights amazing fossils salvaged over the last 50 years

through Nebraska’s unique Highway Paleontology Program.

Rare fossils on exhibit include a six-foot-tall flightless bird, 40-foot-long plesiosaur, lion 25 percent larger than the

modern African lion, giant land tortoise... and more!

Morrill Hall • 2nd Floor On display through September 2011

Don’t let this one pass you by!

1st place winner among 2-3 graders.By Johnathan Li of Lincoln, Nebraska.

COLORFUL CREATUREStatewide Art Contest Exhibit

Over 500 Nebraska youth in grades K-5 participated in the State Museum’s 3rd annual “Colorful Creature” art contest. All entries will be on display at Morrill Hall through June 26.


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N E W S & I N F O

department. Dr. Bertrand Schultz, the Director of the Museum, enhanced the situation by suggesting he was open to the prospect of my working at the Museum part time while actively pursuing my Ph.D. – which seemed to us like a gift from heaven! How could we refuse? The next five years flashed by, but in the middle of this span I was given the responsibility by Dr. Schultz to research the possibility of creating a Museum Studies Program on a master’s level that would involve not only our Museum but also the Sheldon Gallery and the State Historical Museum. This formidable task did get past the approval stage of the Graduate School in 1967 but, unfortunately, never received the funding required to see the light of day. I finally finished my degree in 1970, and within

three years was asked to serve as Interim Director after Dr. Schultz’s

retirement.

I am amazed to learn that the Museum is celebrating its one hundred and fortieth anniversary. I can certainly say that it was a distinct privilege to have been a small part of that history for nineteen years. In addition, those years were the most influential in my maturation as a museum professional, due to activities and people I encountered both within and beyond the confines of Lincoln. Nancy and my two young sons (another about to be born) arrived in Lincoln with great anticipation during the early spring of 1965. Not only was I about to assume the educational curator role of the Museum but also an opportunity to undertake my pursuit of a Ph.D. This developed because of Dr. Al Fagerstrom, whom I had met the year before while attending a NSF and AAM sponsored six week summer institute at the University of Nebraska, focused on geology and paleontology. At that time I was working at the Dayton Museum of Natural History and had almost abandoned the idea of pursuing a doctorate since my family was growing rapidly as was my age. So, in addition to the summer institute that reawakened my desire to advance academically, Dr. Fagerstrom became aware that the Museum would soon have an opening in their education

Allan D. Griesemer

Reflections from the Past...

Museum Memories

In honor of the State Museum’s 140th anniversary, we asked YOU to share some of your fondest memories of Morrill Hall, Ashfall, and Trailside. 140

Years of Discovery!

1871 l 2011

Photo by Mark Dahmke, 2011

May 2011 7

N E W S & I N F O

It became clear to all on the staff at this time that to awaken the University to the needs and importance of the Museum, we needed to create a long range plan which, to my knowledge, had never been done before. It didn’t shock anyone that the proposed five year plan included a more than tenfold increase in our budget, including a proposal for the doubling of our physical plant at Morrill Hall. Other memories of the 70s included the hiring of Roger Vandiver, a very talented artist and sculpturer. The first task Dr. Schultz asked Roger to undertake was the fabrication of the world’s largest land vertebrate, a Baluchithere – life sized. This formidable beast stood in Elephant Hall for many years. It was supposed to be the center piece of Dr. Schultz’s unrealized dream of a Hall of Giants. Later in 1975 Roger also created a life sized allosaur for the Dinosaur Hall on the second floor, which became a very popular exhibit. The 80s memories focus on the creation of the Encounter Center which grew out of a conversation with Jack Dunn as we were driving back from Denver where we had attended a museum meeting at the Denver Museum of Natural History. This Center (1980) would not have been

possible without the assistance of the Lincoln Junior League, who underwrote the project for its first three years. Hands-on learning was just beginning to come alive about this time around the country, and it was a big success in Lincoln. Equally important to the future of the Museum was the creation of the Friends of the Museum which had its incorporation in 1983 due to the enthusiasm of staff and many local people. I hesitate to mention names, but the ones that stick in my memory were Betty Anderson, Diane Walkowiak, Jean Shankland, Naomi

SHARE YOUR MUSEUM MEMORIESIf you would like one of your Museum memories to be considered

for a future issue of The Mammoth, please send write-ups and JPEG photos to [email protected]. Visit our website for more information

on the Museum’s history, along with upcoming events and exhibits.

museum.unl.edu/140

“Museums are educational institutions starting with pure

research and ending with public exhibitions, published papers, and

for me, when the eyes of a child suddenly widened as something

you have said ‘clicked’ for them.”

—Allan D. Griesemer, Former Museum Director

Brill, Kay Reed, Marie Wells, Kay Young, Mary Lou Pritchard, and Trixi Schmidt. I apologize to those my memory fails to recall – I am getting to that point in my life. The immediate role the Friends played was to work with Senator Don Wesley to help raise the awareness of the need for Morrill Hall to become climate controlled which I believe finally happened four years later. Probably no one at this point wants to remember the arrival of the Apollo space capsule, that had flown, but without passengers. For its arrival and dedication we were honored to have astronaut Sally Ride present, which was quite an event. In the end there are two primary experiences that will always be the highlights of my time at the University of Nebraska State Museum– talking to elementary school children (particularly fourth graders) about the history of the natural world (which I must have done a couple thousand times) and being privileged to work side by side with a very talented and committed staff. If anything was accomplished during my tenure, it was because I could draw on the expertise and dedication of these people who understood that museums are educational institutions starting with pure research and ending with public exhibitions, published papers, and, for me, when the eyes of a child suddenly widened as something you have said ‘clicked’ for them. I guess that is every teacher’s greatest compliment and reward. Museums are critical educational institutions for learning never ends. We must not forget that!

— Allan D. Griesemer, Museum Director, 1973-1974;

Museum Interim Director, 1983-1984

More ‘Museum Memories’ on page 8.

A life-size fabrication of a Baluchithere, the world’s largest land vertebrate, was on display in Elephant Hall in the 1970s. (Seen here with a decorative bow for the holidays.)


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N E W S & I N F O

‘Museum Memories’ continued.

I love Morrill Hall so much that I chose to get married there in 2008! It was a beautiful wedding, and so many people are impressed when they hear I got married at a natural history museum. And my husband and I are still going strong. As a student at UNL, Morrill Hall was a place I liked to hang out at between classes. I attended a few events there and was so excited to learn that Elephant Hall could be rented out. At the age of 19 I decided I would be married there— even though I wasn’t sure I would even get married at that point. When my husband proposed, we discussed a few options for where to hold the wedding, but he liked the idea of getting married in a museum from the start. I have one other important Morrill Hall memory to share... my family used to live in Wisconsin. In 1991, my mom and I took a trip to Lincoln (my first time on a plane!) to visit my aunt who was living there. I was 8 years old and obsessed with dinosaurs, so of course we went to Morrill Hall. I fell in love. And when I was 17 and applying to schools, I applied to UNL in large part because of my memories of Morrill Hall (my parents and I had moved to Georgia in the meantime). Every time I’m in town visiting friends, I make a special stop at Morrill Hall.

— Natasha Luepke, lifelong fan of Morrill Hall

A life-long love of Morrill Hall

Natasha Luepke inside Morrill Hall’s Jurassic Gallery in 1991.

Natasha Luepke and her husband wed in Elephant Hall in 2008.

Inspiring future museum leaders... I grew up in Lincoln, and visiting “Elephant Hall” was my favorite activity, ranking over anything else when Mom asked what we wanted to do on a Saturday. I loved the Museum and everything in it. I also loved the campus and seeing all the college students. Every time the family went to the Museum it was an adventure. In fact, I loved the Museum so much that I wanted to work in the museum field when I grew up, although this may have had something to do with the fact that my father was a curator for the National Park Service (now retired). When I graduated from UNL with a BA in art history I went to University College London (UCL) for a MSc in Conservation, and today I work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the Department of Arms and Armor. But Morrill Hall is still my favorite.

— Edward Hunter, Associate Conservator, Department of Arms and Armor at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Edward Hunter at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

May 2011 9

N E W S & I N F O

1951 The bobcat diorama opened in the Hall of Nebraska Wildlife on the first floor of Morrill Hall. In 1996, rock ledges and interactive exhibits were added outside the case.

1933 Henry Reider finished making a xylophone, the "Bonophone", from fossilized rhino ribs. Henry performed at church socials, Boy Scout meetings, high school assemblies, and civic clubs in the area.

1930 The lower jaw of Amebelodon fricki, a shovel-tusked elephant, was placed on exhibit. In 1927, this eight million-year-old "four-tusker" was discovered near Freedom, Nebraska.

1932 The modern African elephant taxidermy mounts are installed in Elephant Hall. In 1929, Adam Breede, editor for the Hastings newspaper, donated the elephants and other African mammals to the Museum.

1927 Collections and exhibits were moved from the Museum Building (1908-1927) to Morrill Hall. Museum director E.H. Barbour noticed the extreme care taken by Henry Reider, an employee for the moving company, and hired him to work for the Museum. Reider spent 36 years as a preparator and exhibits specialist.

1961 Barbour's collection of Daemonelices ("Devil's corkscrews") was removed to make way for the Barnyard Exhibit in Morrill Hall. These beaver burrows, including several in the Agate Case at Morrill Hall, have been displayed in three different museum buildings since 1891.

1945 The month of May was designated "Museum Month". New exhibits, colored natural history movies, special Sunday tours, and local radio broadcasts were held in conjunction with this promotion in subsequent years.1926 Ground was broken for Morrill Hall. It was

completed within a year at a cost of $224,890.

1940 Reider appeared on several radio shows in New York City playing the "Bonophone". In the 1960s, it was exhibited in Morrill Hall, and his renditions of "Chop Sticks" and "There is No Place Like Nebraska" could be played for a nickel. On the day of his death, the tape went on an endless loop echoing his musings throughout Morrill Hall.

1953 A whooping crane exhibit depicting a Sand Hills lake was installed in the Hall of Nebraska Wildlife.

1985 "Midnight Snack", a movie filmed in Morrill Hall by UNL film studies students, played at the Sheldon Theater.

Since its founding in 1871, the Museum has captured the imagination of those who have entered its hallways. Dynamic exhibits, events, and people have shaped it into what it is today. Here are selected activities from the past 140 years.

April

A WALK THROUGH TIME

1971 Fifteen days after the Parasitology collections were moved into Nebraska Hall, Curator Harold Manter died during heart surgery.

1987 "State Museum: Still Digging," premiered on Nebraska Educational Television.

Compiled by George Corner and Shane Tucker

"Old" Nebraska Hall ca.1900

Continued on pages 10-11.


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N E W S & I N F O

1926 The cornerstone of Morrill Hall containing the autobiography of Charles Morrill, scientific publications, and photos of Morrill's family, Director E.H. Barbour, University Chancellor Samuel Avery, and the Board of Regents was put in place.

1947 Erwin Hinckley Barbour, former Museum Director and Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, died at the age of 91. He is buried at Wyuka Cemetery.

1962 The Barnyard Exhibit opened in the Camel Gallery. The horse skeleton in this case was originally mounted at "Old" Nebraska Hall in 1888.

2001 Astronomy Day included a presentation by Nagin Cox entitled "The Daring Return to Io: Moon of Volcanoes and Fire" discussing NASA's Galileo Mission to Jupiter.

1952 The Ralph Mueller Gallery of Health Sciences was dedicated. It included exhibits on cell growth, life expectancy, and the "Wonder of Life", a series of models illustrating fetus development and child birth.

1947 A fire in a drying cabinet destroyed several bird mounts and caused minor damage at Morrill Hall.

1927 On May 28, Morrill Hall was formally dedicated.

1954 The Museum created a temporary exhibit entitled "One Hundred Years of Fossil Hunting in Nebraska" which included rhinoceros, elephant, camel, and mosasaur specimens. It was displayed in Omaha during the city's centennial celebration.

June

1986 The Henry Doorly Zoo donated part of a male African elephant skeleton to the Museum's Zoology Division.

1927 Elizabeth Dolan finished frescoes (water colors on wet plaster) in the east hallway cases on the second floor of Morrill Hall. Originally, a South American glyptodont was mounted where the rhino is today. After it was moved to the Ice Age Case, the glyptodonts were "touched up" in the background.

1891 E.H. Barbour made his first trip to western Nebraska and discovered the "Daimonelices". Originally, he thought they were the fossilized roots of plants rather than beaver burrows.

1928 The African elephant skeleton, originally from a German zoo, was mounted in the northeast corner of Elephant Hall. The Museum purchased it from Ward's Natural Science for $300.

1957 The Broadwater Stegomastodon skeletal mount was installed on the west side of Elephant Hall. It was collected in 1939 by a W.P.A. field party.

1991 Ashfall Fossil Beds opened twenty years after Dr. Michael Voorhies discovered a rhino jaw eroding from a ravine. During the first five months, nearly 38,000 people visited the park. In 2006, Ashfall was designated a National Natural Landmark by the Secretary of Interior.

May

1888 "Old" Nebraska Hall, the second building housing museum collections, was dedicated. The Museum occupied space on the east end of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors from 1888-1908. The building was located near Manter Hall on UNL's City Campus and razed in 1961.

2001 The Museum hosted a ceremony in conjunction with the First Day of Issue for the Great Plains Prairie Commemorative Stamps. This 10-stamp panel depicts 25 plant and animal species native to mixed-grass prairie.

1988 The Mueller Planetarium celebrated its 30th anniversary. More than 30,000 people visited the planetarium this year.

1922

May 2011 11

N E W S & I N F O

1996 The Friends of the Museum sponsored a Retro Party including period dress to celebrate the Museum's 125th Anniversary.

1915 Under most circumstances receiving a note from the principal is not good. In March, Museum Director E.H. Barbour was contacted by R.J. LaPorte, a school principal in Campbell, Nebraska. While digging the footings for a new high school building, workmen discovered a mammoth skull and tusks. On March 31, Barbour left Lincoln by train at 2:00 am. The specimen was well preserved with both tusks lying side by side. The tusks were nearly 12 feet long, 10 inches in diameter, and helically curved. Each day more than 1000 spectators stopped by to watch Barbour and crew collect the specimen. After four days, it was shipped back to Lincoln on a train. The specimen was displayed for more than 25 years and is now housed in the Vertebrate Paleontology research collections at Nebraska Hall. In 2001, George Corner returned to the site after the building was razed and found a few more pieces of its skeleton including a vertebra sitting right under the foundation.

From the Field

2004 On June 20, the Highway Paleontology Program was working near Gering. A thunderstorm passed through around 4:00 pm with lightning and baseball-sized hail. The hailstones cracked the truck's windshield and went through one of the tents. Storms continued through the evening.

2008 Construction began on the new 17,500 square foot Hubbard Family Rhino Barn at Ashfall Fossil Beds. Seven new skeletons have been uncovered during the past two field seasons.

1997 The Vertebrate Paleontology Division created new exhibits for Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Staff members individually placed more than 1000 replica bones to reconstruct the world-famous fossil quarry.

2005 The Paul and Betty Marx Discovery Center was dedicated. Several hands-on exhibits, including a beaver dam, rock outcrop with local geology, and miniature Ashfall dig site, were added.1992 The Museum hosted the Society for the

Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) annual meeting.

1971 Trailside Museum hosted a reunion for former museum collectors including the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) field crews. These crews collected roughly 350,000 fossils throughout Nebraska

1987 The legislature passed LB 218 authorizing $3.93M for a climate control system in Morrill Hall.

1939 The Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) was a government program that created jobs for unemployed citizens during the Great Depression. The Museum hired carpenters, preparators, and field collectors with these funds. W.P.A. field parties are responsible for approximately 25% of the fossils in the Vertebrate Paleontology research collections. Between 1938 and 1941, they excavated more than 3,000 bones from a 3 million-year-old deposit near Lisco. In a June 22, 1939 journal entry, field supervisor Emery Blue (above) wrote "To-day we found a fine giant camel mandable in perfect condition. Also new ramus, which appears to be the jaw of a sloth?". The giant camel (Gigantocamelus) and ground sloth (Megalonyx) skeletal mounts in Morrill Hall are from the Lisco quarries.

1939

Sketch of the Campbell mammoth in Barbour's field book.


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Continued from cover

COloRFUL CREATURE DAY!

Visitors of all ages flocked to Morrill Hall on April 2 to experience the 3rd annual “Colorful Creature Day.” We lucked out again this year with beautiful weather, which allowed us to station hoofed animals outside to greet children and their parents as they approached the Museum. (You don’t often see a cow hanging out in front of the “Archie” statue!)

A variety of volunteer groups were on hand to give children the opportunity to create animal-inspired art and interact with many different kinds of creatures— including a hedgehog, vulture, owl, llamas, alpacas, pigs, birds, rabbits, reptiles, insects, amphibians, and more!

This event also celebrated the unveiling of the Museum’s Colorful Creature art exhibit, comprised of over 500 entries received from its statewide art contest this spring. All the entries, including the ribbon winners, will be on displayat Morrill Hall through June 26.

Kudos to the Museum staff and numerous volunteers from the following organizations who made this such a special day!

• Lincoln Children’s Zoo• Pioneers Park Nature Center• Raptor Recovery• Capital Humane Society• Spring Creek Prairie Audubon• Nebraska Parrot Rescue• Star City Llama and Alpaca 4-H Club• Rabbits R Us 4-H Club• Guild of Natural Scientific Illustrators,

Great Plains Chapter• Lincoln’s Watershed Management Division• Nebraska Herpetological Society• UNL Department of Art and Art History• UNL School of Natural Resources• UNL Department of Entomology• UNL Wildlife Club

Generous support for this event was also provided by the Hixson-Lied Endowment.

—Dana Ludvik, Public Relations Coordinator

1,100 visitors celebrate art and animals at Morrill Hall April 2

THANKS to all the Friends who celebrated

Colorful Creature Daywith us!

See more photos of the event on our Facebook page!

May 2011 13

R E S E A R C H

With a name like “Flora Rosa,” it seems only natural that Flora Sandoz was destined to show an interest in plants. She received her name from her older sister, Mari, one of Nebraska’s foremost writers, and while Flora is often overshadowed by Mari’s success in literature, her own contributions to the field of botany are still remembered and can be seen in the Charles E. Bessey Herbarium at the University of Nebraska State Museum.

Flora was born May 12, 1906 to Jules and Mary Sandoz on the Old River Place south of Hay Springs, Nebraska. Flora enrolled in the botany program at the University of Minnesota in 1929 and earned her degree three years later before returning home. Unable to find a job due to the Depression, Flora kept busy taking care of the cattle and orchards where she lived. It is reported that she experimented on varieties of fruit trees, especially apples, and kept accurate records of her harvests and of annual rainfall. She also took pictures of wildflowers.

FLORA SANDOZ’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE BESSEY HERBARIUM

The sister of author Mari Sandoz collected significant botanical specimens from Nebraska’s Sandhills

As of May 6, 2011, the Charles E. Bessey Herbarium had 224 of Flora’s specimens recorded in its electronic database, and others are likely to be found as databasing progresses. The majority of the specimens were collected in 1933 and 1934 at the Sandoz Home and Osborne Ranch near Ellsworth, Nebraska, located in Sheridan County. They are great representations of the flora found in the Sandhills region. One specimen in particular, Townsendia exscapa (townsendia daisy), is a native plant that Flora collected and the handwritten note on the label says, “Most blossom in April and I found one on the 15th of March this year.” This serves as the earliest flowering record for that species. Flora maintained her botanical knowledge and kept up to date on topics in her field by reading horticulture publications throughout her life. Flora died April 30, 1995 at the age of 89 and is buried at the Greenwood Cemetery in Alliance, Nebraska. For those interested in learning more about Flora and her work, “Flora Sandoz, The Wild Flowers of Nebraska” is an interactive exhibit at the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center at Chadron State College. It features commentary by Flora on wildflowers that she collected around her home with accompanying photographs. Correspondence between Flora and Mari can also be found in the Mari Sandoz Collection at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.

— Caroline Shinn, Botany Student Worker

Flora Sandoz, 1931. (Photo provided by the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center, Chadron, Nebraska.)

On April 20, the Curator of the Division of Entomology, Brett Ratcliffe, was presented the Faculty International Scholar of the Year award by the Nebraska chapter of Phi Beta Delta, an international honor society. This award was given in recognition of Ratcliffe’s scholarly achievement in international education.

Ross Secord.

CONGRATS! MUSEUM RESEARCHERS RECOGNIZED, PUBLISHED

The October 21 issue of Nature, the weekly international journal of science, featured a paper by Ross Secord, Assistant Professor in UNL’s Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and Curator of the Museum’s Division of Vertebrate Paleontology. The article is based on research conducted by Secord and his team on fossils collected from the Bighorn Basin in north-

Brett Ratcliffe (far left).central Wyoming. Their findings may influence the way scientists think about global warming and its effects. Read the full article on www.nature.com.


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A NEW FOSSIL FIND MARKS 30 YEARS OF DISCOVERY

In paleontology, “discovery” can be by slow degrees, or fast as in the rapid removal of sediment from bone. A recent discovery illustrates both its slow and quick aspects and causes us to celebrate a 30-year era of research, exhibit development, and outreach by the University of Nebraska State Museum (UNSM) with the National Park Service at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Agate is located 30 miles south of the town of Harrison near the headwaters of the Niobrara River. The national monument is a delightful place to hike and to gain insight into our state’s remarkable prehistory.

Rapid, energetic, uncoveringThe museum’s connection to this world-famous

paleontological site began in the early 20th century when E.H. Barbour of the University of Nebraska opened a quarry on University Hill in 1905. However, credit for the discovery of the Agate bonebed rests with paleontologist Olaf Peterson of Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museum. His excavation at Carnegie Hill in 1904 resulted in an invasion of scientists and excavators from America’s museums and universities, followed by a period of intense, sometimes competitive, quarrying, lasting from 1905 to 1923. A single, thin layer of rock near the base of the two hills yielded hundreds of skeletons of the small rhinoceros Menoceras, a herd of the large chalicothere Moropus, and remains of the formidable scavenger Dinohyus. By the 1930s, when scientists were shifting their attention elsewhere, many museums were well supplied with these 20-milllion year old fossils, but an understanding of the story behind the bonebed and the paleo-environmental clues held by the hills themselves was still awaiting discovery.

Slow discovery When Bob Hunt arrived at UNSM in the early 1970s, he was aware that the Agate quarries had long stood idle. Indeed, UNSM’s last field crew had departed Agate in 1908, taking the train from Harrison back to Lincoln, its baggage car weighted with plaster jackets and massive rock slabs carved from the bonebed. In the intervening years, the fossil bed had passed from private ownership to the National Park Service after an international coalition of paleontologists, along with Nebraska citizens and legislators, testified to its significance as a keystone of North American paleontology. Now, by the 1970s, scientists had new methods and new questions to apply to sites such as Agate. These didn’t require the discovery of more fossils, but rather a careful look at the rocks containing the fossils. Bob and his students began to examine and map the rocks exposed along the Niobrara River from Harrison south to Agate. This took several summers of painstaking work but only with a thorough knowledge of the typical

sedimentary sequence could the drama preserved in the rocks at Agate be understood. Outcrops in the Niobrara’s canyon revealed the exceedingly flat, arid, and newly-evolved grassland environments that prevailed in Sioux County 20-23 million years ago.

Finally, in 1981, we received our first National Park permit enabling the excavation and collection of fossils, but still we were more concerned with recording, on aerial photographs, the geologic rock units exposed at the national monument. We recognized that University Hill and Carnegie Hill lay directly in the path of an ancient river system that had wended eastward from Wyoming’s Hartville Mountains. That river was braided, broad, shallow, and of very low energy. It may have well been dry from time to time. However, it would have provided an appealing oasis in a landscape otherwise devoid of surface water.

Ellen painting a cast for the bonebed.

Waterhole diorama.

May 2011 15

R E S E A R C H

In 1985 we were almost ready to re-open the old quarries at Agate, and we conducted some test excavations. Then in 1986, a field crew including Bob, preparator Rob Skolnick, and several graduate students, exposed the circumference of Carnegie Hill. This provided a three dimensional view of the bonebed sediments. We could then see that the bonebed occurred in an abandoned side channel of the river, an oxbow, which in turn had held a seasonal waterhole, with its greatest depth being six feet. Many types of evidence (the condition and distribution of the skeletons, scavenged bones, animal tracks, limey mudstones, the absence of fishes, etc.) pointed to a single, catastrophic drought event playing out over a relatively short period of time and causing the deaths of entire herds of ungulates. The entombing sediments had sensitively recorded the scenario, layer by layer.

Synthesis The conclusion of UNSM excavations in the Carnegie Hill quarries coincided with the intention of the National Park Service to build a new visitor center at Agate. National Park staff joined citizens of Scottsbluff, Gering, and Harrison to develop and finance a plan incorporating our research into educational exhibits. The centerpiece of the visitor center would be a life-size diorama recreating the mass death of mammals during the Agate drought. Additional displays would show how the geological evidence and the fossils had been interpreted by paleontologists.

Construction of the waterhole diorama was a huge undertaking. Over 2000 bones were duplicated from originals in the University’s Agate collection by preparators Ellen Stepleton and Rob Skolnick. These were used to replicate the bonebed as it appeared near the conclusion of the drought event. Skeletons of chalicotheres, entelodonts, and beardogs were molded, cast, and mounted by UNSM

and other museums. Vivid and richly detailed murals depicting the drying waterhole were completed by artist Mark Marcuson. In June 1997, this phase of our work at Agate reached its conclusion with the opening of the waterhole diorama and interpretive exhibits at the new NPS Visitor Center.

The latest discovery, slow and fastA final remarkable discovery has taken place recently but stems from

our earlier excavations. In the 1980s, while searching for the original Carnegie Museum quarries of 1905, we relocated Olaf Peterson’s “Quarry 3” which, curiously, had produced almost nothing but the bones of carnivores. Carnivores are uncommon in the fossil record generally (reflecting their numerical scarcity relative to herbivores), and in the Agate waterhole they were represented by only a few limb bones and teeth. So why were there so many carnivore bones in this particular quarry, 600 feet south of the waterhole? As our exploration of “Quarry 3” progressed, the walls and floors of burrows began to appear, outlined in the sediments. We eventually realized that Peterson’s Quarry 3 had penetrated a series of carnivore dens. This, it turned out, was the oldest known occurrence of large carnivore dens in the fossil record. We were amazed to find that some of the burrows still contained their residents, having escaped detection by the 1905 excavators. In all, five carnivore species have been recovered from the den site, a rather startling statistic. The dens were mapped and then re-covered to preserve the easily-eroded burrows and remaining skeletons for future investigators.

Some of the carnivore material we removed was put aside until other research demands had been met. Recently, preparator Rob Skolnick opened the last remaining field jacket from the dens. As he removed rock from the specimen, the visage of an entirely new kind of beardog peered back at him. This was an animal that may have profited handsomely from the Agate drought, as its bone-crushing dentition indicated a lifestyle very similar to Africa’s spotted hyena. It is fascinating to paleontologists to see how an extinct lineage, not at all related to hyenas, co-evolved with North America’s earliest grassland faunas and how one of its species developed the specializations required for the “hyena” niche. This new beardog from Agate will be published this year by the American Museum of Natural History— a fortunate and timely discovery to help celebrate the 30th UNSM-NPS anniversary.

— Ellen Stepleton, Preparator; Rob Skolnick, Preparator; Bob Hunt, Curator Emeritus, Division of Vertebrate Paleontology

Detail of bonebed and Marcuson mural.

research demands had been met. Recently, preparator Rob Skolnick opened the last remaining field jacket from the dens. As he

Rob prepared thenew beardog.


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E D U C A T I O N

MARCHFEBRUARY

'Sunday with a Scientist' events are held the 3rd Sunday of each month from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at Morrill Hall. Join us to interact with scientists and explore new topics!

On February 20, scientists in the State Museum’s Parasitology Division “hosted” a program all about parasites. Visitors investigated parasitic specimens in vials and microscopes and learned about parasite biodiversity, systematics, biogeography, and taxonomy.

A Family Progra

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On March 20, visitors learned about light, lasers, and optics from scientists in the UNL Department of Electrical Engineering. Visitors were given the opportunity to tune and generate lasers, while exploring the fascinating properties of light. The scientists also explained the many ways we encounter lasers and optics in daily life, from sunglasses, TV remote controllers, LCD displays, DVD players, to hologram art.

May 2011 17

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On April 17, visitors explored the fascinating world of fruit. Scientists in the UNL School of Biological Sciences provided hands-on activities to help the public learn about the diversity of cultivated and wild fruit. The scientists also explained the important role fruit plays in the environment, the plant life cycle, and the diets of animals and humans.

On May 15, scientists in the UNL Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences led a program to teach visitors about the basic causes of extreme weather phenomena, such as tornadoes, thunderstorms, hurricanes, and blizzards. Visitors also learned about the tools and methods scientists use to observe, study, and predict extreme weather.

See more photos on our Facebook page!

— Dana Ludvik, Public Relations Coordinator

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

June 19 - Tissue MechanicsJuly 17 - FishAug. 21 - Climate ChangeSept. 18 - Plants

Oct. 16 - FossilsNov. 20 - VirusesDec. 18 - Minerals

For more information on these and previous programs, visit museum.unl.edu.


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T R A I L S I D E M U S E U M

The Trailside Museum of Natural History at Fort Robinson State Park near Crawford, Nebraska is now open for its 50th anniversary season. Trailside has been a branch museum of the University of Nebraska State Museum since 1961.

To celebrate this milestone, the Trailside Museum added a new rock shop featuring minerals from all over the world and adjusted its hours of operation in order to better meet the needs of visitors.

These changes are part of ongoing efforts to enhance the Trailside, including the recent installation of a new paleontology exhibit featuring art by Mark Marcuson and a new cast of a 3-toed fossil horse (Cormohipparion).

Trailside was established in 1961 under the leadership of Museum Director C. Bertrand Schultz (1941-1973). The museum exhibits represent vertebrate fossils, plant life, geology, and other natural history objects of western Nebraska and the Fort Robinson area. Trailside’s showpiece exhibit depicts two battling Ice Age mammoths with tusks locked together in a permanent death grip. The two bull mammoths were discovered in the summer of 1962 in the Little Badlands

formations near Crawford. After being tucked away for over 40 years in the State

Museum’s research facility on the UNL campus, the decision was made to return the skeletal remains of the ancient beasts back to western Nebraska. Trailside’s dramatic “Clash of the Mammoths” exhibit opened in the summer of 2006 and continues to serve as a key attraction for tourists.

Dr. Mike Voorhies, Curator Emeritus for Vertebrate Paleontology at the State Museum, led the field party that discovered and excavated the one-of-a-kind fossils.

“I was a senior at the University of Nebraska at the time. On rainy days when we weren’t out collecting fossils in the field, we worked in the Trailside Museum and put together the original displays,” he said. “It’s fun for me to see how the place has grown over the years.”

Plans are in place to make additional improvements to Trailside in the future to further enrich the visitor experience and educate the public on the wonders of the region.

“I hope Trailside will continue to be a great example of the outstanding natural history discoveries that are

made in the Pine Ridge and Badland areas of Nebraska.”

--Dr. Mike Voorhies, Curator Emeritus for Vertebrate Paleontology at the State Museum

TRAILSIDE TURNS 50! “I hope Trailside will continue to be a great example of the outstanding natural history discoveries that are made in the Pine Ridge and Badland areas of Nebraska,” said Voorhies. “I suspect that the museum will remain a focal point for people in northwest Nebraska who are interested in their own natural history. People out there have a lot of pride in their own area. And it’s a great place to bring their kids.” — Dana Ludvik, Public Relations Coordinator

Grand opening of the Trailside Museum of Natural History, June 3, 1961. From left: Nebraska Senator George Gerdes, Nebraska Governor Frank B. Morrison, and University of Nebraska State Museum Director C. Bertrand Schultz.

Excavation of two bull mammoths with tusks locked together near Crawford, 1962. These one-of-a-kind fossils eventually returned to western Nebraska to go permanent display in Trailside’s “Clash of the Mammoths” exhibit in 2006. (Dr. Voorhies is pictured on the far left.)

May 2011 19

A S H F A L L F O S S I L B E D S

Reservation Form for Friends Excavation at Ashfall Fossil Beds - 2011

Please reserve spaces (minimum age 16) for me/us on the following date(s)

*Friends Members — $60 (per person) X ________ day(s) = $ ________

Non-members — $110 (per person) X ________ day(s) = $ ________

Thursday, July 21____ Friday, July 22____ Saturday, July 23____ (Check your choice)

Your name(s)________________________________________________________________________________________

Address, City, State, & Zip______________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number_______________________________________________________________________________________

Maximum of 10 participants per day. Register early to assure date(s) of your choice.

Please return this form to: Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park, 86930 517th Avenue, Royal, Nebraska 68773

or call (402) 893-2000 to reserve your space.

Registrations are being accepted now for the 2011 Friends Fossil Excavation. This annual workshop will be held July 21-23, 2011 at or near the Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park. If you are curious about the excavation process and learning more about paleontology in Nebraska, consider giving this learning experience a try. Past participants have made some pretty interesting discoveries… everything from rodent teeth to giant camel bones… all while learning more about Nebraska’s prehistory and the science of paleontology. July is a wonderful time to visit northeast Nebraska, with the summer wildflowers in full bloom and the prairie grasses growing tall. And if you haven’t seen Ashfall’s Hubbard Rhino Barn, now is the time to come out and see this fantastic new facility and the many discoveries that have been made since it officially opened in 2009. Spots are limited for this hands-on adventure, so early registration is encouraged. — Sandy Mosel, Ashfall Fossil Beds

ASHFALL’S 2011 FRIENDS FOSSIL EXCAVATION SET FOR JULY 21-23

*Must be a 2011 Friends

member prior to January 1st to

qualify for the Friends rate.

ABOVE: Friends members participating in an excavation on a ranch near the Ashfall site.AT LEFT: Hubbard Rhino Barn


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Abel Foundation Jeff & Melissa Abele Christine Abraham & Mark Weddleton Bambang & Caroline Adiwijaya Jerry & Ora Adler David & Alicia Admiraal Mike & Diane Agnitsch Alan & Sharon Benes Albakhit/Alhusami Family Bill Alexander & Jackie Reeves-Alexander Jeanette Alexis Eval & Irit Alkalay Todd & Jodi Alva Karen Amen Steve & Carol Andersen Jim & Karin Andersen Harold W Andersen Heather Andersen & J eff Larson Robert & Kathy Anderson Betty & Bruce Anderson Mark & Linda Anderson Cheryl & Toby Anderson Tim & Jessie Andre The Andrews/Sawyers Family Lindsey & Michael Anker Ivonne Anzola & Jose Martinez Daniel & Cynthia Apolius Don Arp, Jr. Jeff & Laurie Aspinall Shiri & David Attia David & Talia Aviksis The Baker Family Jennifer Bale & Kathi Rouse Michal & Eran Barak Richard & Elise Barnhart Kate Barrow & Mary Churchill Dan & Cathy Barry Dan & Ester Barsella Martina Bascom & Ryan Erickson

Gary & Wendy Baum Jeff Bauman Tim & Cassie Baumert The Baumfalk Family Tim & Jennifer Bausch Jeff Beaty & Nissa Sturgeon Mary G. Beavers Ben Beethe & Amber Drake Cathy & Tommy Bender Todd & Carolyn Bennett Ann Benson and Dean Suing Travis & Isabel Berry The Berthold Family Timothy & Betsy Besseret Mike & Roxanne Bischof The Bishop Family Jodi Biskup and Carlos Blanco James and JoAnn Bitner The Blahak Family James & Rachel Blake Jeff & Heather Bloom Nick & Amy Bock Kathy & Brian Boes Tracy & Kate Boman Diana L Borysenko Jason & Xochit Boughtin The Brestel Family Norma J Brockmoller The Brogie Family Mark & Anessa Brohman Rick & Leslie Bronaugh Theodore J Browne Lavern & Sabrina Brye Melissa & Paul Buckbee Erik & Dani Burback Michael & Sarah Burden The Burkey Family Sheila Cahill & Alicia Carlsten Tom Callahan Cameron & Bettina Grange Matt & Jennifer Campbell Greg & Jessy Carlson Marvin P Carlson Bethany Carlson & Donald Seehusen Leah Carpenter Stephen & Tamara Cass Douglas & Pam Cast Rebecca & Carl Cederberg William Cenovic Melvin & Linda Cerny The Chaffin Family Wai-Fun Chan Douglas Chapman Chris & Alicia Krotz Tim & Colleen Classen Haldane Cleminson, III David & Alison Clevette Robert G Coble Jason & Theresa Codr Leigh F. Coffin Cogan & Kidder Family Denise & Joe Cole Jeff & Silvia Cole Morris & Aleta Collier Chris & Cori Combs Jim & Laura Commers

Mr. & Mrs. James R. Cook Brad & Traci Copple Bryan Corkle & Nikki Siegel The Cowan Family Aaron & Joy Crawford The Curtiss Family The Cusick Family James & Michelle Daberkow Dan & Nikki Konz Dancing Leaf Earth Lodge Samuel Dank & Caroline Koen Drew & Jessica Dasher Elizabeth A daSilva Janell & Shayne Daughenbaugh Chistopher & Jamey Davey Amit & Adi David The Davies/Jones Family Amber & Jason Davis Amber Davis & Susan Howard Rebecca & John Dean Aaron & Theresa Delahoyde Manqi Deng & Qiong Wang Andrew DeNino & Alicia Hurst Rod & Kristi Denison Mark & Summer Dickinson John & Melissa Diebel Robert & Anne Diffendal Dan & Sha’mene Dixon Michael & Kathy Donlan Allan & Stephanie Donsig Brian & Sara Dorn BJ Dowse Krassen Draganov Brenda & Keran Dragoo David Dunning & Deborah Wright Mary & Frank Dupuis Lauren & Paul Durban Mr & Mrs Don C. Eakins Brandon Earnest Nick & Sandra Egger The Elram Family Talia & Yoni Engelhart Ronen & Narkis Engler Cynthia Epley Linn & Brenda Erickson Amy & Diane Eriksen Brandon & Carrie Essink James & Nancy Estes Duane Eversoll Ross & Emily Faubel Michael & April Faubion Grace & Jed Fehrenbach Kevin & Beth Ferrell G. Steven Ferris David & Carolyn Fiala Harley & Kellie Ficke David & Stacey Field Tranda S. Fischelis Scott & Rebecca Fisher Gary & Marilyn Fitch Kelly Florell & Nancy Davis Thomas & Joann Floyd Thaddeus & Michelle Fonck David & Karen Fonder Thomas Foulk & Melanie Collister-Foulk

Tom & Linda Fowler Chad & Tricia Fox Barb & Charles Francis Francke Family Mark & Mary Freitag Bev & Patricia French The Frerichs Family Mark & Joanne Frandolig Matt & Ellen Fuller Mary Ann & John Gabel Holly Gage-Hennecke & Nicholas Hennecke Jeff & Jenni Gall George & Joyce Gallu Lawrence & Andrea Gardiner Michelle & Joshua Garren Jennifer & Sean Gavin Gaylen & Laura Sysel Christina Gerard & Brian Kleinknecht Jay & Ruth Gerber Pat & Gary Gergen Sheri & Greg Gillham Joe Gilvary Cris & Mike Gittins Joyce Gleason Stephen & Stacy Gonifas Ori & Miri Gordin Judd & Ann Gouldie Emily & Steven Graffius Alana Greene & Jennifer Eddington The Gregson/O’Gilvie Family Priscilla C. Grew Perry Grossman & Carrie James Don & Alissa Gunning Bill & Donna Gustafson Timothy Hagge & Andria Bethelmie Jodi & Ryan Hague Tim & Alica Hain Mark & Jennifer Hammer Jesse & Amy Hammond Rob & Jen Hanger Rusty & Heidi Hanley Tim & Anna Hanway Jim Harbour & Debbie Hickman The Harden Family Mira & Stefan Hariskov Norm & Bernice Harris Sherod A Harris Jane & Corina Harrison Shawn & Jolie Harstad Bill Haru & Chris Schuerman-Haru The Hastings Family Bill & Edith Hayes The Hedrick/King Family Monty Heidenreich & Jean Barker Greg & Christy Heinzmann Joseph & Jennifer Hennecke Tom & Della Henriksen Bryan & Kim Hermsen Amber Herrick & Patrick Timmer

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Friends Organization.

Bill & Ruth Scott

David Lind Scott

Douglas & Pam Cast

Morrie & Amy Tuttle

Betty & Bruce Anderson

Palmer & Shirley Johnson

Raymond & Bernita Neujahr

James & Nancy Estes

Norm & Bernice Harris

May 2011 21

David & Jennifer Hicks Timothy & Stephanie Hill Sally & Mike Hillis Ernie & Jane Hines Elizabeth & Brooks Hitt Larry & Dee Hogya Cliff & Marcia Hollestelle Juelle Holz & Leslie Troutt Ted & Colleen Hubbard Robin R. Huebner Barbara C. Hughes Ronald & Lisa Hunter The Hutchins Family Sarah & David Hwang Scott & Kelly Jacob Mark & Mae James Pat Janike & Lora Carpenter-Janike Karen & John Janovy Jennifer & Nick Ortner Greg Jensen Matt & Amy Jewell Judi Jirovsky & Kristi Gustatson Scott & Della Johns Chad & Jennifer Johnson Clayton & Lois Johnson Palmer & Shirley Johnson Rose & Ken Johnson Chad Johnson & Kim Adams Johnson Rhonda and Martin Jonas Rachelle & Linda Jones The Jorgensen Family Martin & Claire Jorgensen Joe & Carol Jurich Jay & Stacie Jurrens The Kahler Family Brent Kamp & Marilyn Wise Ying Fen Kao & Chi-Kuo Hu Tom & Donice Kaspar Chris & Deanna Kastrinos Elizabeth Katt & Harry Bullerdiek Brandon Kearns & Kelly Wegner Shari & Victor Kelemen Robert & Ann Kelley Yupin and James Kendrick Alice & Lee Kenitz William & Chris Kenkel Shiri & Omri Kessel Kevin & Susan Gustafson Pat & Heidi Kile Evan & Maggie Killeen Emily and Owen Killham The Kincanon Family Roger & Helga Kirst Brad & Linda Kistler Andrew & Lori Kitzing Kevin & Diane Klein Chris & Milo Knezevic Eugene Koob & Kerry Ryan Russell Koos & Kara Foster Lisa & Lon Kopecky Tom & Tammy Kortus Ryan & Stacey Kot

Thaddeus & Melissa Kowal Drew & Becky Kramer Ralph Krause & Elizabeth Kernes Krause The Krohn/McEntarffer Family Becky & Kelly Krueger Amanda & Lela Kruse Christine Kunz & Thomas Erlandson Laura and Shun Kwong Michael and Carol LaCroix David & Melissa Lair Tim & Suzy Landreth The Lang Family Bill & Rhonda Lange Joseph M. Larson The Laursen Family Quang Le & Sherri Pham Leatherman Family Avi & Serit Lebenthal Donald & Michele Leif The Leija Family Mike Leite Bob Levin Amelia Montes & Emily Levine William & Connie Lewis Shirley and Yong Li Shizu Li & Yongmei Chen Tali & Yair Liberman Ryan Liebig Choan & Susanne Liewer Lincoln Gem & Mineral Club Jim & Gail Linderholm Mark & Takako Liska Nellie Littrell Errol & Anne Lord Jeff & Roxanne Lott Matthew & Jessica Luebbe Debbra Luebbe & Jaime Gorum Rob & Nicole Lyman Aaron & Calli Lyons Terry & Cheryl Maassen Cheri Macartney Ronit & Matias Machtinger Bryan & Rachel Mack Mary Ellen Macomber & Shirlee Vinton Mike & Kelly Madcharo Levin Magroder & Jenifer Sharlot Laura & Jeremiah Maher Eugene I Majerowicz Curtis K. Mann Maria Manning Kurt & Rebecca Mantonya Jennie & Ryan Martin Matt & Amy Masek Bill Masilko & Pam Dugan The Massengale Family Lois & ZB Mayo Doug & Jessica McCall Bill & Wilma McCamley Andy & Hope McFarlane Jennifer & Jason McHargue Carrie & Anthony McKenzie Marj McKinty

Kay McLaughlin Graff William & Tanya McVay David & Zmora Adva Mechaly The Meier Family Edith A Meints Deseray Meister Kevin Menefee & Joy Strayer Mike & Jenny Merwick Jordan & Angela Messerer Kevin & Denise Meyer Joyce Michaelis & Julianna Ehlers Lisa & Chad Michel John E. Millington Melissa Jo Mills Missionary Benedictine Sisters Byron & Lissa Mitchell The Mobarak/Arvelo Family Stephen & Erin Mohring Chanin & David Monestero Melissa & Andy Monnich Lisa & Jonathan Montoya Terry & Cathy Moore Jeremiah Moore & Leah Powell-Moore Jason & Renae Morehead Patrick & Kimberly Morgan The Morgenson Family Rosalind Morris Mary Burke Morrow Ronald & Virginia Morse The Moser Family William & Christine Moser Daniel & Tamara Moskowitz The Moy Family Robert E. Muller Muslimin/Widiastuti Family Joel & Louise Myers Tim & Tara Mykris John & Ann Neal and Aletha Biggs David & Joanne Neeley Benjamin & Marsha Neff Marjorie M. Neill Raymond & Bernita Neujahr Diana Nevins Karyl & Mark Newman Xuan & Vu Nguyen Rob & Melissa Nickolaus Mark A Nickolaus Lanny & Rachel Nielsen Dan & Regina Noble Jim Nora & Julie Filips John & Dee Novacek Rama Novogrodsky & Ben Ami Elaine Nowick Kathleen Oberg Megan & Brady Ockander Stan & Fanny Odenthal Valerie & Steve Odenthal James & Ruth O’Gara The Okamoto Family Kimbulu Okitotete & Bokota Lifaefi Angela & Brian O’Neal Allen & Virginia Overcash Pam & Mark Overman


Ismaih & Derya Ozcan Carlton & Judy Paine The Papproth/Seaton Family Timothy Parsons David & Tammy Partsch Dennis & Jessica Pate Gira Patel & David Euler The Patterson Family Keith & Ruth Pearson Bryce & Nadine Pearson Gorden Peden Michael & Carol Pedersen Connie & Steve Pejsar Mark & Toni Pemberton The Peterdi/Molnar Family Nathaniel & Sarah Pettit Jimeal & Angie Phillips Deanna S. Pierce Marian Pierce Mike & Kari Pierson Kevin Pike & Ellen Struve Karen & Lewis Plachy The Plano Clark Family Ruan E. Pohlman Heidi & Charles Pospisil Gwen Powell Walter & Jenny Powell Tom & Diane Pratt Robert Pribil Mary Lou H. Pritchard Brad & Katie Provancha The Putensen Family Shannon & Jake Quible Mary Rabenberg & Richard Allen Rabinowitz/Kimeldorfer Family Rositza & Kiril Rachev Ellen Rainbolt & Amy Brt Sriram Ramaswany & Shruti Malilc Donna & Darcy Ramsey Bill & Julit Randby Jessica Rantz & Dominic Badousek Charlene Rasmussen Neal & Izen Ratzlaff Allan Recalde & Wendy Dorn-Recalde The Rees Family The Reesman Family Jeremy Rehwaldt & Lisa Alexander Tom & Janette Reifenrath Christina & Matthew Rich Tom Richter Frederick & Margaret Rickers Roger & Stacey Ridley Brent & Linda Riehl Audra & Tony Ringenberg Ray & Ann Ringlein Adam & Melissa Roberts Matt Robinson & Cheryl Christensen Gene & Melissa Rogers David L. Rogers The Rohrs/Hudson Family

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James & Cathi Roschewski Cory & Melissa Rotert David & Martha Rowe The Rudolph Family The Russ/Ramirez Family Carole & Ronald Russell Lynne B. Ruth Ed & Schellie Sabata Todd & Kinda Salerno Emmanuel & Regina Samci Ronald & Susan Samson Tom & Sandy Sawyer Larry & Lois Schaffer Lesa Schaller & Gabrielle Staben Joseph & Melissa Schmahl Marilyn McDowell & Ed Schmidt Steve & Angie Schmidt Trixie Schmidt Tim & Pam Schneider Carroll E. Schnurr Iris & Chen Schor The Schryver Family Matthew & Kristin Schulte David Lind Scott Bill & Ruth Scott Daniel See & Stephanie Devor April & Inocencio Segura Patrick & Christina Severson Perry & Janeanne Severson Glenn & Tracy Seymour Iris & Gev Shai Thomas & Cindy Sherwood Greg & Marian Shimonek Tal & Anat Shomrat The Shoop Family Dan L. Shoop II & Jeffry Dwight Dror & Ruth Shouval Vickie & Scott Shurmur Robert & Margaret Sieber Kris Sieckmeyer-Hajny & Mark Johnson Rachel Simpson & Donald Umstadter Ruthelen Sittler

Callie Slater & Jeff Tangeman Janelle & Shirley Smith Tom & Jennifer Smith Michael J. Smith Randall B. Smith Brian & Alicia Snider Lynn Sobotka Renee & Matt Sobotka Mark & Diann Sorensen Bill & Betty Splinter John & Donita Springer Curt & Lisa Staab Thomas & Denese Stalnaker The Stander Family Toddy Ann & Ronald Stander Kevin & Sarah Steele Lee & Jessica Steinbrook Donald & Susan Steinegger Nick & Diane Steinke Stephen & Trudy Waltman Linda Stephen & Masaya Honda Sara Stephenson Jeremy & Konna Strack Stacey Stricker & Jason Slaughter Sharon Stringman Jo Struempler The Suckerman Family Nidia Morales Suleiman & Dawood Salman Suleiman Eden Summers James B. Swinehart Katie Taddeucci Elad & Galit Taig Idith Tal-Kohen & Gabriel Kohen Ron and Lynn Tanner Katherine & Bagher Tarkian Liz & Harold Tarr Susan & Mike Tatum Tobie & Zak Tempelmeyer Beth & Brian Terry Kristin & Danny Vela Craig & Lyla Thompson Daniel & Martha Thomson Donnty & Malissa Thongdy

Melvin & Rosemary Thornton Mary Lou Thornton Janet Thurman Machel Tichacek-Brower Erica Timperley Cinda Timperley & Wayne Branagh Irit & Amir Tirosh Tobin & Kirsten Stewart Scott & Jennifer Tomka The Toohey Family Richard Toren & Sara LeRoy-Toren Carrie & Rob Trutna Shane Tucker & Keely Rennie-Tucker Morrie & Amy Tuttle Tracy A Tyner-Padilla & Daphne Cook Dan Ullman & Rose Essaks Guy & Bina Vachtel Kane & Melissa Valek Laurence & Cyrille Valery Dorothy Van Brocklin Erin & Mike Van Cleave Kristin & Jonathan Van Meter Mark & Diane Vanek Darby & Erica Vannier Stephanie Vap-Morrow & Kirk Morrow Grace A Varney Robert Vavala & Mary Koens Vavala Natasha Vavra The Villa Family Joseph & Barbara Vizner Larry Voegele & Cristina Thaut Andrea & Shirley Volf Michael & Jane Voorhies Ben Vrana Ward & Emily Wageman Dick & Doris Walker Valerie Walker Scott & Nicole Wallace David & Rose Wallman Don & Marita Ward Charles & Betty Watt

Edward & Ellen Weiner Carl & Karen Welch Rick & Dawn Welchoff Donald C. & Diane Weldon Linda & Vance West Don & Mary Westerlin The Weyeneth Family Dana & Andrea Wiens Robert & Deborah Wigton Linda Willard David & Dixie Willats Ann Willet & Mark Butler The Williams Family Brent & Sadie Wilson Susie Wilson & Steve Hill Bradley & Kristine Winter William & Barbara Woito Lisa & Gary Wolterman Guo Wong & Hongying Zuo The Wood Family Eric & Marie Woodhead The Worth/Richards Family The Wroblewski Family Zhenhua Wu Yuan Xu Yael Madelblat-Cerf & Barak Cerf Ping Yang & QuiFan Andy Zhong The Yigal Family Margo Young & Richard DeFusco Kathleen L Young Ron Zalkind & Karin Sharav-Zalkind Ora & Adam Zawel Michael & Ella Zeldich Mike Zeleny Donal Ziegenbein Matt & Jenn Zier Inbar & Eyal Zimlichman Don & Millie Zimmer Shari Zinnecker Marcus & Amy Zinsmaster Staci & Joel Zuerlein Arthur & Christine Zygielbaum

BENEFITS˚ Unlimited FREE admission to Morrill Hall, Trailside Museum of Natural History, and Ashfall Fossil Beds (Note: Each visit to Ashfall Fossil Beds & Trailside requires a park entry permit: $4 one-time / $20 annual.) ˚ Free subscription to The Mammoth, the Museum’s quarterly newsletter ˚ 10% discount on purchases from our gift shop˚ 10% discount on Museum birthday parties˚ Discounted Planetarium admission (Adults $2.50, Children $2)

friendsofthemuseum.org | (402) 472-3779 | [email protected] of the University of Nebraska State Museum, 307 Morrill Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0357

Your membership in the Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum supports Museum development, exhibits, and programs. Thank you for making a difference!

˚ Invitations to our Annual Meeting, events, and exhibit openings ˚ Your name listed in Friends publications˚ Free or reduced admission and/or discounts at thousands of museums belonging to the Association of Science- Technology Centers (ASTC) “Passport Program.” Visit www.astc.org for a current list of participating institutions. ˚ In addition, many museums belonging to American Association of Museums (AAM) offer discounts. Visit www.aam-us.org for a list of accredited museums.

May 2011 23

The State Museum is teaming up with the

Lincoln Children’s Museum, Lincoln Children’s Zoo,

Pioneers Park Nature Center, and the LUX Center for the Arts

this summer for a NEW day camp for youth ages 6-9.

Register today for this hands-on learning adventure across Lincoln!

JULY 25–29Register at www.lincolnchildrensmuseum.org

Discover even more reasons why the State Museum

See our new selection of gems and minerals from around the world.

ROCKS!

MUELLER PLANETARIUM

Visit www.spacelaser.com for complete fulldome schedule & show previews

Thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the State Museum, National Geographic’s

spectacular underwater adventure SEA MONSTERS will be shown at Mueller Planetarium.

Be sure to “catch” it this summer!

Non ProfitUS Postage

PAIDUNL

Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum307 Morrill HallPO Box 880357Lincoln, NE 68588-0357

FRIENDS OF THE STATE MUSEUM

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is an equal opportunity educator and employer with a comprehensive plan for diversity.

© 2011, The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. All rights reserved.

HELP US GO GREEN!

If you would like to support the Museum and the environment by receiving this newsletter electronically, please send an e-mail with your name and e-mail address to [email protected] or phone (402) 472-3779.

may 2011 art animals - friends of the state museum ...friendsofthemuseum.org/mammoth_may2011.pdf ·...

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