Giving this Holiday Season
We are thankful here at the Idaho Museum of Natural History for the generosity from our community, who have demonstrated support through sponsorships, donations and attendance. Support of the Director’s Excellence Fund has helped us to exceed our visitor expectations for 2021.
Events
Winter Science
Dec. 1, 8, & 15
3 to 5 p.m.
Join us in the gallery Wednesdays for hands-on activites exploring winter science through Idaho's natural history.
Regular admission applies.
Plan A Visit
Effective immediately, face coverings are required indoors for all individuals––regardless of vaccination status. The University is not implementing any physical distancing requirements, and face coverings are not required when outside on any of our campuses.
August 11, 2021
Hours
Monday: Closed*
Tuesday: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesday: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
*Admin Offices Open
Admission
Adult (18+): $7.00
Senior (60+): $5.00
Youth (4-17): $3.00
Children 3 and under: Free
ISU Faculty/Staff/Student: Free*
Members: Free
Active Military & Veterans: 20% Discount *
*With appropriate ID
Parking
Complimentary parking is available in the Idaho State University's General Parking Lot 01, on the west-side of the pine trees. Can be accessed at the intersection of 5th Avenue and Dillon Street. Parking is marked for Museum Patrons. If museum parking is full a pass can be obtained at the front desk.
Science and Research News
Dr. Brandon Peecook et al just published Freshwater fish faunas from two Permian rift valleys of Zambia, novel additions to the ichthyofauna of southern Pangea in Journal of African Earth Sciences. The paper describes the fishy fragments and surprising diversity of small to medium-sized sharks that lived in the area. We also compared these freshwater fishes to others from 'southern Pangea' in Chile, Brazil, South Africa, and Australia today, showing that, like the land-living animals and plants, the fish communities were very similar.
During the Permian and Triassic periods the continents were united in Pangea. Brandon’s work in Zambia takes place in what was then the middle of the supercontinent. Most of the fossils are found belong to land-living animals (including early relatives of mammals and dinosaurs), but occasionally there are bits of fishes that lived in the freshwater rivers and lakes.
Some of the fossils were discovered in the 1970s, and Brandon found them in a museum during his PhD research. Brandon says, “I wanted to find more, so we relocated the site in 2019 when conducting fieldwork in Zambia with a National Geographic grant I received.”
Image by Alain Beneteau
Newly identified saber-toothed cat is one of largest in history
IMNH specimens helped to identify a giant saber-toothed cat that lived in North America between 5 million and 9 million years ago, weighing up to 900 pounds and hunting prey that likely weighed 1,000 to 2,000 pounds, scientists reported today in a new study.
Support the Museum
At the IMNH, our philosophy is all about discovery! Discovery through world-class, science-based programming that highlights the incredible life, earth, and anthropology collections we steward for the State of Idaho, its citizens, and our visitors.
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