This (no common name for this beetle) = 1 of 20,000 species of darkling beetles who = beneficial decomposers of plant matter. The larvae = mealworms used as pet food/fishing bait. The species hadn't been found in Neb. until this specimen was collected from leaf litter this summer. #EntoTuesday

Happy #AnthroThursday! This ceramic pig bank is from around 1960, was collected in Sta Cruz de las Huertas, the Canary Islands, Spain. The Canaries have a unique connection to pigs, especially the Canarian black pig, the only native pig breed in the islands. They served as a vital source of income.

Happy #AnthroThursday! Geta (下駄) are traditional Japanese wooden sandals, believed to have originated in Southern China and been brought to Japan in the late Heian period. Once rice farming tools, they became popular in Japan's Edo period and are now valued for their craftsmanship and style.

This miniature painting from modern-day Iran depicts hunters in traditional Persian attire hunting a lion. The image of the lion played a significant role in ancient Persian culture, revered as a symbol of strength and nobility. #anthropology #naturalhistory #museum #UNSM

Happy #MuseumMonday. Recently, our Highway Salvage Preparator Jeremy was working on a 14 million year old dog skull/skeleton found in Boyd County, Nebr. While sifting through the sediment he found some tiny bones. Any guesses on what they could be? Stop by the Visible Lab this week to see. #fossils

Happy #FossilFriday! Pictured is a jaw fragment from a mosasaur, a large marine reptile. It was found in 85-million-year-old Cretaceous limestone along the Missouri River bluffs, which formed at the bottom of a shallow inland sea during that time.🏞️ #fossil #museum #UNSM #geology #naturalhistory

Happy #AnthroThursday! This Japanese parasol, or higasa (日傘), was donated to the museum in 1978. Early parasols were large and non-collapsible, used by aristocrats and religious authorities to signify prestige and ward off evil spirits. #anthropology #Japan #japanese #parasol #history #museum #UNSM

Happy #MuseumMonday! 🦏 Ashfall Fossil Beds Summer 2025 interns Cannon Dunker (left) & Jacob Wilson (right) carefully excavate 12-million-year-old ash at Ashfall Fossil Beds, revealing dog tracks, mud cracks, & signs of ancient water movement. 🐘 #Paleontology #fossils #intern #Summer #excavation

Happy #FossilFriday! This summer, Curator Ashley Poust and colleague Dr. Robert Boessenecker collected fossils along the coast of California. These rocks, called the Purisima Formation, record an important time in the history of marine life, before the beginning of the Ice Age. #fossils #history

Happy #AnthroThursday! This paper cutter, or letter opener, was collected in Japan before 1944. It features a bronze cast handle adorned with sea life motifs. Sea animals hold considerable significance in Japanese culture, owing to Japan's island geography and its intimate connection with the sea.

UNSM curator @ashpoust.bsky.social is joining scientists from New Mexico, Michigan, Argentina & Paraguay on a collaborative research trip to Paraguay. They'll be researching the conditions under which bones might become #fossils. Follow along this summer to learn more! news.unm.edu/news/unm-hon...

This is Archie. He's too shy to tell you so himself, but he's the tallest mammoth on exhibit in the world. He doesn't like to brag. 13/10 Would snuggle him to the bone. #WeRateBones 🦣⚒️🧪#FossilFriday #LNK

Welcome to the Curious Curator Café! ☕️ This newest addition to the Discovery Gift Shop is opening for Archie’s party on June 14th! 🎊 The café will be the perfect stop for a coffee before exploring or a treat after an eventful day at Morrill Hall.✨ #UNSM #cafe #grandopening #coffee #party #yum

Happy #AnthroThursday! We are 10 DAYS away from the new weapons exhibit opening. Arms, Armor, and Anthropology is coming along, and we have an interesting fact for you: The oldest object in the exhibit is a spearhead from Ancient Egypt that dates to about 1550-1070 BCE❗ We can't wait to see you!✨

Excited to share Lincoln Literacy is our summer CAP partner! Their mission is to strengthen the community by teaching English and a variety of literacy skills to people of all cultures. museum.unl.edu/membership #Museum #Naturalhistory #science #learning #literacy #community #fossils #Nebraska

Discovery day camps have begun!☀️ The kids are having lots of fun with Astronomical Adventures and Elephants, Dinos, and Rhinos.🐘 There are still open spots for some of our upcoming camps.🌷 Learn more and register online today: museum.unl.edu/programs-eve... #summercamp #UNSM #Nebraska #space

Last week, our Chief Preparator Carrie worked on a crane skeleton found in 1979 at Ashfall Fossil Beds. Carrie is working to stabilize the specimen by using modern archival materials. Want to see more amazingly preserved fossils like this? Visit Ashfall Fossil Beds this summer! Happy #FossilFriday.

Excited to share this #AnthroThursday the new weapons exhibit Arms, Armor & Anthropology opens June 14th! It's also Give to Lincoln Day. Gifts to the Friends of the State Museum help fund exciting exhibits like this one & other #science #learning opportunities. givetolincoln.com/nonprofits/f...

Talk about a mammoth spring cleaning task....Archie has been washed and waxed and is ready for another year of greeting guests at Morrill Hall! Shoutout to our friends at Clearview Scanlon Cleaning for their help. #SpringCleaning #Mammoth #naturalhistory #museum #nebraska

It's a #TerrificTuesday, and we want to celebrate our Friends of the State Museum (FOSM) who have supported UNSM for 40 years! 🌷May 29 is Give to Lincoln Day, and your gift can support FOSM, Morrill Hall, and science education for people of all ages!🌎 Donate today: givetolincoln.com/nonprofits/f...

✨Discovery day camps are right around the corner!🌟 From 🔭astronomical celestial bodies 🪐to microscopic organisms 🔬, your explorer can discover the extraordinary things in our universe.🌎 🎉Check out the awesome camp options & get registered🎟️ today here: museum.unl.edu/programs-eve...

We are proud to be a #BlueStarMuseum again this summer, along with Ashfall Fossil Beds and the Trailside Museum. From now until Labor Day, active-duty military personnel and their families receive FREE admission. We can't wait for you to visit! #ThankYouMilitary #UNSM #FreeMuseumAccess #Museum

This #AnthroThursday, we have a heko obi that was donated in 2024 as a part of the Block Collection. An obi is a piece worn around the waist with a kimono. While traditionally worn by men and children, today women wear them in more casual settings. They are often shibori dyed, a Japanese tradition.

The bees are back! The beehive is officially back on 4th floor. We've got #honey from the UNL Bee Lab & other #bee merch in our Gift Shop. All shop proceeds support #museum exhibits & programming. Museum admission not required to shop. #insects #entomology #nebraska #naturalhistory #shoplocal

Our sister site Ashfall Fossil Beds is open! An active dig site with #fossils left in situ. Hike #nature #trails, view #naturalhistory displays in visitor center, kids dig in the Heritage Center. ashfall.unl.edu #nebraska #museum #watchablewildlife #statehistoricalpark #nationalnaturallandmark

Just a #museumMonday shoutout to 2 of our zoology students sharing their #research at the UNL Student Research Days earlier this month. We love supporting students in their career learning & research endeavors. Way to go Ava & Bailey. #naturalhistory #museum #museumcollections #science #nebraska

Excited this #EarthDay to share Morrill Hall's new #energyefficiency: recently completed install of all new windows, installed new HVAC (also = better climate control for our specimens) & transitioned to all LED lighting. Last Earth Day this was a project still in process! #naturalhistory #museum

This #MuseumMonday we want to say #congrats and #thanks to Wren Shawhan for an incredible 3 years. Wren has accepted a new role at another museum. Their contributions to UNSM are too many to list here. Suffice to say we’re sorry to lose them, but excited for the new adventures that await them.

This #FossilFriday just sharing an article talking about new research on our sister site Ashfall Fossil Beds' #rhinos saying they were herd animals. www.uc.edu/news/article... Check out the scientific article here: www.nature.com/articles/s41... #fossils #museum #naturalhistory #nebraska

This pair of child's tabi #socks was donated in 2024. The separated toe design allows wearing with thong style sandals like geta/zori. However, the stains & condition of this pair suggest the young wearer likely wore them outside on their own. #museum #Anthropology #naturalhistory #AnthroThursday

DYK some bats are pollinators? Check out this exhibit at our sister site Trailside Museum in Crawford, NE. Explore the different types of creatures that act as pollinators (including bats!) and the plants they interact with. #nationalbatappreciationday #pollinators #bats #nebraska #naturalhistory

Today was a lot of fun. We had more than 275 students and teachers visit for in-person field trips. What a #WonderfulWednesday. #museum #naturalhistory #science #scienceisfun

Happy #EntoTuesday. Today UNSM's #entomology curator gave museum staff a personal tour of "Goliaths," the new exhibit featuring #beetles in Morrill Hall. It's now open on the 3rd floor. Come check it out for yourself! #FlowerChafers #Museum #nebraska #Naturalhistory