Imagine yourself nearly 200 years ago, when Amherst College was still young and full of curiosity. Edward Hitchcock, scientific explorer and third president of the college, believed the world’s wonders belonged right here in Amherst. You might hear mailbags bursting open as alumni from every corner of the globe sent back strange minerals, fossils, and even the occasional jaw-dropping dinosaur footprint. Amherst’s first natural history collection was housed in the Octagon-just picture all those weird relics squeezed into a tiny, eight-sided building.
Eventually, the collection outgrew its home. With the Appleton Cabinet in 1855 and later the Pratt Museum in the 1940s, the specimens migrated from building to building, sort of like academic nomads. It wasn’t until 2006 that all 200,000 objects-yes, you heard right-settled here in the magnificent Beneski Earth Sciences Building.
Now, let’s dive into the heart of the collection: the Hitchcock Ichnological Cabinet, boasting more than 1,700 slabs with dinosaur footprints. This is the world’s largest stash of dinosaur tracks, gathered mostly by Hitchcock himself, who must have set a world record for “Most Muddy Boots Worn Out While Chasing Fossils.” One legendary piece is called “Noah’s Raven,” the very first dinosaur fossil ever found in North America, discovered in 1802-long before anyone knew what a dinosaur was. Imagine the confusion: “Hey, what sort of giant bird left that behind?” Spoiler alert: not a raven.
As you head inside, three floors await you like a natural history sandwich. The first floor brings ancient giants back to life-an Ice Age mastodon that’s been here since 1869, and a mammoth found in 1923. There’s even an exhibit on the evolution of the horse in North America-so if you ever longed to see a horse before its stylish mane days, you’re in for a treat. The second floor is packed with sparkling minerals and invertebrate wonders, all organized so you can trace the history of life and our ever-changing planet. And then there’s the basement-growing up, you probably hid socks under the bed, but in this basement? Dinosaur skeletons, including the world’s best Dryosaurus and a pair of massive Dyslocosaurus legs. There’s even a jaw from the legendary “Alamotyrannus,” discovered way back in 1924.
The building itself is a scientific wonder. Designed to spur hands-on learning, it’s won more awards than most celebrities. Southern windows open up to the dramatic Holyoke Range, and if you’re using the bathrooms, take a look-each floor’s countertops are made from a different type of rock. Geology, even when you wash your hands.
The Beneski Museum’s story is about curiosity, discovery, and the excitement of piecing together the world’s past using the tools of today. Inside, students and researchers handle specimens that have traveled continents and centuries. Now, you’re part of their story-just don’t leave any strange footprints on the floor, or they might end up in the next exhibit!
