To spot the University of Nebraska State Museum, just look for the grand building with tall columns and the gigantic bronze mammoth statue waving its trunk right out front-hard to miss, unless you’ve mistaken your own shadow for a prehistoric beast!
Now, take a deep breath and imagine yourself transported back in time as you stand before this mighty museum-Morrill Hall, as it’s called by the locals. Picture the sound of boots crunching on gravel as dusty explorers unload crates brimming with mysterious bones at your feet. It’s 1871, and the University of Nebraska is only two years old-a fledgling institution clinging to life on the open prairie. The museum started humbly with Samuel Aughey, a passionate, if somewhat scatterbrained, scientist, who filled just two rooms with more bugs and rocks than you could shake a stick at (and trust me, he tried). Despite some questionable cataloging, Aughey helped keep the university afloat-imagine thousands of insects desperately hoping they won't be misplaced!
As you gaze at the stately columns above, remember that this museum didn’t always stand so tall. The real adventure began when Erwin Hinckley Barbour took charge in 1891. Driven to fill empty shelves, he dragged the university’s only large fossils-a cow and a horse-on a wild chase for more impressive creatures. One day in the Nebraska Badlands, Barbour discovered a curiously twisted fossil he called Daemonelix, or “the devil’s corkscrew”-I hear even the earthworms spooked themselves silly over it!
Regent Charles Henry Morrill, a fan of thrilling discoveries, donated money for more expeditions, fueling a fossil frenzy that would put even the biggest Jurassic Park fan to shame. These expeditions unearthed mammoth bones and mastodon skeletons, paving the way for the museum’s jaw-dropping collections. After a fire in the early 1900s threatened to undo years of work, Morrill stepped in again, calling for a grand new home worthy of Nebraska’s treasures. That home-Morrill Hall-was completed in 1927, its design inspired by the grand museums of Europe that Barbour had admired during his travels.
Flash forward through the years-the museum grew, filling its halls with ancient bones, sparkling gems, and everyday wonders. The Bronze Mammoth statue out front, “Archie,” was installed in 1998 and is a favorite local celebrity. If you hear children giggling and stomping around, it’s probably because Archie still looks like he might just come alive and join your tour.
Inside, each floor is its own time capsule. Wander through Elephant Hall on the main floor and you’ll meet the world’s largest fossilized Columbian mammoth (also called “Archie”) towering above you, surrounded by mammoth and mastodon relatives. Take a peek into Mueller Planetarium-since 1958 it’s dazzled guests both with star shows and, thanks to some creative directors, laser light displays that once had audiences seeing spots rather than constellations. You might say history comes with a side of rock ‘n’ roll here!
The first floor also welcomes you to the Hall of Nebraska Wildlife, where you can tiptoe past dioramas teeming with bison, mountain lions, and even rare African wildlife. Maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of the Photo Ark: thousands of stunning animal portraits by Nebraska native Joel Sartore, all devoted to preserving wildlife for the future.
On the upper floors, ancient weapons, samurai armor, and evolutionary wonders await. There are even interactive exhibits-so if you’re desperate to uncover a rhinoceros skeleton or build your own spacecraft, you’re in the right place.
Through decades of challenges, budget cuts, and the near loss of its planetarium, the museum has always pushed forward. It’s now a renowned Smithsonian Affiliate, its artifacts cared for by seasoned professionals in climate-controlled rooms-in other words: fewer misplaced beetles, and happier mammoths.
As you stand here, take a moment to imagine the footprints of all the scientists, schoolchildren, and curious travelers who have wandered in over 150 years. And if you listen closely, you might just hear the ancient trumpeting of a mammoth echoing down O Street, daring you to step inside and hunt for the next big discovery. Would you go digging for “the devil’s corkscrew”? Just watch out-sometimes the past is closer than you think!
