Past Events 2005

Art and the Animal

November 1 - December 31, 2005

Works by many of the top artists in the field of wildlife and domestic animal art were exhibited at the University of Nebraska State Museum. The Society of Animal Artists' 44th annual "Art and the Animal" exhibit featured 63 pieces, including paintings and sculptures.

Fate or Faith: The Scopes Trial Symposium

November 1-5, at the Lied Center for Performing Arts

Included lectures, panels, performances, and discussions on the 1925 Scopes trial.

Nebraska Connections to the Scopes Trial

Reception: November 4, Morrill Hall

A look at our state and how it connects to the Scopes trial through historical figures and places.

Wachiska Audubon Hosts Speech on the Galapagos Islands

Thursday, November 10, 2005

The Galapagos Islands: 170 Years After Charles Darwin by Paul Johnsgard

Dr. Johnsgard spoke about the biological significance of Charles Darwin's visit in 1835, and the subsequent role of the Galapagos in shaping modern evolutionary biology. He dealt especially with famous Galapagos animals such as Darwin's finches and iguanas, and patterns of adaptive diversity in the archipelago's land birds, seabirds, giant tortoises, and some endemic plants. Paul and his group photographed most of the finch species. This story was just one of many told about the Galapagos Islands. Included were descriptions of what sorts of nature experiences the islands can provide for a modern-day ecotourist, based on Johnsgard's own recent trip.

This presentation took place in Morrill Hall at the State Museum on the UNL city campus. Sponsored by the Wachiska Audubon Society. All members, friends, and the public were invited to this free program.

The Wachiska office: 402-486-4846 or http://www.wachiskaaudubon.org/

Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the Museum Research Collections

Saturday, September 24, 2005, Nebraska Hall

This was an opportunity to meet our museum's scientists, ask questions, visit the research labs, see where millions of research specimens are housed!

Lester F. Larsen Tractor Museum 8th Annual Open House

Saturday, May 7, 2005, at the Larsen Tractor Museum, UNL East Campus

Special events such as tractor demonstrations and an ice cream social were part of the festivities. The Larsen Tractor Museum is housed in the original Nebraska Tractor Test Facility on East Campus. It is the only Tractor Test Facility in the United States.

This was a special year for the Larsen Museum. While the actual tractor test building was built in 1919 and the Nebraska Tractor Test Law was established July 15, 1919, the Agricultural Engineering Department, now named Biological Systems Engineering, is 100 years old. The celebration of 100 years of agricultural engineering includes a review of the history of the department and equipment and utensils that have been used to put food on the table.

Visit the web site at http://tractormuseum.unl.edu.

For more information call 472-8389.

The Ivory-billed Woodpecker and the Eskimo Curlew Exhibit

Opened Saturday, May 21, 2005

The Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum cordially invited the public to join Paul A. Johnsgard at the opening of a special new exhibit reveiling historic specimens from the Museum's Zoology Research Collections. Dr. Johnsgard gave a brief talk starting at 2:15 pm. He described the two species and answered questions from the audience.

The Eskimo Curlew drawing by Paul Johnsgard illustrates this species, once an abundant spring migrant in Nebraska, that is considered to be extinct. A living ivory-billed woodpecker was recently discovered in Arkansas.

White House Easter Egg Contest/Exhibit

August - October 2005

Hand-decorated eggs adorned with designs that symbolize Nebraska were on display at Morrill Hall. The public was encouraged to vote for one distinctive egg to represent Nebraska at the White House next spring.

'Live' fossil preparation

Saturday, April 9, 2005

Visitors to the University of Nebraska State Museum were able to watch paleontologists prepare part of a 70 million-year-old plesiosaur fossil. UNL State Museum highway salvage paleontologists Bruce Bailey and Shane Tucker worked on a block that contains neck vertebrae from a plesiosaur found in Knox County in May 2003. Visitors were able to watch and ask questions as Bailey and Tucker chiped away rock to reveal the fossilized bone within the block.