Explore Nearby Museums
 Updated: 4/26/2012 
Museum of Natural and Cultural History at the University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Description

The Museum of Natural and Cultural History (MNCH) is Oregon's primary repository for anthropological and paleontological collections. Officially created in 1935-36, as the Oregon State Museum of Anthropology and UO Museum of Natural History, the MNCH houses nearly 1 million ethnographic and archaeological objects and almost 100,000 fossils and biological specimens from Oregon, the Pacific Northwest, and around the world. With over 50 employees, the museum is a center of interdisciplinary research, preservation, and education. Through engaging interpretation and presentation of objects and research the Exhibits program strives to serve as an academic and cultural resource for the community - enhancing awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the natural and cultural history of Oregon, the Pacific Northwest, and the broader world.

Mission

The University of Oregon's Museum of Natural and Cultural History protects significant collections, enhances knowledge, and encourages stewardship of human and natural history through research, preservation, and education.

History

Officially created in 1935-36, as the Oregon State Museum of Anthropology and UO Museum of Natural History, the museum celebrated its 75th birthday in 2010-11. It has its roots in 1876, however, when Thomas Condon joined the University of Oregon (UO) as one of its first three professors. Hired as a professor of natural history, Condon brought an extensive fossil collection to the UO, later known as the Condon Museum or Condon Collection.

Services
Group Tours

Let an expert guide your group through Oregon's unique past and lead a hands-on activity. Choose from several established topics or call the museum to create a custom format to fit the needs of your group. Activities and topics are age-appropriate. Tours typically last one hour and we recommend groups of six or more.

Past and Presents - Museum Store

Past and Presents, the museum store, offers an excellent selection of regional books and gifts that reflect the museum's exhibits, collections and research as well as the inspiration of the Pacific Northwest landscape. Featuring handcrafted goods from local and regional artists including jewelry, pottery, glass, woodworking and more. Books on anthropology, geology, paleontology, Oregon's cultural history, archaeology, natural history and an extensive offering of field guides so you can continue to learn after your visit to the museum.

There are gifts for kids of all ages including educational games, toys and books. Continue the lessons learned while exploring the exhibits by taking home a book to share or a kit to work on together. Support the educational mission and share the joy of learning with a child.

Past and Presents is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm. Admission is free to visit the store. Museum members receive a 10 percent discount on most store purchases.

Gift Shop
Group Tours
Street Address
1680 E 15TH AVE
Eugene, OR 97403
Mailing Address
1224 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
phone: 541-346-3024
e-mail: mnh@uoregon.edu
home page: natural-history.uoregon.edu/
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Hours of Operation
Sunday, Wednesday - Saturday11 AM - 5 PM
Admission

General Admission: $3
Seniors (over 62): $2
Youth (3-18): $2
Children under 2: Free
Families (2 adults and up to 4 youth): $8
Museum Store only:Free

Museum Type(s)
Anthropology
Archaeology
Culture
History
Library
Natural History
University
Staff
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MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

March 29 - 31, 2025

Athens, Ohio

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

Saturday, March 29 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Athens, Ohio

Hosted by: Ohio Museums Association

"Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential

The heart of innovation is transformation – shaking up our established way of doing things by introducing new methods, new ideas, and new approaches to both obstacles and opportunities

Museums across Ohio are not just adapting, but innovating to reach their full potential and better serve their communities. No matter their role, museum professionals are introducing forward-thinking perspectives and initiating creative solutions to launch the field into a future where museums can remain trusted and relevant community cornerstones

How can your museum stay true to mission and serve your community in new and meaningful ways? How can we as museum professionals meet the challenges of the future with reinvigorated enthusiasm

Join us in Athens, March 29-31 as we explore these topics and more at the 2025 Ohio Museums Association’s Annual Conference: Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential.

For more information, please email oma@ohiohistory.org.

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

March 30 - 31, 2025

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

Sunday, March 30 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hosted by: North Carolina Museums Council

Museums Unwalled: Expanding Horizon

This theme highlights the importance of museums as dynamic entities that engage with communities, foster education, drive cultural change and often go beyond the building itself. By focusing on areas such as community engagement, digital and virtual presence, interdisciplinary collaborations, sustainability, accessibility, and cultural diversity, we aim to provide a comprehensive and enriching experience for all attendees

The primary objective is to provide a platform for museum professionals and others working in the industry to share ideas, best practices, resources and innovative approaches that demonstrate how museums can reach audiences in and beyond our physical spaces. We aim to inspire attendees to think broadly about the potential of their institutions and to foster a spirit of innovation and community engagement.

By facilitating discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, the conference will empower current and future museum professionals and to expand their impact, embrace new challenges, and create meaningful connections with their audiences and communities.

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

March 31 - April 3, 2025

Washington, Arkansas

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

Monday, March 31 - Thursday, April 3, 2025

Historic Washington State Park

Washington, Arkansas

Hosted by: Arkansas Museums Association

"From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums

This year, the AMA conference theme is "From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums" As museum professionals we learn and use a wide variety of tools and skills every day

The Arkansas Museums Association is planning its 2025 Annual Conference, which will be hosted by Historic Washington State Park on March 31-April 3, 2025.

The goal of the conference is to support and foster the museum community through a mix of speakers as well as workshops, practical and informative presentations, in-depth discussions, and examples of projects and initiatives that are relevant to museums in Arkansas. Arkansas Museum Association members take ownership in the conference experience as presenters, speakers, panelists, facilitators, and workshop leaders.

For more information, please email arkansasmuseums@gmail.com.

New York Museum Association 2025 Conference in Ithaca, NY

April 5 - 8, 2025

Ithaca, New York

New York Museum Association 2025 Conference in Ithaca, NY

Saturday, April 5 - Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Ithaca Downtown Conference Center

Ithaca, New York

Hosted by: Museum Association of New York

Cultivating Community: Looking In, Reaching Ou

Who are the members of our communities? How can we evaluate our internal structures to help us better understand our organization, define our audiences, and serve our communities? How do we bring all communities together to support our field? How can we support and develop our internal community of staff, volunteers, and board members? How can we advocate for funding that meets operational capacity needs and includes equitable staff support? What changes do we need to make to prioritize the health and well-being of our museum workforce that will support the longevity and sustainability of our institutions and strengthen our ability to build meaningful community relationships

MANY presents conference sessions, workshops, panel discussions, facilitated discussions, and peer-to-peer learning experiences focusing on our 2025 conference theme, Cultivating Community: Looking In, Reaching Out. We will be gathering in Ithaca, in the Southern Tier Region of our state, located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ (the Cayuga Nation)

MANY’s annual conference helps museum professionals build a network to share perspectives, tools, and skills that develop excellence across the field. Our goal is to nurture a community of practice, advance institutional change, and create an inclusive and expansive New York team of collaborators who learn together.

view all conferences
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