Collected on this Day in 1906
(Not quite yet) flowering dogwood This specimen of flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) was collected on January 21, 1906 in Fern Hollow,... Continue Reading
From cultivation to invasion: a common route
Collected on this Day in 1937: Princess tree This specimen of princess tree (Paulownia tomentosa) was collected on January 13, 1937 in Schenley Park, Pittsburgh... Continue Reading
A Century Ago, a Donor Walked into the Carnegie Museum
Figure 1: Accession #6163, Donated By Major J.P. Young What could have inspired someone to arrive at the Carnegie Institute, on... Continue Reading
Collected on Christmas Day in 2008
Christmas fern, collected on Christmas 11 years ago. Now this is a festive specimen! This specimen of Polystichum acrostichoides, commonly known... Continue Reading
Mesozoic Monthly (Holiday Edition): Einiosaurus
This holiday season, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s blog has a special gift for you: Mesozoic Monthly, a new series of spotlights on the weird... Continue Reading
Land Snail Webbhelix multilineata Rediscovered Living in Pennsylvania After 72 Years
Imagine the excitement of finding an organism that was presumed extinct. Until 2019, the handsome land snail Webbhelix multilineata had not been documented anywhere in... Continue Reading
From Pittsburgh Raleigh: A New Chapter
Early in 2020, I will have the enormous privilege to be taking on the role of Director of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.... Continue Reading
What Kind of Animal is Chewbacca?
This story does not take place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. In fact, it happens right here on Earth! Imagine... Continue Reading
Ohio River Dance
Thousands of wading birds beneath a lightning-fractured sky greet visitors to National Geographic: 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs, an exhibition on view in the museum’s R.P.... Continue Reading
Behind the Scenes in the Section of the Anthropocene with a Theatre and Performance Studies Grad Student
This past summer, I had the pleasure of serving as a Public Humanities Fellow through the University of Pittsburgh Humanities Center. This program connects humanities... Continue Reading
Dippy in Star Wars?
Hello again from Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Section of Vertebrate Paleontology. With Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker on the horizon, I figured it was... Continue Reading
Picture Perfect Nature
You may not know it, but you have probably used a tool that is very helpful to scientists – a camera! Capturing images from the... Continue Reading
From plant to pie
Pecans come from a type of hickory tree, Carya illinoinensis. In the same plant family as walnuts (Juglandaceae), pecan trees are native to the southern... Continue Reading
Now that’s a giant pumpkin! Collected on this day in 2017
Happy Thanksgiving! And what’s screams fall more than pumpkin? This specimen isn’t just any specimen – it is the museum’s first official Anthropocene collection. A... Continue Reading
Cranberry sauce: it wasn’t always can shaped
Cranberries are a holiday staple. Fresh or canned, the choice is yours. But where do they come from? The cranberry on your table is most... Continue Reading
Dippy the Dinner Guest
We have another Dippy the Dinosaur challenge for you! With November being a month to celebrate family, we thought it would be nice for YOU to... Continue Reading
Collected November 3, 1984: The State Tree of Pennsylvania
This specimen of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) was collected by former Carnegie Museum botany curator Sue Thompson on November 3, 1984 in Somerset County. Not... Continue Reading
Collected November 2, 2007
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower” – Albert Camus It’s peak fall color in southwestern Pennsylvania,... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1959: Well, that’s kinda weird!
These red maple (Acer rubrum) leaves were collected by Dorothy Pearth on November 6, 1959 at Coles Summit in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. Dorothy Pearth (1914-1996)... Continue Reading
Bugs That Really Bug Us—Systematic Freezing of the Entire Collection in Invertebrate Zoology
With a collection of over 13.5 million specimens, some could say that the Section of Invertebrate Zoology “loves” bugs. We’ve amassed an enormous volume of... Continue Reading
“Minecraft™ Lied to Me!?”
On October 19, 2019, the Section of Anthropology once again had the pleasure of assisting the Education and Interpreter staff in awarding the BSA Scouts... Continue Reading
Tornadoes, Snails, and Sample Sizes
Abbey collecting snails after braving unkind vegetation. Photo by Tim Pearce. In 2012, a tornado felled trees in four places at... Continue Reading
Centipede or Millipede? What’s the Difference?
Quick, what was that? It scuttled by in a flash, but you caught a few defining characteristics. It had many legs and a long, segmented,... Continue Reading
Bright Flying Mammal
Mammals of Pennsylvania within the Hall of North American Wildlife Can you name our region’s most colorful mammal? If the question... Continue Reading
The History of Jack-o’-Lanterns + Make Your Own Dippy Jack-o’-Lantern
Did you know jack-o’-lanterns were once carved from turnips? Ancient Celtic cultures were known to carve turnips and place embers inside to ward off evil... Continue Reading
Buried histories, alternative histories, toward a clean and just future
Image from Fire Underground, Nick Crockett, 2019 As part of ongoing Anthropocene engagement at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, we... Continue Reading
Carnegie Geologists Win National Award
John Harper and Albert D. Kollar. In the fall of 2018, Albert D. Kollar and John A. Harper (volunteer and research... Continue Reading
Callery Pear from October 11, 1979: 40 years ago
From wild to cultivated to invasive This specimen of Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) was collected on October 11, 1979 by W.Z. Fang in Jiangsu, China.... Continue Reading
Glowing Mushrooms and Pokémon
Nature’s Nightlights Have you ever walked through the woods at night and noticed a small glowing object near the base of the trees? That’s bioluminescence... Continue Reading
October 4, 1940: 79 years ago
Loved and hated: An urban plant with history "There’s a tree that grows in Brooklyn. Some people call it the Tree of Heaven. No matter... Continue Reading
A harmless necessary cat
It’s a little daunting contemplating finding something novel to write about cats, the unofficial mascot of the internet. But we’re thinking of getting one (or... Continue Reading
An Annual Return to My Bug-loving Roots
Image used by permission of Stuart Tingley, Cormierville, New Brunswick, Canada. Megacyllene robiniae (Forster), female on bloom of goldenrod It’s that time... Continue Reading
Create Your Own Dippy From Nature Around You!
We are lucky enough to have 1 of 10 Diplodocus displays with original bones around the world right here at Carnegie... Continue Reading
September 20, 1952: 67 Years Ago
It’s fall seed dispersal time! This specimen of Virginia stickseed (Hackelia virginiana), also interestingly called beggar’s lice, was collected on September 20, 1952 by Leroy... Continue Reading
Is It a New Species? Wish They All Could Be California Snails
Discovering a new species is exciting but determining whether it’s a new species can take some doing. Fig. 1. Trilobopsis species from... Continue Reading
Hillbilly Gourmets: Snail-eaters of the Yew Mountains
Figure 1. Image credit: Vanessa Verdecia, Section of Invertebrate Zoology High in the mountains of West Virginia, there occurs an emerald-green... Continue Reading
Don’t Overlook the Lichens
Lichens are scenery elements in many museum dioramas. Within the Pronghorn Antelope diorama in the Hall of North American Wildlife, for example, these frequently overlooked... Continue Reading
Box Turtle Time Capsule
The year is 1974. Powdermill founder and Carnegie Museum of Natural History Director Dr. Graham Netting measures and marks a female box turtle found on... Continue Reading
How to Use a Lensatic Compass
Have you ever heard someone say they need to find their bearings? It dates back to the Age of Discovery and refers to the bearings... Continue Reading
Cephalopod Fossils from Lyme Regis, England
My position as a Research Volunteer in the Section of Invertebrate Paleontology (IP) allows me to delve into stories about the collection that I find... Continue Reading
Make Your own Cloud
Are you the kind of person who always has their head in the clouds? Come back down to earth, but bring the clouds with you.... Continue Reading
A couple of creepers: plant doppelgängers
Did you know that many plant species have doppelgängers? Check out these two species, both collected at the same site on August 22, 1965 by... Continue Reading
Lasius will Amaze-i-Us
Lasius workers tending a flock of aphids underground. Photo by Alex Wild. Common Lasius ants tend aphids that live underground feeding on... Continue Reading
A day late, but thanks for your Impatiens!
Two specimens of jewelweed, Impatiens, collected on this day (well, yesterday) by Carnegie Museum curator Leroy Henry in 1944 in Ben Avon Heights, near Pittsburgh.... Continue Reading
Frontier History Wizards
White snakeroot blooming along the Allegheny River shoreline in early August. Written descriptions for Carnegie Museum of Natural History summer camp,... Continue Reading
Travels with a Sketchbook: A Natural History Artist’s Observations at the Museum
Carnegie Museum of Natural History has a large and expansive collection of artifacts, oddities, and wonders. It also has its fair share of mounted animals... Continue Reading
30 years ago today: A milestone for Botany at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Bonnie in the lower herbarium at the Carnegie Museum in the early 1990s. On August 7, 1989, Bonnie Isaac started at... Continue Reading
Spiders as Interior Designers
A spider meticulously builds an orb web. Did you know you can recognize a family group of spiders by the way... Continue Reading
Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club (WPMC) and Carnegie Museum Team Up for New Fungarium
WPMC is pleased to announce that Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museum of Natural History has been added to the list of Partner Fungaria for the North American... Continue Reading
Dressing Fleas
“If we do not mass produce products, we vie with one another in the difficult, exquisite and useless art of dressing fleas” Octavio Paz [diplomat,... Continue Reading
Brood VIII Birthday Bash
Photo by Andrea Kautz. Millions upon millions of tiny cicada nymphs are being born. The periodical cicadas that emerged in our... Continue Reading
BirdSafe Pittsburgh Makes Museum Windows Visible
The birds flying around the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History are a lot safer now, thanks to Jon Rice, the Urban Bird Conservation... Continue Reading
Master of Optical Illusion
Michael Dyber, known as the Master of Optical Illusion, is among the world’s foremost lapidary artists today. He began working in metal and wood at... Continue Reading
Who Likes Teaberry? Collected 56 Years Ago
This specimen of eastern teaberry (Gaultheria procumbens), also called American wintergreen, was collected on July 12, 1963 by Leroy Henry (Carnegie Museum Curator of Botany... Continue Reading
Citizen Science, The Last Ice Age in Western Pennsylvania and Carnegie Museum of Natural History Exhibits
Recent education initiatives in the Section of Invertebrate Paleontology encourage citizen science collaborations among professional geological societies to elevate the value of fossil collections, research... Continue Reading
A Plant Popular During the Revolutionary War
Happy Independence Day! What better way to celebrate than with herbarium specimens of New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus), named for the fact that it was... Continue Reading
What Do Bugs Do During the Winter?
Ever wonder what happens to insects during the winter? Depending on the species they will overwinter during one of the stages of their development. In... Continue Reading
What does Pittsburgh have to do with the Wimbledon tennis tournament?
Recently Penny See came to visit me here at the museum to show me her mother’s seed collection. My interest was piqued when... Continue Reading
Students, Research Associates, and Volunteers: Anthropology’s Real Treasure
The Anthropology Department is very fortunate to have a strong core of dedicated volunteers, research associates, and students. Without their valuable assistance, we would have... Continue Reading
Sperm Whales and Giant Squid: Just-So Story and Co-Evolution
Sperm whales dive to great depths (to more than 2 km or 1.4 mi deep) to catch one of their favorite foods: giant squid. But... Continue Reading
Cow Parsnip: All collected 112, 85, and 59 years ago!
Whoa, this plant will catch your attention! Although towering in at up to 8 feet tall with leaves 2 feet wide, Cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum,... Continue Reading
Harriet Tubman Was a Naturalist
Photo Credit: Maryland Department of Natural Resources Last fall, when Akiima Price spoke to museum staff and visitors as part of... Continue Reading
Slowest Process Ever Observed: a Trillion Times Longer Than the Age of the Universe
Xenon atom showing electron shells. [figure modified from Wikimedia commons] Xenon-124, one of the radioactive noble gases, has an extremely long half-life.... Continue Reading
Why Do the King Penguins in Bird Hall Look so Different from Each Other?
Visitor comments often offer insight into the effectiveness of museum displays. The most candid comments are overheard snatches of conversation, some as touching as they... Continue Reading
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in Real Life
If you’re a fan of Harry Potter and other fantasy stories, you probably have read about many wondrous and otherworldly creatures that only exist in... Continue Reading
Collected 189 Years Ago: Strawberry Bush
This is a special specimen. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History herbarium is full of specimens of scientific and historical importance. And this is a... Continue Reading
Roll Out the Beryl
Beryl has many different varieties that you may be familiar with, the most recognized being: Emerald (green), Heliodor (yellow), Morganite (pink), and Aquamarine (blue or... Continue Reading
Collected on This Day: Poison Ivy
Watch out for poison ivy! Both because it is a fascinatingly cool plant but also a potentially dangerous one. This flowering specimen of poison ivy... Continue Reading
Bird Watching Bonus
The fawn sighting was a bird-watching hike bonus. The days-old creature rested barely three feet off a Boyce Park hiking trail, motionless but fully awake,... Continue Reading
O-Do-nates or O-Don’t-nates—Dragonflies and Damselflies in the Section of IZ
Here, in the section of Invertebrate Zoology, we have a large collection of moths (order Lepidoptera: particularly in the families Sphingidae and Noctuidae), beetles (order... Continue Reading
A Lot to be Fascinated By in the Herbarium
Are you fascinated by plants? Fascination of Plants Day is upon us (don’t worry, we didn’t know it was a thing either, but agree celebration... Continue Reading
Learning to See, Seeing to Learn, Freshwater Insects
The Atlas of Common Freshwater Macroinvertebrates of Eastern North America is an online guide and accompanying set of teaching and learning resources designed to support... Continue Reading
Horizontal Gene Transfer, the Placenta, and Velvet Worms
Everyone reading this (except you robots out there) inherited genes from their mother and father. This is the predominant way, in multicellular animals and plants,... Continue Reading
Honey Bees Hunt Bargains, Bumble Bees Go Gourmet
It is rewarding to receive questions and reports from people who turn to the staff at Powdermill Nature Reserve for information on nature in our... Continue Reading
Everything Pennsylvania
On May 10th a new temporary exhibit is scheduled to be installed in Wertz Gallery: Gems and Jewelry that will feature gemstones, cabochons, polished spheres and... Continue Reading
Is Jabba the Hutt a Slug?
The movie Star Wars introduced us to Jabba the Hutt, with a slug-like body form. In the movie, he was an unsavory character and notorious... Continue Reading
What’s in the Rivers?
We all know that Pittsburgh has three rivers - it’s one of the first things you learn about Pittsburgh! There’s the Allegheny, the Monongahela, and... Continue Reading
One of the Best Kept Secrets: The Collaboration of the Carnegie Museum and Shady Side Academy Middle School 2014 – 2019
Each spring, when the Robin first appear on the landscape, 70 students from Shady Side Academy Middle School in Fox Chapel, descend upon the Carnegie... Continue Reading
Broken Egg Evidence
Challenges involving eggs aren’t limited to the Easter season. The pictures below are of songbird egg shells I came across in early July of 2018.... Continue Reading
Avengers Scavenger Hunt at the Museum
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More Info: Steel City Nature Challenge on the Blog: Here We Go Pittsburgh!
Ever wondered what wildlife is thriving in your city? One way to learn about what is in your backyard is to team up with other... Continue Reading
Defeating Thanos and his Malthusian Mission of Population Control
Thomas Robert Malthus penned an essay on population growth in 1798 that mathematically demonstrated the relationship between food and human population. Malthus argued that whenever... Continue Reading
Holy Vibrissae Batman!
Boom! Pow! When you think of superheroes, who do you think of? Wonder Woman? Black Panther? Batman? Well, did you know that there’s a superhero you’ve likely... Continue Reading
Otto Emery Jennings Honored in New Exhibit at Jennings Environmental Education Center
Carnegie Museum of Natural History herbarium specimen from Jennings EEC. (Photo credit: Bonnie Isaac) I had the privilege of attending the... Continue Reading
Another Reason to Love Ladybugs
The Marsh Machine at Powdermill is great for recycling the nature center’s wastewater. It’s also great for building up huge populations of pests, such as... Continue Reading
What Makes Reptiles So Unique?
What makes reptiles so unique? Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles, Jennifer Sheridan, shares some of her favorite facts about the unique adaptations of reptiles... Continue Reading
Bayet’s Bounty: The Invertebrates That Time Forgot
Albert Kollar, Collections Manager for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History Section of Invertebrate Paleontology, is on a mission to re-examine the Bayet Collection, a... Continue Reading
Adventures with Taiji Nelson
“If you stop and look with some intention, you can find some really amazing things…” Taiji Nelson Frick Park has an... Continue Reading
New Mineral Acquisitions
I had a successful trip to Tucson, Arizona in January/February of this year. This is an annual event where the Section of Minerals participates in... Continue Reading
So, Just What is a Wheel Bug?
As March was approaching, I knew I was ‘on deck’ to produce a blog entry originating from our Section of Invertebrate Zoology. Looking at the... Continue Reading
Frosty Frogs and Tunneling Toads
In the fall, many animals begin to prepare for winter. Squirrels collect food, groundhogs eat extra food to store as fat, birds migrate to warmer... Continue Reading
March Mammal Madness Update
It’s time to break out the big cats. Last night’s matches pitted various “cats” against each other, although some cats were only cats in name... Continue Reading
New Zealand, Realm of Birds
I recently returned from three weeks’ vacation on New Zealand’s South Island. I had expected to see bazillions of sheep (I heard there were 7... Continue Reading
What’s a Shamrock?
There is no overwhelming scientific consensus on which species is the well-known Irish national emblem. There was survey of Irish botanists in the early 1890s... Continue Reading
March Mammal Madness
In case you missed it, March Mammal Madness has already started! What you may say is that? As an alternative to College Basketball’s March Madness,... Continue Reading
Natural History and a Unified Museum Definition
By Eric Dorfman Much is being said within the museum industry about the definition of museums. ICOM is considering the current definition and whether it... Continue Reading
Photos of Fluid-Preserved Specimens: A Different Kind of Portrait
I met Kaylin Martin, a curatorial assistant for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CMNH), at an internship fair when I was a transplant to... Continue Reading
A Match Made by Coevolution
Darwin once predicted the existence of a pollinator after examining the star-shaped flower of the orchid Angraecum sesquipedale, a flower whose nectar is at the... Continue Reading
The Symbol of the Anthropocene in Preparation at the Carnegie Museum
As an intern in the Anthropocene section at the Carnegie Museum, I had the privilege of exploring some of its treasures, either preserved in the... Continue Reading
What are Seventeen-Year Cicadas and Why Does It Seem Like They Emerge More Than Once Every Seventeen Years?
There are different broods of periodical cicadas. Any given brood has adults emerging only once in 17 years and has a defined range of occurrence.... Continue Reading
The Origins of El Niño and the rise of Peruvian Civilization: The Mollusk that made Jim Richardson’s Career
In 1965 I went to the far north coast of Peru to the petroleum town of Talara to conduct dissertation research. In my survey of... Continue Reading
Make Your Own Pinecone Bird Feeder!
Homemade bird feeders are a great way to attract many birds to your yard this winter…even when it seems like all the animals have disappeared!... Continue Reading
The Enduring Appeal of Snakes
As a herpetologist, I’m often asked whether I see a lot of snakes. To be clear, seeing snakes is always an exciting treat for me.... Continue Reading
The Manticore
Figure 1. Adult male Manticora imperator, dorsal view (photo credit: V. Verdecia). The Manticore. In ancient Persia, a scary, man-eating monster... Continue Reading
Bugs on Bugs on Bugs…on Birds
Big fleas have little fleas Upon their backs to bite ‘em; And little fleas have lesser fleas And so, ad infinitum. -Ogden Nash Flat flies,... Continue Reading
Doubly Dead: Taxidermy Challenges in Museum Dioramas
A visit to the wildlife dioramas at Carnegie Museum of Natural History is an opportunity to repeatedly admire the illusions created by teams of skilled... Continue Reading
Octopus mystery: how do they see color?
Eye of a cuttlefish. Note the W shaped pupil. (Image from Wikimedia Commons) The eyes of cephalopods like octopus, squid, and... Continue Reading
Looking at Love in Ancient Egypt
With Valentine’s Day here, it’s hard to ignore all of the chocolate displays in stores and the sappy movies on TV - some might say... Continue Reading
Getting Ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count
So you want to take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count? You’ve got your nature notebook ready and you’ve found the perfect spot to birdwatch.... Continue Reading
Benedum Hall of Geology – A Teaching Laboratory for the Carnegie Interpreters
The new class of Education Interpreters of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History are training for their new positions through classroom instruction and practicing their... Continue Reading
Bird is the Word
February’s here and you know what that means… it’s time for the Great Backyard Bird Count! Since 1998, people all over the world have participated... Continue Reading
Red Bird
By Patrick McShea A detail in a Hall of Botany diorama can add much to our understanding of a popular songbird. Pictured above is a... Continue Reading
Happy Groundhog Day!
By Mason Heberling Do you think Punxsutawney Phil was ever overcome by the beauty of this very violet 71 years ago? Or perhaps he nibbled... Continue Reading
Arctic Message
By Patrick McShea Polar World at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Photo credit: Josh Franzos What happens in the Arctic effects... Continue Reading
The Search for the Near Threatened Green Salamander, Aneides aeneus
By Kaylin Martin Photo credit: Aaron Semasko Fueled by caffeine and the promise of a sighting of the elusive and threatened... Continue Reading
Snail Extinction – Bad Situation Getting Worse
By Timothy Pearce Move Aside Rosy Wolf Snail, the New Guinea Flatworm Wreaks Greater Devastation Another species of land snail went extinct on January 1,... Continue Reading
F is for Fox
By Sarah Shelley and John Wible For inhabitants of Western Pennsylvania, the word ‘fox’ as applied to an animal is usually reserved for the red... Continue Reading
“Amazing, just like a dinosaur!”
Exclamations like this are common among bird biologists, especially when face-to-face with a Pileated Woodpecker or a ferocious Chickadee. Decades of Jurassic Park films have caught... Continue Reading
Anthropocene Living Room
Welcome to the Anthropocene Living Room, a new space in the museum inspired by how humans have and will continue to shape natural history... Continue Reading
Woodlands in White
By John Wenzel As we enter 2019, I start my ninth year here, and Powdermill Nature Reserve grows cold and quiet. The summer woodland is... Continue Reading
Fruit and Nut Trees Need Chill Time in the Winter
By Bonnie Isaac It’s cold outside! There is snow on the ground. How could this possibly be good for plants? A... Continue Reading
Art, Science and the Intersection of Knowledge
By Eric Dorfman Detail of Vertumnus, by Mannerist painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo produced in Milan c. 1590. Arcimboldo’s most famous work, it... Continue Reading
Dial M for a Murder (of crows)
By Melissa Cagan In the city of Pittsburgh, there are many different places you might find a rowdy roost of crows. Crows gather to spend the... Continue Reading
Preserving Fossil Treasures: Eocene Fishes from Monte Bolca, Italy
By Linsly Church In 1903, Carnegie Museum of Natural History purchased an enormous private fossil collection from the Baron Ernest de Bayet of Brussels, Belgium.... Continue Reading
Fish Story
By Patrick McShea Museum educators who helped interpret We Are Nature: Living in the Anthropocene during the ground-breaking exhibition’s ten-month run now pay close attention to... Continue Reading
The Crows are Back in Town
By Melissa Cagan and Rachael Carlberg If you looked out your window at sunset in the recent months, you would probably notice a strange phenomenon... Continue Reading
Warm Those Heart Cockles
By Timothy A. Pearce The phrase “cockles of your heart” refers to the cockle-like ventricles of the heart. But the cockles that Mary quite contrary... Continue Reading
Dinohyus: “Terrible Pig” in More Ways Than One
By Joe Sawchak In the depths of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s basement, in the Vertebrate Paleontology (VP) collection area known as the Big Bone... Continue Reading
Sounds of Science
By Patrick McShea In early October, when a pre-school teacher requested frog and toad materials from the museum’s Educator Loan Collection, she mentioned plans to... Continue Reading
Earth History in Your Hand
By Gil Oliveira © Chart: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND In my previous blog, I wrote about the last Jurassic World movie, which ends... Continue Reading
Expanding the value of herbarium specimens with citizen science app, iNaturalist
By Mason Heberling Biological collections are at the heart of the natural history museum. Biological collections are large and diverse, with specimens of shells, bugs,... Continue Reading
From Metes and Bounds to GPS: Part 2
By James Whitacre In my last post I talked about how surveyors and cartographers used chains and compasses to survey the land. They also used the... Continue Reading
Eorubeta: A Mysterious Ancient Frog Revealed
By Amy Henrici I recently completed a project on fossil frogs from east central Nevada that my collaborators and I identified as the enigmatic Eorubeta... Continue Reading
Deck the Trees with Moth Cocoons
By Vanessa Verdecia Many people wonder: “what happens to bugs during the winter months?” In the case of Callosamia promethea, known as the Promethea Moth,... Continue Reading
Extinct Ornaments
By Patrick McShea Some exhibits in Carnegie Museum of Natural History can be better appreciated through a visit to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. This thought... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1990: Poinsettia
By Mason Heberling This poinsettia specimen was collected on December 20, 1990 by Sue Thompson from a potted plant in Pittsburgh. Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are... Continue Reading
Are Santa’s Reindeer Real Mammals?
By Suzanne B. McLaren Yes! Reindeer are real mammals. In fact, reindeer are the same species as caribou (Rangifer tarandus). The species is widespread throughout northern... Continue Reading
A Unique Collection of Fossil Lagerstätten from the Devonian of Germany
By Will Vincett As a research volunteer in the Section of Invertebrate Paleontology, I am interested in learning about the evolution of life and the... Continue Reading
Collected in 1840: Holly
By Mason Heberling Are you decking your halls with boughs of holly? Probably not holly from 178 years ago! This holly specimen (Ilex aquifolia) was... Continue Reading
How Do Geodes Get Their Colors?
Geodes are stones with a secret–at first glance, they seem like nothing more than the grey rocks you might see on walk around your neighborhood.... Continue Reading
A Perfect Mineral for the Christmas Season
By Debra Wilson How can you decorate a mineral for Christmas? If it’s the right mineral, all you need to do is shine a SWUV... Continue Reading
Fraser Fir
By Mason Heberling Collected on some day, probably between 101-122 years ago. Around 25-30 million cut trees are sold each year in the United States... Continue Reading
Lazarus Bird
by Chase Mendenhall The search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) continues. For decades this conspicuous woodpecker has generated pandemonium through eye-witness accounts, inconclusive recordings... Continue Reading
Peppermint: A Hybrid Herb for the Holidays
By Mason Heberling When in candy cane form, it is easy to forget where the flavor came from. Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) is actually a... Continue Reading
Snow White Bird Search
by Patrick McShea Visitors who read the descriptive label at the snowiest diorama in the Hall of North American Wildlife are presented with a visual challenge. Under... Continue Reading
Where the Heck Did That Come From?
By Amy L. Covell-Murthy Accession Number 6395 is a large and unusual effigy pipe that was found in a field in Washington County, Pennsylvania. It... Continue Reading
Gift from Underground
By Patrick McShea Hairy-tailed Mole in the Hall of North American Wildlife Do wild creatures ever participate in gift giving? Their... Continue Reading
Tribute to Otto Epping
By Suzanne McLaren and Stephen Rogers We recently received word about the passing of former Carnegie Museum of Natural History Taxidermist Otto Epping at the... Continue Reading
Field Time in Borneo
By Jennifer Sheridan As some of you know, my main field research takes place in Malaysian Borneo, in the state of Sabah. I travel there... Continue Reading
It’s my flower, and I’ll fruit when I want to
by Andrea Kautz Witch hazel branch with fruits and flowers together At this point in the year, there aren’t many blooms... Continue Reading
Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, and Yams: What’s the Difference?
by Mason Heberling What you know as yams are most likely not actually yams. In fact, your “classic” potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams are all... Continue Reading
Ants in our Pants and Bugs in our Drawers: A Field Guide to Dry Specimen Storage in the Section of Invertebrate Zoology
By Catherine Giles Welcome to the Field Guide to Dry Specimen Storage for the Section of Invertebrate Zoology (IZ)! Contained in this guide is a... Continue Reading
Risk Assessment, or how to keep your collection intact
By Gretchen Anderson, Conservator, and Suzanne B. McLaren, Chair of Collections What are the risks to a museum’s collection? Figure 1: The risks of damage are varied.... Continue Reading
Make Your Own Nature Notebook!
A key tool that naturalists use is a notebook to record their observations. This can be anything from what birds they saw on a... Continue Reading
Collected on This Day in 1884: Beech Drops
by Mason Heberling Not all plants have leaves. Beech drops (Epifagus virginiana) is one such example. This specimen was collected on November 16, 1884 growing... Continue Reading
Snowflakes and Snow Fleas
by John Wenzel When Shakespeare wrote “Now is the winter of our discontent,” he certainly was not referring to entomologists. Botanists, mammalogists, ornithologists, and herpetologists... Continue Reading
From Metes and Bounds to GPS: Part 1
By James Whitacre Did you know that George Washington was a cartographer? Well, technically his training was in surveying, but back in his time, surveyors... Continue Reading
Pennsylvania Botany 2018
by Bonnie Isaac Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CMNH) was well represented at PA Botany 2018. The 4th Biennial Pennsylvania Botany Symposium took place on... Continue Reading
Keeping Birds Safe with GIS and Citizen Science
By Jon Rice and James Whitacre Almost 600 million birds die every year in North America after colliding with buildings. BirdSafe Pittsburgh, which has been... Continue Reading
Ask a Scientist – How Are Birds Like Dinosaurs?
How are birds like dinosaurs? Assistant Curator of Birds, Chase Mendenhall, and Urban Bird Conservation Coordinator, Jonathan Rice, introduce the bird collection in the... Continue Reading
Why One Bug Just Won’t Do…
by Bob Androw When visitors tour the insect collections in the Section of Invertebrate Zoology, the conversation often turns to numbers. How many rooms house... Continue Reading
Archaeology Merit Badge: Who Had More Fun, Me or the Boy Scouts?
by Amy L. Covell-Murthy The Archaeology merit badge for the Boy Scouts of America was established in 1997. It has a list of eleven different requirements... Continue Reading
Born to the Purple
by Debra Wilson What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “born to the purple”? Most people will probably think of royalty. The color... Continue Reading
Doves of Peace
by Chase Mendenhall In the wake of a tragedy that took the lives of 11 people in Pittsburgh, we reflect on the the collections housed... Continue Reading
The Tell-Snail Heart
by Timothy A. Pearce Edgar Allen Poe is well-known as an American writer of poems and short stories, including some spooky works that are often... Continue Reading
A Rainbow of Honeys
If you like to eat honey with breakfast, dessert, or tea, you can probably picture its bright color. You may think that all honey is... Continue Reading
What is a caterpillar database?
What is a caterpillar database? Curatorial Assistant in Invertebrate Zoology Catherine Giles introduces the larval collection and how it is organized. Learn how the... Continue Reading
A Striking Success in Protecting Birds
by John Wenzel A particular point of pride of our bird research is the BirdSafe Pittsburgh program. A consortium of environmental groups and concerned citizens... Continue Reading
E is for Echidna
by John Wible The Naming En route to Tahiti in 1792, a ship put into Adventure Bay at Bruny Island off the coast of Tasmania,... Continue Reading
Mapping Wildlife Habitats Beyond the Borders of Protected Areas
by Chase D. Mendenhall The best way to prevent extinctions is to protect wildlife habitats. In a world where only 13% of the land surface... Continue Reading
Trilobites in the Collection of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History
by Albert Kollar Trilobites are members of an extinct group of marine animals that lived in the ancient seas of the Paleozoic Era (542 Ma... Continue Reading
Are slugs and snails the same thing?
Are slugs and snails the same thing? Head of Mollusks Dr. Timothy Pearce takes us behind the scenes in the mollusks collection to see... Continue Reading
This is not about the Anthropocene, or is it?
by Gil Oliveira “How many times do you need to see the evidence? How many times must the point be made? We’re causing our own... Continue Reading
Why Do Leaves Change Color in the Fall?
One of the most anticipated events of fall is the changing colors of tree leaves. As the evenings get cooler, the trees display spectacular warm... Continue Reading
The Haunted Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt and the Mystery of the Blob
by Erin Peters If you visited our Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt in the last few weeks, you may have seen the windows and doors... Continue Reading
Is this butterfly blue or green?
by Vanessa Verdecia An image of a beautiful “blue” butterfly. What kind is it, they asked me? That’s not always an easy question to answer.... Continue Reading
Meet The Newest Addition To The Fossil Vertebrate Collection
by Amy Henrici The new mammoth tooth as viewed from the side. The crown, or exposed part, of the tooth is... Continue Reading
New England Aster – Aren’t you glad you Aster?
by Bonnie Isaac Fall is typically the time of year when we think plants are getting ready for winter. Think of trees changing colors and... Continue Reading
Fred the Crystal Skull
Just about every year since the Carnegie Museum of Natural History acquired it, Fred the Crystal Skull has made an appearance in Hillman Hall... Continue Reading
D is for Dugong
by Sue McLaren The dugong is a marine mammal related to the manatee. Dugongs and manatees are members of the order Sirenia, which in turn... Continue Reading
Collected on This Day in 1995
by Mason Heberling Fall allergies causing you grief? Ragweed is a plant many people are (all too) familiar with. Or at least their bodies are.... Continue Reading
Botany Near Home
by Mason Heberling Human activities are changing our very notion of what is “natural.” We are surrounded by nature, no matter whether we are in... Continue Reading
Happy Ctenophore Day!
by Tim Pearce Ctenophore, Mertensia ovum Most people have heard of 6 to 10 of the 30 modern animal phyla. (A phylum... Continue Reading
Collected on This Day in 1982
by Mason Heberling Corn is a staple crop known well by many across the world. Corn is used in a variety of ways including human... Continue Reading
A Day at the Beach: The Anthropocene on Vacation
by Bob Jones While on vacation, my wife and I took a morning walk on the beach to enjoy the sights and sounds of the... Continue Reading
Tiger beetle lost, tiger beetle found
by John Wible The newest issue of Annals of Carnegie Museum, our quarterly scientific journal highlighting museum research and collections, is hot off the presses.... Continue Reading
Badwater 20: Not So Bad After All
by Lauren Raysich Although many people are familiar with fossilized bones of dinosaurs and other large extinct creatures, some fossils can be so small that a... Continue Reading
Boogie Woogie Aphids
by John Wenzel Aphids are usually small wingless insects that suck sap from plants, usually specializing on one kind of plant. Many species can reproduce... Continue Reading
Kids and Caterpillars: Fostering a Child’s Interest in Nature by Rearing Lepidoptera (Moth and Butterfly) Larvae
by James W. Fetzner Jr. We hear a soft THUMP! as another large bug hits the sheet after being drawn in to the bright mercury vapor... Continue Reading
Stalking the Freshwater Sponges of Western Pennsylvania
by Marc L. Yergin and Timothy A. Pearce Yes, some sponges live in freshwater. Before our recent finds, only one species of sponge had been... Continue Reading
Happy International Peace Day!
by Nicole Heller At Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and with the upcoming Carnegie International, we are thinking a lot these days about the Earth... Continue Reading
Scientists Live – Jennifer Sheridan
Assistant Curator of Amphibians and Reptiles, Jennifer Sheridan, discussed her upcoming research and teaching trip to Borneo on Facebook Live! If you missed it... Continue Reading
Collected on this day in 1944
by Mason Heberling Herbarium specimens are both an art and a science. This fact is no more apparent than in the collaborations between Andrey Avinoff... Continue Reading
What Do Boyce Knob, Smithhammer, and Pies Have in Common?
by Amy L. Covell-Murthy While they would probably make pretty decent boat or band names, Boyce Knob, Smithhammer, and Pies are all common names for... Continue Reading
Urban Bird Conservation Coordinator Featured Photographer in Wildlife Newsletter
by Chase Mendenhall While outside collecting data for BirdSafe Pittsburgh or installing Motus antennas that locate migrating birds—Jonathan Rice, Urban Bird Conservation Coordinator at CMNH, is taking... Continue Reading
Hidden Treasure of Pittsburgh Found
by Bonnie Isaac Recently I received a call from a woman who had bought an estate and discovered a hidden treasure in the basement. The... Continue Reading
C is for Cats
by Sarah Shelley and John Wible We don’t want to start a big fight about cats versus dogs, but here in the Section of Mammals... Continue Reading
Combating Climate Change with Plants
by Steve Tonsor It is easy for everyone to overlook plants as being at the heart of Earth’s carbon and oxygen cycles; they are simply... Continue Reading
Collected on this day in 1989
by Mason Heberling You can get see plants from all over the world without ever leaving the herbarium. Herbaria are powerful resources that enable research... Continue Reading
A Herp Collection Mystery
by Jennifer Sheridan Part of the fun of being a new curator is getting to know the collections. In preparing for an upcoming talk (Scientists... Continue Reading
Wet Weekend!
by Joylette Portlock I had the chance to visit Powdermill Nature Reserve over the weekend. Yes, this past weekend, the one where it rained for... Continue Reading
Ask A Scientist – What Kind of Dinosaur is a Megaraptorid?
Are megaraptors really raptors? Assistant Curator and Head of Vertebrate Paleontology Dr. Matt Lamanna discusses what paleontologists know about the dinosaur family Megaraptoridae in... Continue Reading
Collections Connections
by Erin Peters As Assistant Curator who works with the ancient Egyptian collections at CMNH, I care for and research our own collections, and also... Continue Reading
Chasing Snails in the Great Smoky Mountains
by Tim Pearce Looking for snails in Tennessee is rewarding because that state is third in number of species of land snails in the USA... Continue Reading
This Land is Your Land, This Land is Mine Land
by Max Winn and Andrea Kautz Since the passing of Act 54 in 1994, Pennsylvania requires a review of all subsidence impacts related to underground coal... Continue Reading
Collected on This Day in 2016: Japanese Stiltgrass
by Mason Heberling It is now a common plant in forests across Pennsylvania, but it wasn’t always. This specimen of Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) was... Continue Reading
BirdSafe Infinity Scarf
Pittsburgh artist Ashley Cecil created the art for the beautiful BirdSafe Infinity Scarf. Cecil was inspired by the work of BirdSafe Pittsburgh, a group that... Continue Reading
Collected on This Day: September 6
by Mason Heberling September 6, 1952: 66 years ago …and recollected September 6, 2018 These specimens (and more) were collected on September 6, 1952 near... Continue Reading
Illustrating the Head of an Inchworm (caterpillar of Lepidoptera: Geometridae)
by Jane Hyland Teamwork between scientists studying insects (entomologists) and illustrators is an important part of museum-based scientific research. This important collaborative aspect between the... Continue Reading
Fire Destroys Brazilian Museum Once Called House of the Birds
by Chase D. Mendenhall One of Latin America’s most important museums burned Sunday night —destroying up to 20 million scientific and historical artifacts. It is... Continue Reading
Beauty from the Ashes
by Debra Wilson When Mount St. Helens erupted in the State of Washington on May 18, 1980, it became the deadliest and most economically destructive... Continue Reading
Pebble or Jaw?
by Jay Margolis It can be difficult to find fossils when working on a microscopic scale. The partial jawbone and bone fragment above are each less... Continue Reading
Birds on a Wire Mug
Brighten up your day with this mug featuring birds on a wire. Pull the mug from the cabinet and all 18 birds will be black... Continue Reading
Smoke Scenery
by Pat McShea Detail from The Apotheosis of Pittsburgh mural by John White Alexander A museum educator from Norway offered a novel... Continue Reading
Oh MAN(tis)!
by Catherine Giles Picture it: A crisp, early evening in late spring. The virtually cloudless sky cascades in a brilliant azure backdrop against your humble... Continue Reading
Sweet ‘n sassy, Sassafras
by John Wenzel The flavoring of our popular root beer comes from the roots of sassafras, a common tree in open areas or at forest... Continue Reading
Bird Bingo
Learn to identify different bird species by playing Bird Bingo. It’s a fantastic learning tool for kids that’s fun for adults, too. Pick it up... Continue Reading
The Volunteers: Can’t Live Without Them
By Albert Kollar What makes an ideal volunteer at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History? Maybe the question should be how does one find a... Continue Reading
B is for Beaver (sticks)
by Sarah Shelley The Section of Mammals at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History houses nearly 130,000 specimens. As a fairly recent hire in the... Continue Reading
Celebrating the weed that engulfed western Pennsylvania?
by Mason Heberling A few weekends ago, I went to the 7th annual Knotweed Festival in Blairsville, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh in Indiana County.... Continue Reading
Identiflyer Bird Caller
Learn bird songs quickly and easily with the Identiflyer Bird Caller. In lyric mode, learn how bird calls sound like English words that help you... Continue Reading
Extremely Rapid Evolution of Cone Snail Toxins
By Tim Pearce Cone snails live in the sea and inject venom to paralyze their prey. Most cone snails eat worms, some eat other snails,... Continue Reading
Saddle Cleaning
by Ruth Fauman-Fichman In the Section of Collection Care and Conservation at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History there are thousands of artifacts that silently scream... Continue Reading
Pennsylvania Archaeology, Fluted Points, and One Snazzy Bolo Tie
By Amy L. Covell-Murthy The Section of Anthropology houses a collection boasting 1.5 million artifacts. What you may not know is that most of those... Continue Reading
The Company We Keep
By Steve Tonsor 2500 years ago, Aesop wrote “We are known by the company we keep.” We experience the truth of this aphorism every day... Continue Reading
Millions, Billions, and Trillions
By Chase D. Mendenhall President Trump has 53,800,000 followers on Twitter. The popular song Despacito has 5,400,000,000 views on YouTube. And, the computer giant, Apple, is worth... Continue Reading
Dinosaur Ceramic Planters
No more boring terra cotta pots. Grow your plants in these classy yet quirky dinosaur ceramic planters. Raise herbs in an herbivore on your kitchen... Continue Reading
Memoirs of the Carnegie Museum Volume 1, Number 1
By John Wible William J. Holland, Director of the Carnegie Museum, announced a new publication series, the Memoirs of the Carnegie Museum, by stating …... Continue Reading
Summer Adventure Series: Members Only Discount During Meowfest!
Visit the museum store for a cat-themed souvenir during Super Science Saturday: Meowfest! Four cat items will be discounted just for members on Saturday August... Continue Reading
Mapping Pittsburgh’s Plastic Waste
By James Whitacre If you have visited the museum recently, you have probably seen the We Are Nature: Living in the Anthropocene exhibition (if not,... Continue Reading
Annoying, amazing, silk
By John Wenzel Photo credit: Andrea Kautz The woods are full of spiders in late summer, as any hiker knows. Spider... Continue Reading
Whale Bone Bench
By Pat McShea An unusual bench within the Hall of North American Wildlife inspires grand scale thinking. If you sit upon a level-topped portion of... Continue Reading
Plant Specimen Images Now Online
By Bonnie Isaac Anne Barber training Mason Heberling and Bonnie Isaac to use the new imaging station for our NSF grant.... Continue Reading
A is for Aardvark
By John Wible Photo by Louise Joubert, SanWild Wildlife Sanctuary Upon encountering this unusual digging mammal, South African colonists dubbed it... Continue Reading
Killer Sea Snails: Cure for the Opioid Crisis?
By Tim Pearce Carnivorous and predatory, killer cone snails (genus Conus) stun their prey by injecting peptide neurotoxins called conotoxins. These peptides are short proteins,... Continue Reading
Mastodon Restoration
What does a Scientific Preparator do? Part of Dan Pickering’s really cool job is carefully restoring museum specimens. In this photo he’s working on our... Continue Reading
New Rattlesnake Specimen
By Jennifer A. Sheridan Last week the amphibian and reptile unit acquired a valuable specimen—a timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus). This species is federally protected, and females... Continue Reading
Campfire Bow Drill Kit
Inspire your kids to spend time outdoors with the family by building a campfire with them. Cook dinner in the fire, make s’mores, and put... Continue Reading
Hei-tiki Figurines
By Deborah Harding Hei-tiki figurines made by the Maori people of New Zealand have had several origins and meanings attributed to them over the years.... Continue Reading
Unscrambling the Science of the Egg
By Chase D. Mendenhall What came first, the chicken or the egg? The answer to this riddle is the egg. Eggs are universal among all vertebrates,... Continue Reading
The Story of a Beetle, a Dolphin, and Some Remarkable Genitalia…
By Bob Androw In 2014, while processing a light trap sample from the Dominican Republic, I came across a series of Phyllophaga that I could... Continue Reading
BBQ Chips
How about some BBQ chips with your burger? Just kidding! BBQ chips is the nickname for this wulfenite with mimetite specimen on display in the... Continue Reading
2018 Breastfeeding Friendly Place Award
We are proud to be a winner of the 2018 Breastfeeding Friendly Place Award! Cozy chairs and pillows in a private area near Discovery Basecamp... Continue Reading
Tiny Terrarium
Grow a tiny cactus in the “world’s smallest terrarium.” Cacti thrive with just a little water and lots of sunlight. They live for years with... Continue Reading
Manhattan Project Glass
By Debra Wilson The Section of Minerals collection contains many specimens with interesting stories of historical significance. One such story is about an unusual faceted... Continue Reading
Black Bears at Powdermill
By Andrea Kautz Recently, the PA Game Commission brought a black bear to Powdermill to release in the nearby state forest. It was a healthy, 300-pound male... Continue Reading
We are one with the force; the force is with science!
By Breann Thompson In a galaxy far, far away…is life really all that different? Campers at Carnegie Museum of Natural History have the opportunity to... Continue Reading
None Like It Hot
By Joylette Portlock July. Long known across the U.S. for fireworks, barbecues, and a desire to stay cool any way we can. Whether it’s air... Continue Reading
The Very Hungry Promethea Caterpillars
by Vanessa Verdecia These Promethea Moth (Callosamia promethea) eggs were laid in clusters by a single female parent. When the caterpillars first hatched they measured... Continue Reading
My Guildey Pleasure
By Andrew McAfee As the Scientific Illustrator for the Section of Vertebrate Paleontology at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, I spend most of my time... Continue Reading
New Member of the Section of Herpetology
By Jennifer Sheridan The Section of Herpetology has welcomed a new curator—me! I’m happy to be writing this blog post as a way of introducing... Continue Reading
Before Powdermill Nature Reserve
By Bonnie Isaac While looking through some images in the archives in the section of Botany I came across this image from July 23, 1923... Continue Reading
Speculation: Glowing Snails and Jumping Genes
By Tim Pearce Only one species of land snail is known to glow in the dark: Quantula striata, albeit very faintly. A glow organ under its... Continue Reading
Giant Sable Antelope
By Lisa Miriello In 1930, New York publisher Ralph Pulitzer recruited Rudyerd Boulton, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s ornithologist, to accompany him to the... Continue Reading
The Hidden Fossil Treasures of the Section of Invertebrate Paleontology of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History
By Albert D. Kollar When people hear the name Invertebrate Paleontology often times they are confused what it means. Invertebrates are animals without backbones such... Continue Reading
Powdermill Flood Changes the Landscape
By James Whitacre Here at Powdermill Nature Reserve, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental research center, we were reminded of the ever-present forces of... Continue Reading
Campers Learn New Skills in Survival Challenge
By Breann Thompson It’s July, and summer camps are in full swing here at the museum. With this summer’s intense storms fresh in our minds,... Continue Reading
Powerlifting Poultry and Mallards that Marathon
By Chase D. Mendenhall Fried, roasted or barbequed—most of us have a preference for cuts of light or dark meat when chicken is for dinner. But... Continue Reading
Special Member Discounts During Summer Adventure Series
Planning to join us for this weekend’s Summer Adventure Series: Reptile Meet and Greet? After you get up close and personal with live reptiles, stop... Continue Reading
Cactuses, and the Spine of Appalachia
By John Wenzel No one thinks of deserts in Pennsylvania, but we have one habitat that includes many plants typical of the western deserts. The... Continue Reading
Annals of Carnegie Museum
By John Wible The Carnegie Museum of Natural History produces a scientific journal entitled Annals of Carnegie Museum that first appeared in print in March... Continue Reading
Does it sound strange to walk like an Egyptian on painted floors?
By Dr. Erin Peters We often see paintings hung on walls today, so it may be hard to believe ancient Egyptians could walk on them!... Continue Reading
Migrate or Die
By Dr. Nicole Heller Becoming Migrant was this year’s theme for the Carnegie Nexus. The series explored the science and art of passage through creative... Continue Reading
The Significance of Raising Caterpillars
By Vanessa Verdecia The Imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) is a member of the Saturniid family, a group also known as the Giant Silkworm Moths. This... Continue Reading
The Two-Headed Dinosaur
By Matt Lamanna Apatosaurus is a sauropod, or long-necked plant-eating dinosaur, that lived in western North America during the late Jurassic Period roughly 150 million years... Continue Reading
Adult Flycatcher
This adult Flycatcher undergoes the pre-basic molt of the wintering grounds. These adults can be readily identified by their white bars and wear on the... Continue Reading
Acadian Flycatcher
This Flycatcher has a pale yellow mouth lining. Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian research center is part of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s biological research station... Continue Reading
Collected on This Day: Apocynum cannabinum
Collected on July 7, 1935, this specimen was found by John Robinson near New Castle, PA. Hemp dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum) are important food plants for... Continue Reading
How Birds Breathe with their Butts
by Chase D. Mendenhall The avian respiratory system is the most efficient in the animal kingdom, which explains how birds get enough oxygen to power... Continue Reading
Revisiting a former expedition: Antarctica Peninsula Paleontology Project (AP3)
The following was taken from a blog series posted by Carnegie Museum of Natural History which documented a paleontology expedition in 2016. “February 29–March 6,... Continue Reading
Revisiting a former expedition: Antarctica Peninsula Paleontology Project (AP3)
The following blog was taken from a series posted by Carnegie Museum of Natural History which documented a paleontology expedition in February 2016. Sunset over... Continue Reading
Can you spot the red, white, and blue specimens on display?
The red butterfly (11) is a male specimen from tropical Africa in the genus Cymothoe. The white butterfly (15) is a male specimen from high... Continue Reading
Illustrations of Flora in Western Pennsylvania
In 1941, Carnegie Museum of Natural History Director Andrey Avinoff began an ambitious project with friend and Curator of Botany Otto E. Jennings. They wanted... Continue Reading
The Green Heron
David Liebmann, an educator who has birded throughout the nation, recalls a day in which he arrived at Powdermill Nature Reserve’s Avian Research Center in... Continue Reading
Collected in Pennsylvania
As a part of the only Pennsylvania museum with a mammal collection that has remained active since before 1900, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Section... Continue Reading
Wolfsbane
By Mason Heberling [Professor Snape]: “What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?“ “I don’t know,” said Harry quietly. “I think Hermione does, though,... Continue Reading
Wire Silver
You might not recognize these at first glance, but these new specimens in Hillman Hall are a common metal: silver. Wire silver from China to... Continue Reading
Without Volunteers, Carnegie Museum Mollusk Collection Could Not Exist
By Charles F. Sturm and Timothy A. Pearce Volunteer Dan Cornell helps to sort and distribute specimens to their proper places in the research collection.... Continue Reading
Counting Your Chickens: The World’s Most Numerous Bird
By Eric Dorfman View this article on Eric’s blog If you Google “the world’s most numerous bird,” you will likely be given articles about the... Continue Reading
We Are Nature: Future Thinking
By: Pat McShea Although activities in the Future Thinking Lab section of We Are Nature seldom focus on the past, historic examples of the process are... Continue Reading
Eastern Wood Pewee
The buffy tips to many of the coverts and body feathers identifies this as a HY bird. For banders, this bird can be identified by... Continue Reading
Could Polyjuice Potion Be Real?
By Mason Heberling “This is the most complicated potion I’ve ever seen. Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass. Well, they’re easy enough.” –Hermione Granger Polyjuice... Continue Reading
Pyromorphite from Zambia
Scanning electron microscope analysis has revealed that one of the specimens in our Phosphates case isn’t exactly what we thought it was at first. Mimetite... Continue Reading
Why Were Cats Mummified in Ancient Egypt?
In ancient Egypt, cats were sacred animals. People dedicated mummified cats at the sanctuary of the cat goddess Bastet as offerings. The sanctuary was located... Continue Reading
Trail’s Flycatcher
This bird has an indistinct eye ring, dark gray legs, lack emargination on primary 6, and has a yellow-orange mouth lining. Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian... Continue Reading
Snakes, snails, and puppy dog tails
By: Kaylin Martin, M.Sc. and Timothy A. Pearce, PhD Asymmetries in nature are noteworthy because they usually mean something interesting is going on. Most snail-eating... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day: Alopecurus myosuroides
By Mason Heberling Herbarium specimens provide key insights into the Anthropocene. In many cases, natural history collections are the only baseline we have to understand... Continue Reading
Fast Cat and Invisible Insects
by Patrick McShea An argument can be made that one of the more interesting features within this diorama are the reddish earthen mounds framing the... Continue Reading
Dunkleosteus terrelli plush
Pennsylvania and Ohio were once covered by the sea and dunkleosteus terrelli was one of the fiercest predators swimming in it. Dunkleosteus terrelli was a massive... Continue Reading
New Mammal Fossil Discovered
We are thrilled to share that Dr. John Wible, Curator of Mammals, was part of the team that discovered a new mammal fossil, Ambolestes zhoui,... Continue Reading
Why Are Blue Jays Blue?
Did you know that the pigment of Blue Jays is actually brown but they appear blue because the barbules which feathers are composed of scatter... Continue Reading
Coffee Specimens from Jamaica
This should wake you up! This specimen of coffee (Coffea arabica) was collected in June 1847 in Jamaica by Jacob Wolle. Coffea arabica, the source... Continue Reading
Bard Birds
By Pat McShea Statue of William Shakespeare along Forbes Avenue entrance to Carnegie Music Hall Visitors to We Are Nature are challenged... Continue Reading
Pargasite on Marble
Pargasite on marble from Vietnam is now on display in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems. Pargasite is a mineral found all over the world... Continue Reading
Land snails in Mt Lebanon: BioBlitz confirms rare species and finds two additional gastropod species in urban parks
Tim Pearce (Curator of Collections, Mollusks) surveyed land snails in a BioBlitz organized this past weekend by the Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy at Robb Hollow... Continue Reading
The Ba in Ancient Egyptian Culture
The image on this coffin canopy in Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt represents the ba, which was a spirit-like quality Egyptians believed all people possessed.... Continue Reading
Great-crested Flycatcher
This bird can be identified as a HY by the molt limits among the greater coverts (or the limit among the median coverts). Only one... Continue Reading
Plush Animals Wearing Hoodies
Is there anything cuter than animals wearing clothes? We think these wild animals wearing hoodies in our museum store are the cutest furry friends in... Continue Reading
Oh Say Can You Dippy: Andrew Carnegie and His Dinosaurs
By Anna Weber Did you know that the ever-popular Dippy the Dinosaur and the American state may or may not share a birthday of sorts?... Continue Reading
Dendropsophus sarayacuensis
A male Dendropsophus sarayacuensis calls from a branch in an open swamp. Frog choruses in the Amazon can have more than twenty species calling all... Continue Reading
Agate and Wooden Boxes
Looking for a host or hostess gift that lasts longer than a bottle of wine? Natural agate and wooden boxes made in Brazil are unique... Continue Reading
Raptor Watch
By Pat McShea Raptor nests become more visually familiar territory every year. Whether you favor Bald Eagles or Peregrine Falcons, strategically-placed cameras in the immediate... Continue Reading
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Known to conceal itself, this sparrow sneaks around the ground in wet meadows, rarely making an appearance to humans. John James Audubon coined the species, Lincoln’s... Continue Reading
American Eel
For an image rendered in glass beads and porcupine quills, an American eel featured in Alcoa Foundation Hall of American Indians conveys a surprising amount... Continue Reading
Pittsburgh Environmentalist Group Meetup Makes Eco-Friendly Activities Fun
Rethinking your impact on the environment, or carbon footprint, could be as simple as eating less barbecue or not choosing a green cleanser over your... Continue Reading
Poison Ivy Potency?
By Rachael Carlberg When prompted with the phrase “climate change,” people often think of increasing temperatures, melting ice, and flooding shores. While global temperatures are on... Continue Reading
Clay-colored Sparrow
A rarity to Powdermill, this sparrow usually breeds in shrublands, field edges, and thickets across the northern prairies. Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian research center is... Continue Reading
Artisan Glass Vases in the Museum Store
You might not expect a museum gift shop to carry one-of-a-kind decorations, but we value fun and distinctive items in our museum and that spirit... Continue Reading
What is a Noolbenger?
By John Wible Noolbenger is the Aboriginal name for the honey possum. So, what is a honey possum? A honey possum, Tarsipes rostratus, is a... Continue Reading
Myrtle, a Royal Favorite for Wedding Bouquets
Which plants are worthy of inclusion in a Royal Wedding? We’ll see tomorrow, but we know one plant that’s nearly guaranteed to appear in the... Continue Reading
Environmental Issues: Every Museum’s Responsibility
By Eric DorfmanView this article on Eric’s blogLast May 7, I had the pleasure of co-presenting a round-table discussion (called “Hot Topics”) as part of... Continue Reading
Special Programming for ICOM International Museum Day
Join us for ICOM International Museum Day on Friday, May 18th! We’re celebrating the day with researchers in the galleries and two exciting livestream events.... Continue Reading
Carnegie Museum of Natural History Wins Best Museum in Readers’ Poll
We are honored that Carnegie Museum of Natural History won the Best Museum in Pittsburgh Magazine’s Best of the Burgh Readers Poll this year! We’re... Continue Reading
Texas Solar
By Patrick McShea Within We Are Nature an interactive kiosk known as EarthTime documents alarming change over recent decades in glacial melting, the clearing of rainforests,... Continue Reading
Pittsburgh Participates in International City Nature Challenge
We are thrilled to share that Pittsburgh has come in 26th of nearly 70 cities that participated in the City Nature Challenge! It’s a friendly... Continue Reading
From Nebraska or Bust, a Truck load of Mollusks
By Tim Pearce, Curator of Collections, Section of Mollusks A rare opportunity for Carnegie Museum of Natural History occurred in early May when we adopted... Continue Reading
Plant Blindness
By Patrick McShea Plant Blindness refers to the inability to see or notice the plants in one’s own environment. The term was coined twenty years... Continue Reading
Powdermill Spring
By John Wenzel Winter was long and hard this year, and we were all eager to see Spring come at last. At Powdermill Nature Reserve,... Continue Reading
Luke DeGroote in AFO Afield
We’re thrilled to share that Avian Research Coordinator Luke DeGroote’s bird banding workshop has been featured in AFO Afield! Luke was one of five instructors... Continue Reading
Dippy’s Looking Good in Our Museum Store
Thanks to our visitors for helping us to rebrand last year! You asked, and we listened: we are featuring Dippy on everything from coffee mugs... Continue Reading
Is Plastic Natural?
By Rachael Carlberg Nothing seems more man-made than plastic. It surrounds us everywhere, indoors and out. How many of the things around you right now... Continue Reading
Deadliest Catch
By Patrick McShea Some guided tours of We Are Nature begin outside the actual exhibit. A diorama in the Hall of North American Wildlife, for example,... Continue Reading
Now, more than ever, we must stand against racism…
Now, more than ever, we must stand against racism or sit in silence against freedom. Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History have signed the pledge to... Continue Reading
City Nature Challenge Arrives in Pittsburgh
City Nature Challenge has arrived in Pittsburgh! Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Urban Bird Conservation Coordinator Matt Webb has been coordinating Pittsburgh’s participation in an... Continue Reading
The Importance of Connections
By Joylette Portlock Earth Day this year, April 22nd, was the nation’s forty-ninth (though many were calling it the “48th Anniversary”), and my first as... Continue Reading
Riverbank Beavers
By Patrick McShea The mid-April news of cut redbud saplings along a Pittsburgh riverfront trail served as a public announcement that beavers reside in the... Continue Reading
Swan Symbol
By Pat McShea A Tundra Swan taxidermy mount recently left its perch above the touchable attractions of Discovery Basecamp to add a natural history strand... Continue Reading
Male Blue-winged Warbler
This species is relatively uncommon at Powdermill. The lack of a molt limit in the alula feathers (A1,A2,A3) indicates this is an adult bird. Its... Continue Reading
Reinstallation of Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt
Building on our National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Digital Projects for the Public Discovery Grant, Carnegie Museum of Natural History is excited to announce... Continue Reading
Male Hooded Warbler
The age of this bird is usually identifiable with a quick examination of the throat feathers. If the black throat has extensive yellow tipping it... Continue Reading
Although appearing in all the Jurassic Park films, this T. rex isn’t…
(photo by Josh Franzos) Although appearing in all the Jurassic Park films, this T. rex isn’t a copy. In fact, this... Continue Reading
Ovenbird
Although the young and adult birds have essentially the same general plumage, there are some slight differences. The rusty tipping on this bird’s tertials identify... Continue Reading
Bay-breasted and Blackpoll Warblers
The first warbler benefits from spruce budworm outbreaks when the caterpillars provide abundant food. The second type of warbler has a high-pitched, almost inaudible song... Continue Reading
Dippy via Project Have Hope
Handmade by Ugandan artisans, these Dippy plushes are a product through the organization Project Have Hope. Project Have Hope aims to empower Ugandan artists through... Continue Reading
Do Animals Use Plastic?
An array of plastic items adds color to the entrance gallery of We Are Nature. In this age of the Anthropocene,... Continue Reading
Architecture of Oakland–from a PITT student’s perspective
When I first came to the University of Pittsburgh, I couldn’t wait to spend time in The Cathedral of Learning. Not only was the gothic... Continue Reading
Connecticut and Mourning Warblers
The Warbler on the left is uncommon and breeds in the boreal forest during winters in northern South America. The Warbler on the right is... Continue Reading
Hellbenders aren’t so scary!
Hellbenders aren’t so scary! Cryptobrachus alleganiensis are in the running to become the Pennsylvanian State Amphibian. Due to their permeable skin, hellbenders are extremely susceptible... Continue Reading
Slender-snouted crocodile skull
This slender-snouted crocodile skull in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Alcohol House was used to determine that each African region had a unique crocodile species.... Continue Reading
Clues
By Amy Henrici Collection Managers often solve fossil mysteries, and sometimes we have only a few clues to assist us. A recent mystery involved some... Continue Reading
Most people know “Dippy” …
Most people know “Dippy” by the statue of him outside the museum, which sports seasonal scarves throughout the year. But did you know he recently... Continue Reading
Time Travel… No Flux Capacitor Required
The newly discovered meat-eating dinosaur Tratayenia rosalesi crosses a stream in what is now northern Patagonia, Argentina some 85 million years... Continue Reading
Architecture of Oakland–from a PITT student’s perspective
At least once every semester, I enroll in a course that happens to be held at the Frick Fine Arts Building. It is truly an... Continue Reading
Magnolia Warbler
The name of the species was established by Alexander Wilson in 1810, who collected a specimen from a magnolia tree in Mississippi. Powdermill Nature Reserve’s... Continue Reading
Crotalus cerastes laterorepens; Sidewinder
This is a venomous pit viper species. Pit vipers are distinguished by the heat sensing pit organ located on each side of their head. This... Continue Reading
Least Flycatcher
This bird is the smallest of the empids and can be identified by its relatively distinct (and oval) eyering, small bill, white throat, dark gray/black... Continue Reading
Science Bowl Comes to the Museum
In a new collaboration with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3, Carnegie Museum of Natural History welcomed over 500 students from 29 schools during the last... Continue Reading
White-throated Sparrow
This forest sparrow breeds in Canada, but can be found in eastern and southern America during the winter months. Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian research center... Continue Reading
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
This hatching-year bird can be identified by it overall yellow appearance (through the throat), small bill, steeply sloped forehead, and slight emargination on primary 6... Continue Reading
Architecture of Oakland–from a PITT student’s perspective
Although many Pitt students, myself included, are guiltyof visiting the O for it’s deliciously crafted cheese fries, many may not know that before there were... Continue Reading
Frick Environmental Center Encourages People to visit Neighborhood Parks
Mike Cornell and the staff at Frick Environmental Center want to get more people to utilize the parks in their Pittsburgh neighborhoods. Pittsburgh has over... Continue Reading
Geographic coverage of mammalian species is worldwide but…
Geographic coverage of mammalian species is worldwide but Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s collection’s strength is in North American material. The collections from Pennsylvania and... Continue Reading
Ask a Scientist: What is the fastest snail?
Assistant Curator and Malacologist Dr. Timothy Pearce weighs in on which snail or slug is the fastest of them all. The answer may surprise you!... Continue Reading
Flycatcher
Check out the yellow-orange mouth lining of this Flycatcher. Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian research center is part of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s biological research... Continue Reading
Think a 400 year old oak tree can be a superhero?
Think a 400 year old oak tree can be a superhero? When you’re not looking they are cleaning the air, re-routing storm water,…and breaking wind... Continue Reading
Swamp Sparrow
During migration, these sparrows seem to stick around a long time, with many individuals being recaptured on numerous occasions. Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian research center... Continue Reading
Song Sparrow
One of the most common sparrows at Powdermill, this bird can be found perched on low, dense vegetation singing its song. Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian... Continue Reading
Architecture of Oakland–from a PITT Student’s perspectiv
When I was a sophomore living on Craig Street, I would often pass St. Paul’s Cathedral and its perfectly landscaped surroundings. Every Sunday I would... Continue Reading
Ask a Scientist: What is inside the Alcohol House?
Curatorial Assistant Kaylin Martin gives us a brief tour of one of the museum’s fascinating hidden collections, the Alcohol House— home to more than 200,000... Continue Reading
Ask a Scientist
Ask a Scientist: What did the museum recently discover about Lion Attacking a Dromedary? Assistant Curator of Science and Research Dr. Erin Peters worked on... Continue Reading
Necklace Made of Sardonyx
This necklace made of sardonyx, a type of cryptocrystalline quartz, is on display in Wertz Gallery of Gems and Jewelry. Quartz has unlimited variations in... Continue Reading
American Redstart
This adult female has nearly all white, rather than the usual yellow, wing and tail patches. Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian research center is part of... Continue Reading
People are part of Nature
Pat McShea, an educator at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, recently gave an excellent TEDx talk in the Strip District of Pittsburgh. Listen to his... Continue Reading
We Are Nature: Thoughts and Feelings of Visitors
In Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s We Are Nature exhibit, we are asking visitors to share their immediate thoughts after walking through the installation. As... Continue Reading
Section of Minerals Collection Manager, Deb Wilson, attends…
Section of Minerals Collection Manager, Deb Wilson, attends the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show every year. This year Deb Wilson acquired a beautiful piece of... Continue Reading
Allie Frownfelter, Bottle Thread
In May 2017, Allie Frownfelter launched Bottle Thread, a sustainability company in Pittsburgh that designs and sells clothing made from recycled plastic. She loves Pittsburgh... Continue Reading
Pittsburghers Inspire a New Museum Blog Series
We recently launched a new exhibition at the museum entitled We Are Nature: Living in the Anthropocene. And just in case you haven’t heard of the... Continue Reading
Sharp shinned hawk
This sharp shinned hawk banded in August at Powdermill Nature Reserve, the museum’s environmental research center, was born just this summer. When it matures into... Continue Reading
Celebrating Carnegie History: Dr. Andrey Avinoff
Since Carnegie Museum of Natural History was founded in the late 1800s, it has been the home of an impressive group of alumni scientists who... Continue Reading
Ask a Scientist
Ask a Scientist: Can you tell us the story of Harvey the big rabbit? Our museum has a huge rabbit stored in the Section of... Continue Reading
Did you know that birds smaller than a robin can fly 214 miles…
Did you know that birds smaller than a robin can fly 214 miles in a single night? Or that a tiny warbler weighing less than a... Continue Reading
Renovating Age of Mammals: The Cenozoic Era
Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s exhibition team has been working on renovating parts of Age of Mammals: The Cenozoic Era which features fascinating fossils of some... Continue Reading
Did you know?
Did you know that Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Cenozoic Era: Age of Mammals exhibition contains more than 30 mounted real fossil skeletons that range... Continue Reading
Hatching-year female and Cape May Warbler male
At first glance, these two birds may seem unrelated, but they are actually male and female of the same type. Females can be tricky to... Continue Reading
Bird Banding
Did you know that over the last 55 years, Carnegie Museum of Natural History staff have banded nearly three quarters of a million birds at... Continue Reading
Architecture of Oakland–from a PITT student’s perspective
Apart from Heinz Memorial Chapel’s vibrant and famous red doors, there is another reason this building may be recognizable—The University of Pittsburgh’s Lantern Night. It... Continue Reading
In an age of humans, can the arts save the planet?
William Turner, Rain Steam and Speed – the Great Western Railway (1856) Article by Eric Dorfman, Director of Carnegie Museum of... Continue Reading
Designer Cell Phone Cover? Not quite.
Check out the intricate and beautiful patterns in this moss agate found in India. It may look like it would make a great case for... Continue Reading
Did you know?
Did you know that there are currently five extant species of monotremes, two of which we have in our collection. We have the duck-billed platypus... Continue Reading
Cape May Warbler
The common name of the species comes from Cape May, New Jersey, where Alexander Wilson first described it. After the initial recording, these birds were... Continue Reading
Collected on Valentine’s Day, 1996
Does this heart-shaped leaf look familiar? 22 years ago, this specimen of heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) was collected on Valentine’s Day in Peru. Almost certainly... Continue Reading
Did you know that the Section of Vertebrate Paleontology’s…
Did you know that the Section of Vertebrate Paleontology’s collection contains more than 460 type, or original, specimens? Type specimens are the specimens upon which... Continue Reading
Collected February 11 in 1903
In honor of the cool, new Tropical Forest Cuba opening up this past weekend at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, here’s a specimen collected in... Continue Reading
Ocean Jasper
Various specimens of ocean jasper are displayed in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s galleries including this necklace and sphere from Madagascar. The orbs and spheres... Continue Reading
Mollusks (snails, clams,octopus, etc.)
Mollusks (snails, clams, octopus, etc.) are the second largest phylum. It is second only to the arthropods, which includes the insects. There are more kinds... Continue Reading
All of the African mammals gathered around the watering hole…
All of the African mammals gathered around the watering hole in the Hall of African Wildlife were collected on an early research expedition let by... Continue Reading
Black-and-white Warbler
This is probably one of the easiest warblers to identify with it’s name being quite literal. Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian research center is part of... Continue Reading
Why Do Some Shrews Have Dark Red Teeth?
By John Wible Some shrews have white teeth, while others, including our local northern short-tailed shrew, Blarina brevicauda, have a mixture of dark red and... Continue Reading
In its early years, Carnegie Museum often purchased…
In its early years, Carnegie Museum often purchased birds from different areas of the world. One excellent collection came from Sir Walter Buller who built... Continue Reading
Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Section of Anthropology
Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Section of Anthropology has the finest collection of archaeological material from Costa Rica outside of that country. It is also... Continue Reading
The Woodchuck…or Groundhog?
By: Suzanne McLaren Woodchuck, groundhog, whistle pig- these picturesque and sometimes misleading names describe one of the state’s most common and familiar mammals. The exposure... Continue Reading
Elephants and Ivory
Elephants and Ivory: Coordinating Natural History Museum Action to Address Wildlife Crime Exquisite wildlife species like elephants, hunted and killed for ivory are endangered –... Continue Reading
Antarctic Peninsula Paleontology Project featured by NSF
Photo courtesy of AP3 team member Dr. Meng Jin, Curator-in-Charge of the Division of Paleontology at American Museum of Natural History... Continue Reading
Carnegie Museum of Natural History has an extremely…
Carnegie Museum of Natural History has an extremely valuable collection of birds from northern South America because W.E. Clyde Todd, curator of ornithology, had an... Continue Reading
Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems
Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems displays many of the world’s finest minerals and gems including a hemimorphite specimen from Missouri (our signature specimen).
Did you know?
Did you know that some specimens in the Section of Mollusks were collected more than 180 years ago? Our collection represents every continent and every... Continue Reading
Fedexia striegeli
In 2010, collections manager Amy Henrici, now-retired Vertebrate Paleontology curator Dave Berman, and other museum scientists described Fedexia striegeli, a new genus and species of... Continue Reading
The Dinosaur of a Lifetime
(Image credit: Carnegie Museum of Natural History / Andrew McAfee) By Matt Lamanna It might sound a little strange to say,... Continue Reading
Architecture of Oakland–from a PITT student’s perspective
One of my favorite details of the library is the inscription above the main entrance: “Free to the People.” It is such a simple statement,... Continue Reading
About 130,000 unique and rare fossils
About 130,000 unique and rare fossils from western Europe were purchased by Andrew Carnegie in 1903 from Baron de Bayet, executive secretary to King Leopold... Continue Reading
Dinosaurs in Their Time
Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s core exhibition, Dinosaurs in Their Time, features over 230 specimens, of which approximately 75% are original fossils.
Delegates at the 2017 ICOM NATHIST
Delegates at the 2017 ICOM NATHIST Conference dined together in the beautiful Carnegie Music Hall Foyer. After a full day of intellectually stimulating panel discussions... Continue Reading
After-hatching-year Mourning Warbler
Both of these male and female bird types pretend to have broken wings to distract predators close to their nest. Powdermill Nature Reserve’s avian research... Continue Reading
Spot the Pika?
Can you spot the pika hiding in the Hall of North American Wildlife? This small rodent is hard to find, but hiding amongst the beautifully... Continue Reading
What’s a Nurdle?
by Rachael Carlberg Example of nurdles Nurdle is a silly word for a product with not-so-silly effects. Nurdles are small pellets... Continue Reading
Nice Gift!
Wertz Gallery displays an amber necklace that was a state gift from Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Gromyko to former secretary of state Henry Kissinger.... Continue Reading
Endemic Birds of Cuba
Susan Kraft with specimens at Carnegie Museum of Natural History We will be highlighting a series of endemic birds from Cuba... Continue Reading
(Not So) Boring Clams
by Tim Pearce Some clams, in the families Teredinidae and Pholadidae, bore holes in wood or rock that is immersed in seawater. We humans often... Continue Reading
Notice any differences?
Notice any differences between these two sets of botany sheets? These specimens of spicebush and redbud from the museum’s herbarium were collected on the same... Continue Reading
Section of Vertebrate Paleontology
Did you know that the Section of Vertebrate Paleontology’s collection dates almost to the very founding of the museum in 1895? The first specimen in... Continue Reading
Changing Portrayals of Landscape
(The Great Bridge, Rouen (Le Grand Pont, Rouen), 1896, Camille Pissarro. Oil on canvas. Credit: Carnegie Museum of Art ) Albert... Continue Reading
Black and White Phantom Quartz
The Section of Minerals has specimens of both white and black phantom quartz crystals from Arkansas.
Tiger Beetle
An illustration of a tiger beetle from Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s collection.
Carboniferous Brachiopod Collections
John L. Carter, the retired curator of Invertebrate Paleontology, is world renown for his research on 350-million-year-old fossil brachiopods. Carter named more than 130 new species... Continue Reading
Gold Rush
Did you know that the Section of Minerals has a vial of panned stream concentrate containing specks of gold that is purported to be the... Continue Reading
Andrey Avinoff Paintings
Did you know that we have specimens that were used by Andrey Avinoff for his paintings in the publication Wild Flowers of Western Pennsylvania and... Continue Reading
Section of Mollusks Tours
Did you know that the Section of Mollusks Assistant Curator Tim Pearce has been conducting monthly behind-the-scenes tours for the public since 2007? On these... Continue Reading
Did you know that in addition to needing a larger museum…
Did you know that in addition to needing a larger museum building to house our Diplodocus, Dippy, the 1907 expansion was required because Andrew Carnegie... Continue Reading
Humans and Nature: The Pizzly
When you think of climate change, the image that might come to mind is a distressed polar bear perched on a tiny piece of ice... Continue Reading
Think the papers in the back of your file cabinet are old?
Carnegie Museum of Natural History has pressed and preserved plant specimens on paper that were collected way back in 1754! The specimen above is one... Continue Reading
Architecture of Oakland
Architecture of Oakland–from a PITT Student’s perspective The University Club, like many other buildings in the area, was designed by architect Henry Hornbostel and features... Continue Reading
We may be known for our dinosaurs but…
We may be known for our dinosaurs but Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh’s collection actually began with Egypt. Purchased by Andrew Carnegie, the first object accessioned... Continue Reading
Frogsicles?!
Rana sylvatica (also formally known as Lithobates sylvaticus) freeze 2/3 of their bodies in the winter during hibernation! They stop breathing and their hearts stop... Continue Reading
This rainbow of birds shows a variety of local species
This rainbow of birds shows a variety of local species found right here in Pittsburgh! All of the birds in the case died from hitting... Continue Reading
Avocad-oh-no
Avocad-oh-no In the last couple years, avocados have been hailed as a “superfood” that is delicious with pretty much everything. However, as the demand increased,... Continue Reading
According to the International Union for Conservation of…
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list, the Siberian (Amur) tiger population dropped to as low as 20-30 individual tigers in... Continue Reading
Ask a Scientist: What is one of the more unique…
Ask a Scientist: What is one of the more unique mammals of western Pennsylvania? Collections Manager Suzanne McClaren weighs in on what is so unique... Continue Reading
Ask a Scientist: Why are slugs so slimy?
Ask a Scientist: Why are slugs so slimy? Assistant Curator and Malacologist Dr. Timothy Pearce explains why slugs are slimy and talks about the incredible... Continue Reading
Humans and Nature: River Otters
Usually, we hear about how human activity negatively impacts wildlife populations, but the inverse can also be true when conservationists make a concerted effort. One... Continue Reading
Did you know that coral is expected to be the first casualty?
Did you know that coral is expected to be the first casualty of the age of humanity (also known as the Anthropocene)? In the last... Continue Reading
You can probably guess where this “grape” agate gets its name….
You can probably guess where this “grape” agate gets its name. It is now on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. (Photo by Debra Wilson)
Collected on Christmas Eve 1883
Specimens don’t get much more festive than this! This mistletoe specimen (Viscum album) was purchased at a Pittsburgh market on Christmas Eve 1883 by John... Continue Reading
Dirty Birds
Comparison of two Field Sparrows (S. pusilla pusilla), one from 1906 and one from 1996. (Credit: Carl C. Fuldner & Shane... Continue Reading
Write a Letter to Santa at the Museum!
Sven the reindeer in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Discovery Basecamp has been dutifully taking letters to Santa again this holiday season. Most children have... Continue Reading
Collected in December 1928
Are you decking your halls with boughs of holly? This specimen of American holly (Ilex opaca) was collected by M.L. Bomhard in Mandeville, Louisiana by... Continue Reading
Conservation Costume
by Pat McShea A ghostly looking outfit in the exhibition We Are Nature: Living in the Anthropocene is a symbol of hope. The costume is... Continue Reading
We Are Nature: Repurposing Old Furniture
By Jaron Keener The design philosophy for We Are Nature: Living in the Anthropocene was grounded in reuse and being mindful of our environmental impact.... Continue Reading
Exploring the Sixth Extinction through Immersive Theater
Maureen Rolla, Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh’s Director of Strategic Initiatives, wrote the featured guest blog today on the Center for the Future of Museums blog,... Continue Reading
Humans and Nature: Pangolins
Have you ever heard of the pangolin? If not, it may surprise you to learn that they are the most illegally trafficked animal on the... Continue Reading
Ask a Scientist
Ask a Scientist: How do you store specimens that are too big to fit in jars? Curatorial Assistant Kaylin Martin tells the story of how... Continue Reading
Hey, which one of you just called me bald?
Hey, which one of you just called me bald? This bald eagle mount can be seen in the Hall of North American Wildlife. The species... Continue Reading
Architecture of Oakland–from a PITT student’s perspective
One of the most distinguishable features of Hamerschlag Hall is the rotunda, which also ingeniously served as a smokestack. The creation of this unique design... Continue Reading
Have you tried Dippy Dino Rocks yet?
Have you tried Dippy Dino Rocks yet? It is a new flavor of ice cream inspired by our most famous dinosaur Diplodocus carnegii, and it’s... Continue Reading
Afraid you missed our most recent Scientists Live?
Afraid you missed our most recent Scientists Live with Mason Heberling in the Herbarium? You can tune in anytime here or on Carnegie Museum of... Continue Reading
Shopping cart symbol
by Patrick McShea The shell-encrusted shopping cart in We Are Nature would get lots of visitor attention even if it weren’t suspended from the ceiling.... Continue Reading
As night fell on the hallowed halls of Carnegie Museum of…
As night fell on the hallowed halls of Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the stage was set for a night of ghosts, ghouls, and Halloween... Continue Reading
Giant Pumpkin Seed Harvest
By Bonnie Isaac There was a giant pumpkin on display in the courtyard at the museum as part of We Are Nature: Living in the... Continue Reading
One Step Closer to Jurassic Park?
Amber is fossilized tree resin, hardened over time into a natural plastic. Many people know of amber from the film Jurassic Park, in which scientists... Continue Reading
Ask a Scientist: What is still unknown…
Ask a Scientist: What is still unknown about “The Chicken from Hell?” Paleontologist Dr. Matt Lamanna helped discover the bird-like dinosaur Anzu wyliei, but he... Continue Reading
The Naming of the Shrew
By John Wible When most people in New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, and the Upper Midwest find this small, brown, tubular mammal in leaf litter... Continue Reading
How Scallop Eyes Relate to Human Uniqueness
by Timothy A. Pearce We humans like to think we are special among all creatures. To support that notion, we claim unique traits such as... Continue Reading
Vertebrate Fossils from Bears Ears National Monument, Utah
Valley of the Gods area of Bears Ears National Monument. By Amy Henrici, Collection Manager of Vertebrate Paleontology You may have... Continue Reading
Ask a Scientist: What is “The Chicken from Hell?”
Paleontologist Dr. Matt Lamanna shows off fossils and discusses the amazing features of Anzu wyliei, a fierce and feathered prehistoric dinosaur. Dr. Lamanna worked on... Continue Reading
Indiana, Pennsylvania: Christmas Tree Capital of the World
Did you know that Pennsylvania is one of the top states for Christmas tree farms? In fact, southwestern Pennsylvania’s very own Indiana County is known... Continue Reading
Ask a Scientist
Ask a Scientist: What does the bird on this limestone fragment symbolize? Assistant Curator of Science and Research Dr. Erin Peters talks about “Egyptian blue”... Continue Reading
Did you know?
Did you know that the Section of Minerals has the most nearly complete and comprehensive collection of Pennsylvania minerals in the world?
Scientists Live – Bats of Pennsylvania!
On Scientists Live, Mammals Collection Manager Suzanne McLaren discusses the bats of Pennsylvania. Sue did a 20-minute broadcast on September 20 on Facebook Live to... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1928
Are you decking your halls with boughs of holly? This specimen of American holly (Ilex opaca) was collected by M.L. Bomhard in Mandeville, Louisiana on... Continue Reading
Three New Crayfish Species
Newly described species Cambarus guenteri Using genetic testing, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Assistant Curator Jim Fetzner (Section of Invertebrate Zoology)... Continue Reading
Scientists Live: Suzanne McLaren – Squirrels
On the most recent Scientists Live, Mammals Collection Manager Suzanne McLaren discussed the squirrels of Pennsylvania. Sue did a 20-minute broadcast on November 8 on... Continue Reading
Richard Pell, founder and curator of the Center for PostNatural History
Richard Pell, founder and curator of the Center for PostNatural History, brought a new perspective to the 2017 ICOM NATHIST Conference with his keynote presentation... Continue Reading
In a historic building at our museum
In a historic building at our museum, we have 1,223 species of amphibians and 2,467 species of reptiles in the collection. This building is called... Continue Reading
The Passenger Pigeon
Memories of an extinct species sometimes serve as a tragic reminders of ongoing human-driven damage to nature. Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s exhibition We Are... Continue Reading
A Couple of Rock Stars
Above: Deb (left) and Marc (right) Wilson celebrate award for best museum exhibit at the 2017 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show.... Continue Reading
Artist’s interpretation of a new phenomenon
This is an artist’s interpretation of a new phenomenon in the rock record: a plastiglomerate. Made of a combination of plastics, shell, and rock, this... Continue Reading
Did you know?
Did you know that water temperature determines the sex of a sea turtle? Warmer waters produce female sea turtles while cooler waters produce males, meaning... Continue Reading
The Economics of Climate Change
by Barbara Klein Scientists agree that the list of species in danger of extinction due to climate change is long. Very long. But according to... Continue Reading
We Are Nature: Native Plants
Trillium, a native plant, photographed at Powdermill Nature Reserve As spring inches closer and closer, there is no better time to... Continue Reading
Rethinking the Dodo
by Barbara Klein History—not to mention humanity—has not been kind to the dodo bird. As the story goes, the demise of this flightless, clueless, graceless... Continue Reading
We Are Nature: Rethink Recycling
It is not easy being green, but Allegheny County is here to help. We generally think of recyclables as plastic, glass, and paper that we... Continue Reading
Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, and Yams: What’s the Difference?
Above: Yam specimen What you know as yams are most likely not actually yams. In fact, your “classic” potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams are all in different... Continue Reading
Collection Manager Wins Geological Society Award
In August, Collection Manager Albert Kollar (Section of Invertebrate Paleontology) was notified by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists–one of the world’s largest geological professional... Continue Reading
Blessing of a Totem Pole
The ICOM NATHIST Conference opened on Wednesday, October 25 with the blessing of a totem pole carved by The House of Tears carvers of the... Continue Reading
Eacles imperialis
by Vanessa Verdecia A culture of imperial moth caterpillars (Eacles imperialis) was reared on oak leaves this summer in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Section... Continue Reading
We Are Nature: Basic Bike Repair
Unlike traditional cars, bicycles give off exactly zero greenhouse gasses during use. But how many people actually know how to repair one when something goes... Continue Reading
Skeleton Preservation
by Stephen Rogers For many years beginning in the early 1980s, collection managers in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Section of Birds began keeping a... Continue Reading
The botany sheet above is a syntype of Viola appalachiensis
The botany sheet above is a syntype of Viola appalachiensis, a Pennsylvania violet that was described by former Curator LeRoy K. Henry. This year, Botanists... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1949
Collected on November 17, 1949, this specimen was found by Bayard Long in Delaware. Native to east Asia, Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) was introduced by... Continue Reading
Ask a Scientist: Cat Mummy
Ask a Scientist: Why does Carnegie Museum have a cat mummy? Assistant Curator of Science and Research Dr. Erin Peters gives us the scoop on... Continue Reading
We had a great turn out for our museum Pub Talk
We had a great turn out for our museum Pub Talk at Dave and Busters in October hosted! Paleontologists Dr. Matt Lamanna and Dr. Abby... Continue Reading
Remember the Poppy Scene in Wizard of Oz?
(photo by Debra Wilson) Remember the Poppy Scene in Wizard of Oz? These poppies are not going to put anyone to... Continue Reading
We Are Nature: Vertical Farming
What do cities do when they run out of space? They grow higher. Now, gardens are doing the same thing. Rising in urban areas is... Continue Reading
Hey, Volcano, What’re You Cooking Up?
Hey, Volcano, What’re You Cooking Up? Quartz var fire agates were formed during a period of volcanism when hot water, saturated with silica and iron... Continue Reading
Woman and child: steatite
Woman and child made of steatite on display in Wyckoff Hall: Polar World (Photo by Hayley Pontia)
Ask a Scientist: What was the first object in the Carnegie collection?
Assistant Curator of Science and Research Dr. Erin Peters discusses the museum’s very first item, which is currently on display in Walton Hall of Ancient... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1926
Despite being over 90 years old, this specimen still has beautiful color! This red maple specimen was collected on October 23, 1926 by Otto Jennings... Continue Reading
We Are Nature: Beginning Your Own Compost
Did you know that a four-person American family wastes about $1,600 worth of food annually according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency? Want to save... Continue Reading
T. rex
Our T. rex specimens have captured the imagination of children and adults for decades at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Found in our archives, this... Continue Reading
Dippy Across the Globe
Did you know that replicas of the skeleton of Diplodocus carnegii—most of them presented by Andrew Carnegie himself during the early 20th century—stand in major... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1933
This specimen isn’t your typical herbarium specimen of Sassafras (Sassafras albidum). On November 4, 1933, this piece of sassafras wood was collected by Otto Jennings at Linn Run/Rock... Continue Reading
Section of Birds
Our Section of Birds holds approximately the eighth largest collection of birds in North America.
Sasquatch Squash
On Sunday, October 15, gallery technicians installed a giant squash in the museum’s Sculpture Courtyard. Dave and Carol Stelts grew the pumpkin that is nearly... Continue Reading
Remember pheasants?
by Patrick McShea Remember pheasants? Who could forget a long-tailed, chicken-sized bird with a green head and bright copper body? It wasn’t even necessary to... Continue Reading
Kwel’ Hoy: We Draw the Line!
Carnegie Museum of Natural History will host a traveling exhibition and a public event about a totem pole that is traveling across the country to... Continue Reading
Witch Hazel
Collected on a spooky Halloween night in 1931 (well, it might have been during the day, but let’s just say night), this specimen was found... Continue Reading
17th Century Diamond Necklace
This diamond necklace on display in Wertz Hall was made in the 17th century.
Section of Birds
We have representatives of roughly 6,200 species of birds in our museum’s Section of Birds. Counting subspecies, we have over 13,000 different bird subspecies.
Dippy Inspires New Ice Cream Flavor
What would an ice cream inspired by a dinosaur taste like? A local ice cream parlor asked that exact question this summer to develop Dippy... Continue Reading
Leptophis ahaetulla
This Leptophis ahaetulla snake specimen was collected in Belize and is preserved in our Alcohol House, which is home to reptiles and amphibians from around... Continue Reading
Have you noticed this diorama is looking brighter?
Have you noticed that this Benedum Hall of Geology diorama is looking a little brighter and more colorful? That is because conservationists recently cleaned and... Continue Reading
Alcohol House Jars
These jars in in our historic Alcohol House contain the contents of the stomachs of snakes that were collected for scientific study. The Alcohol House... Continue Reading
Dryosaurus altus
Dryosaurus altus was a Jurassic plant eater that could be found in the forests and fern prairies of North America 150 million years ago. As... Continue Reading
Face to face with a polar bear
Come face to face with a polar bear in Polar World: Wyckoff Hall of Arctic Life at Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Fruit Chafer
Meet the fruit chafer, a prime example of adaptation and speciation. These beetles have evolved from the same basic body plan into an array of... Continue Reading
Pomo Presentation Basket
This feather presentation basket was made by the Pomo people of central California almost 100 years ago. The amount of work that went into making... Continue Reading
Peafowl Feathers
This is a close up view of peafowl feathers. Although most people refer to this bird as a peacock, technically only males are called peacocks... Continue Reading
Sasquatch Squash
On Sunday, October 15 staff installed a giant squash in the museum’s Sculpture Courtyard. Dave and Carol Stelts grew the pumpkin that is nearly 2,000 pounds. This... Continue Reading
Jar from the Alcohol House
This jar in our Alcohol House dates back to the 1890s, when the museum was first founded by steel tycoon and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The... Continue Reading
Child Mummy
Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt is home to the mummy of a child who lived sometime during 380–250 B.C. Although the cause of death is... Continue Reading
Welcome to the Anthropocene!
Welcome to the Anthropocene! You’ve been here all along, but maybe you didn’t know it. The Anthropocene is the current geological era in which humans... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1997
Kudzu is one of the more well-known weeds, at least by name, sometimes known as “the vine that ate the South.” Collected on October 13,... Continue Reading
Sasquatch Squash
Have you ever seen a pumpkin as big as a small car growing in a nearby field? Probably not, as pumpkins are naturally pretty modest-sized... Continue Reading
“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore”
“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” This scene represents a moment in time 83 million years ago, in what is now the... Continue Reading
Rutile Epi Hematite
Found in Brazil, this rutile epi hematite specimen is part of the oxide mineral class.
Upper Jurassic Frog Fossil
This small fossil found in Dinosaurs in Their Time is the most complete frog fossil known from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation. It was named... Continue Reading
Solnhofen Fossils
These fossils were found in a quarry in Solnhofen, Germany, which was once a series of shallow, tropical lagoons. The environmental conditions at Solnhofen resulted... Continue Reading
The Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
The honey bee (Apis mellifera) has been domesticated by humans since ancient times. Drone bees have composite eyes that consist of about 14,000 individual eyes,... Continue Reading
Intercontinental Produce
Thanks to modern farming practices and intercontinental trade, most produce can be found anywhere in the world. Can you spot some of your favorites from... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1896
Collected on this Day in 1896 Collected on October 6, 1896 (the same year Carnegie Museum was founded), this specimen was found by early museum... Continue Reading
Neptunite on Natrolite from California
Neptunite on natrolite from California
8½-year-Old Black-capped Chickadee at Powdermill
Residents of western Pennsylvania are familiar with the small and spunky black-capped chickadees that often visit their birdfeeders. These fearless birds are also frequent visitors... Continue Reading
Tyrannosaurus rex
Tyrannosaurus rex was one of the largest predators to ever walk the Earth. Growing up to 46 feet in length and standing 13 feet high... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1900
North America used to have over 150 species in the genus Aster. But now only one species remains. That isn’t because they went extinct, but instead, they were... Continue Reading
Camarasaurus
Photo Credit: Joshua Franzos for Carnegie Museum of Natural History A large, herbivorous quadruped, Camarasaurus was among the most common of... Continue Reading
Camptosaurus aphanoecetes
Photo Credit: Joshua Franzos for Carnegie Museum of Natural History Camptosaurus aphanoecetes, which means “flexible lizard hiding in plain sight,” was... Continue Reading
Anzu wyliei
Perhaps better known by its colorful nickname, the “Chicken from Hell,” Anzu wyliei is a bird-like oviraptorosaurian dinosaur. More specifically, it is a member of... Continue Reading
Hummingbird Bands
At Powdermilll Nature Reserve, researchers use different sized bands for different sized birds, which helps them track the movement and lifespan of populations. The band... Continue Reading
1,400 Miles in Three Weeks
We received word this spring from the National Banding Lab that a young male ruby-throated hummingbird banded at Powdermill Nature Reserve on September 18, 2014... Continue Reading
Manufactured in ancient Egypt
Although manufactured in ancient Egypt, these “pilgrim flasks” had a shape imitating known Mycenaean and Syro-Palestinian forms. The small size and high polish indicate that... Continue Reading
Eastern Bluebird
This pretty little eastern bluebird was banded this year at Powdermill Nature Reserve’s bird banding lab in Rector, Pa. Although they are common winter residents... Continue Reading
Stegosaurus armatus
Photo Credit: Joshua Franzos for Carnegie Museum of Natural History Stegosaurus armatus is one of the most recognizable dinosaurs of all.... Continue Reading
Carnegie History: T. Rex Mural
Do you remember when this mural towered over Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Dinosaur Hall? It brought one of our fiercest specimens to life when... Continue Reading
Dryosaurus altus
Photo Credit: Image by Josh Franzos Unlike many herbivores of its time, Dryosaurus altus was not very large. Standing four feet... Continue Reading
The elf owl
The elf owl, found from the southwestern United States to central Mexico, is the world’s smallest owl. Examine this taxidermy specimen up close, and see... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 2007
Not all plants in our area photosynthesize! Collected on September 29, 2007, this specimen was collected by Loree Speedy in dry woods in Burrell Township,... Continue Reading
Protoceratops andrewsi
Photo Credit: Image by Josh Franzos for Carnegie Museum of Natural History Protoceratops andrewsi is a fairly small and primitive ceratopsian,... Continue Reading
Vertebrate Paleontology
Did you know that Section of Vertebrate Paleontology curator Matt Lamanna has discovered dinosaur fossils on all seven continents, including Antarctica? Dr. Lamanna leads the... Continue Reading
Celebrated fossil quarry
The celebrated fossil quarry at what is now recognized as Dinosaur National Monument in Utah was discovered in 1909 by Carnegie Museum field collector Earl... Continue Reading
Lawrence’s Warbler
Lawrence’s Warbler This bright yellow bird is a rare hybrid that was banded at Powdermill Nature Reserve, the museum’s environmental research center, in spring 2017.... Continue Reading
What’s This?
What’s This: a spoon, a tongue depressor or a sled shoe? Sled shoes were made of bone or ivory and pegged to the bottom of... Continue Reading
Arctic animals
Arctic animals, such as the caribou, exhibit dramatic seasonal color changes in fur that help them blend with their natural surroundings. In this diorama, the... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1946
It is that time of year when old fields across western Pennsylvania are painted yellow. Collected on September 15, 1946, this specimen was found in... Continue Reading
Lean into It
Plum-headed parrots, native to India, have heavy bills powered by strong muscles which allows the birds to shell and crush hard fruits and seeds. This... Continue Reading
Super Science Saturday: Whiskers and Woofs!
What happened at this fun Saturday event? Scavenger hunts, learning cool facts about prehistoric cats and colossal canines, crafting toys and treats for animals at... Continue Reading
Age of Mammals: The Cenozoic Era Opens
Friends of Carnegie Museum of Natural History celebrated the reopening of a popular exhibition hall this weekend and honored Joe and Kathy Guyaux, whose generous... Continue Reading
Thanks to western Pennsylvania’s wet summer
Thanks to western Pennsylvania’s wet summer, you can easily find all sorts of beautiful mushrooms during a quick walk through the woods. Staff at Powdermill... Continue Reading
Did you know?
Did you know that most of the insects on Earth have yet to be discovered? Carnegie Museum of Natural History curator John Rawlins is particularly... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1991
Collected on September 8, 1991, this specimen was found near Tarentum, Pennsylvania by Walt Zanol. If you had to pick the most aggressive, invasive plant... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 2005
Collected on September 1, 2005, this specimen was found in a floodplain forest near the Monongahela River in New Eagle, PA (Washington County). Ironweed (which... Continue Reading
Herons and Henry David Thoreau
by Patrick McShea Two hundred years after the birth of naturalist Henry David Thoreau, his writing continues to challenge us to be better observers of... Continue Reading
Giant leopard moths
Giant leopard moths can secrete a yellow liquid from their thorax that works as a chemical defense against predators. This one, spotted at Powdermill Nature... Continue Reading
Can you dig it?
Can you dig it? The exhibition hall, Age of Mammals: The Cenozoic Era, has a new look that includes this fun logo for Bonehunters’ Quarry.... Continue Reading
Mammals that existed millions of years ago
Learn all about the mammals that existed millions of years ago in the newly renovated exhibition hall, Age of Mammals: The Cenozoic Era.
Blue-tongued skink!
It is easy to guess where the blue-tongued skink gets its name! This skink is part of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s living collection and... Continue Reading
Summer of science and discovery
It has been a great summer of science and discovery at Carnegie Museum of Natural History Summer Camps. In camps from Weird Science to Apocalypse... Continue Reading
Black rhinoceros
Scattered in small populations throughout the African thornbush, the once-plentiful browsers, the black rhinoceros, may be on the brink of extinction. See a life-sized reproduction... Continue Reading
Section of Amphibians and Reptiles
The Section of Amphibians and Reptiles at Carnegie Museum of Natural History holds approximately the 10th largest collection of amphibians and reptiles in North America... Continue Reading
European Roller
The bright blue European Roller (Coracias garrulus) breeds in southern and eastern Europe through to Siberia and winters in Africa. These specimens from Carnegie Museum... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1998
Collected on August 26, 1998, this specimen was found along a gravel road not far from Settlers Cabin County Park. Ragweed is a plant that... Continue Reading
Specimen Preservation
Taxidermy mount Study skins When you stroll down Bird Hall at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, most... Continue Reading
Some Breeding Birds Adjust to Local Climate Warming
Birding magazine recently featured the research of Luke DeGroote, the avian research coordinator at Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental research center Powdermill Nature Reserve.... Continue Reading
Snakes large and small!
Python Cornsnake Kenyan sand boa Carnegie Museum of Natural History is home to... Continue Reading
The Atlantic walrus
The Atlantic walrus is ideally adapted to feed on shellfish that abound in frigid northern seas with the help of its 400 coarse whiskers, used... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1901
Collected on August 8, 1901, this American chestnut (Castanea dentata) specimen was found near Blairsville, Pennsylvania by John Shafer. The American chestnut was once a... Continue Reading
The Uraeus, a cobra, was a symbol
The Uraeus, a cobra, was a symbol intended to protect royalty in ancient Egypt. This painted limestone was from the Early Dynasty XVIII, reign of... Continue Reading
Burning Ivory
Dr. Eric Dorfman, the Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin Director of Carnegie Museum of Natural History, recently wrote about the complicated practice of burning... Continue Reading
Rocky mountain elk
Two rocky mountain elk battle for dominance of a herd of cows depicted in this scene set on the edge of Hayden Valley in Yellowstone... Continue Reading
Screech Owl Collection
Study skins Taxidermy mount These Eastern Screech Owls (Megascops asio) are preserved in a variety of different... Continue Reading
Surprisingly Poisonous
Hooded pitohui (photo from Wikimedia Commons) Blogger Kate St. John from Outside My Window recently visited our summer blockbuster exhibition The... Continue Reading
83rd Meeting of the American Malacological Society
Participants of Mollusks in Peril 2017 session at the 83rd Meeting of the American Malacological Society. Top row, from left: Rüdiger... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1941
Collected on August 18, 1941, this specimen was found just outside of Philipsburg, Pennsylvania by Leroy Henry. Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a European plant... Continue Reading
On the Importance of Outreach
Abagael West, the Rea Postdoctoral Fellow at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, spent a Saturday afternoon interacting with museum visitors last month as part of our... Continue Reading
This prickly little guy is actually rather friendly!
This prickly little guy is actually rather friendly! The museum is home to two hedgehogs that you can sometimes meet in our daily Live Animal... Continue Reading
Researchers and scientists at work
Did you know researchers and scientists are at work in the museum every day? Visitors got an inside look at the behind-the-scenes science of our... Continue Reading
Witches and wizards from all over Pittsburgh
Witches and wizards from all over Pittsburgh descended on Carnegie Museum of Natural History on July 21 for a 21+ evening of Harry Potter-themed fun... Continue Reading
Behind the scenes
Behind the scenes in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Alcohol House with Curatorial Assistant Kaylin Martin(Courtesy Kathy Hair)
Collected on this Day in 1952
Collected on this Day in 1952 Collected on July 28, 1952, this specimen was found near Nicktown, Cambria County by Hiliary Kline. Chicory (Cichorium intybus)... Continue Reading
Our spinosaurus puppet, Spiny
Our spinosaurus puppet, Spiny, has been out and about this summer at different events and festivals. Want to meet Spiny? Check out these upcoming public... Continue Reading
University of Pittsburgh’s Consuming Nature
Last month, the staff at Carnegie Museum of Natural History hosted students and faculty from the University of Pittsburgh’s Consuming Nature group. We gave them... Continue Reading
Mr. Yuk
On May 31, Carnegie Museum of Natural History held a special VIP event to honor the achievements of museum board member Dr. Richard Moriarty, creator... Continue Reading
Summer Camps are underway
Summer Camps are underway this summer at Carnegie Museum of Natural History! Campers ages 4–13 spent the past few weeks exploring the historic halls of... Continue Reading
Exploring Intergalactic Natural History
What can the science of natural history teach us about the Star Wars universe? In a new week-long summer day camp at Carnegie Museum of... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1904
Collected on July 21, 1904, this specimen was found by Otto Jennings (a former curator of botany at Carnegie Museum of Natural History) in Cameron... Continue Reading
Alligators at the Museum
Did you know there are two alligators at Carnegie Museum of Natural History? No. Not those ones. (They are actually crocodiles native to Africa and... Continue Reading
Check out our new selfie station featuring Dippy
Check out our new selfie station featuring Dippy and all of his scarves! The set-up is located in Discovery Basecamp at Carnegie Museum of Natural... Continue Reading
Pittsburgh’s “Mr. Yuk”
You know that bright green frown. It may have been on household cleaning products under the sink or on stickers passed out at school—the infamous... Continue Reading
Poisons of the Carnegie: Poison Dart Frogs
by Kaylin Martin Rather than blending in to their environment to hide from predators, poison dart frogs exhibit bright colorations to alert others of their... Continue Reading
Handwritten notes and sketches
Handwritten notes and sketches penned by a former curator are kept in the museum’s hidden Invertebrate Zoology collection.
Scorpion Bombs
Can you imagine having a jar full of scorpions dropped on you? Scholars suspect that a small desert kingdom used ceramic bombs filled with venomous... Continue Reading
Sun Conures
This brightly colored bird is one of two sun conures in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s living collection. Known for their vivid colors, these small... Continue Reading
Dippy Dino Rocks
Dippy, our museum’s most famous dinosaur, has inspired young paleontologists for years, and his statue on Forbes Avenue inspires selfies outside of the museum every... Continue Reading
Turtle Bottoms
Spotted turtles by Patrick McShea Upside down is an unnatural state. Yet within the museum’s display of Pennsylvania turtles, four... Continue Reading
New Mineral Specimens
Collection managers Marc and Deb Wilson from the Section of Minerals recently attended the Geofair Show in Cincinnati, where they displayed an exhibit on the... Continue Reading
What is in a Tail?
Macropus rufus By John Wible Those with pet dogs or cats at home are familiar with what a mammal’s tail... Continue Reading
keel-billed toucan
The keel-billed toucan is the national bird of Belize. This taxidermy mount is on display in Bird Hall. (photo by Hayley Pontia)
Powdermill Antennae Helps Track Migration
by Scott Pruden Ever wonder where birds and butterflies go on those long, seasonal migratory journeys? So do scientists, and the installation of several... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 2001
Collected on this Day in 2001 Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is considered a significant public human health concern. This non-woody plant can be 8–20 feet... Continue Reading
A New Giant Discovered in Peru
by Molly Carter It is big, green, and was recently seen by people for the first time ever. The newly discovered Peruvian Viridigigas ciseskii is... Continue Reading
Ivory cup found in Norton Sound, Alaska
Ivory cup found in Norton Sound, Alaska on display in Polar World: Wyckoff Hall of Arctic Life (photo by Hayley Pontia)
The great green macaw
The great green macaw, an inhabitant of tropical rainforests, is dependent upon certain species of old-growth trees for food and nest sites. Unfortunately, neotropical rainforests... Continue Reading
woodland kingfisher
The woodland kingfisher perches and swoops like its aquatic relatives, but it mostly targets insects and other terrestrial prey instead of fish. This taxidermy mount... Continue Reading
Adult male rusty blackbird
This adult male rusty blackbird was banded March 29, 2017 at Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental research center.
Poisons of the Carnegie: Timber Rattlesnake
by Patrick McShea Where timber rattlesnakes are concerned, the scientific collections at Carnegie Museum of Natural History have more specimens than any other museum in... Continue Reading
Art depicting a man/bear
This piece of art, which depicts a man/bear, is made from a whale vertebra. It is on display in Polar World: Wyckoff Hall of Arctic... Continue Reading
Scientists Live: Botanist Bonnie Isaac
Carnegie Museum of Natural History botanist Bonnie Isaac showed off pieces of the museum’s hidden collection and answered questions on Facebook Live on February 15.... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1959
Collected on June 9, 1959, this specimen was found in the woods in Somerset County by Leroy Henry, a past curator of botany at the... Continue Reading
Sinodelphys szalayi
Sinodelphys szalayi is the earliest known relative of modern marsupials like kangaroos, wallabies, and opossums. Sinodelphys shows that although most modern marsupials live in Australia... Continue Reading
Poisons of the Carnegie: White Snakeroot
by Mason Heberling Nancy Hanks Lincoln (mother of Abraham Lincoln) died on October 5, 1818 from “milk sickness.” Milk sickness is caused by drinking milk... Continue Reading
Poisons of the Carnegie: Io Moth
Female Io moth Male Io moth by Vanessa Verdecia The Io moth (Automeris io) is... Continue Reading
three species of milkweed
Specimens from these three species of milkweed can be found in the museum’s historic herbarium. Milkweed produces poisonous compounds that some insects like monarch butterflies... Continue Reading
Graptemysgibbonsi
Graptemys gibbonsi, a holotype specimen in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s fluid-preserved collection known as the Alcohol House (Photo by Paul S. Freed)
Tucson Gem and Mineral Show
Carnegie Museum of Natural History Curator of Collections Marc Wilson looking for specimens Curator of Collections Marc Wilson and Collections... Continue Reading
Bet you have never found a seashell quite this big!
This giant clam is part of the Section of Mollusks’ hidden collection. You can get a special behind-the-scenes tour of the section most second Saturdays... Continue Reading
Poisons of the Carnegie: Wheel Bug
by Vanessa Verdecia The wheel bug (Arilus cristatus) is common in the United States and can be found here in Pennsylvania during the summer. It is... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1993
Collected on June 23, 1993, this specimen was found by Fred Utech near the Loyalhanna Creek in Salem Township, Pennsylvania. Do not let the common... Continue Reading
Mammals from the museum’s hidden collection
What do all of these scaly mammals from the museum’s hidden collection have in common? They don’t have teeth! (Well… all except that tiger skull in... Continue Reading
Poisons of the Carnegie: Hemlock
by Mason Heberling Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) was used to kill the Greek philosopher Socrates in 399 BC. All parts of the plant are highly... Continue Reading
Poisons of the Carnegie: Milkweed and Monarchs
This summer’s exciting blockbuster exhibition, The Power of Poison, has inspired museum staff to share fascinating pieces of our collection that are toxic, poisonous, or venomous.... Continue Reading
Flying squirrel specimens (Idiurus macrotis)
These flying squirrel specimens (Idiurus macrotis) are preserved in the Section of Mammals at Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Collected on this Day in 1925
Collected on June 16, 1925, this specimen was found near Potter County, Pennsylvania by H.W. Graham. Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is a species with which... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1923
Collected in late May, 1923, this specimen was found by E.H. McClelland at Idlewild Park, near Ligonier, Pennsylvania. This herbarium sheet actually contains two different... Continue Reading
Alaskan black bears
Although these Alaskan black bears are the same species as the black bears found in Pennsylvania, their fur can show a lot more variation—from coal... Continue Reading
Mammals found in Pennsylvania
This display shows mammals found in Pennsylvania. How many have you seen in your backyard?
Collected today in 1952 & 2002
Both of these specimens were collected on May 17 in Pittsburgh’s Highland Park—but 50 years apart. John Bright collected the specimen on top in 1952.... Continue Reading
Ostriches
Ostriches, like this one on display in the Hall of African Wildlife, are the largest living birds.
Mollusks on display
A common violet sea snail, a limpet, and a royal murex in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Section of Mollusks.
Collected at Kennywood Park
This Trillium erectum specimen was collected at Kennywood in May 1903. Found in forest understories in our region, Trillium erectum has several common names—red trillium... Continue Reading
Barbary Lions
Museum records identify the lions in our famous Lion Attacking a Dromedary diorama as members of the Barbary lion subspecies. Now extinct in the wild, these lions... Continue Reading
The jackal or jackal-headed deity, Anubis
The jackal or jackal-headed deity, Anubis, was Lord of the Necropolis and supervisor of embalming. In a tomb, his statuette served the deceased as a... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 2006
Collected on May 19, 2006, this specimen was found by Loree Speedy in a stream valley near the Mill Run Reservoir in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.... Continue Reading
Identical Quadruplets Every Time
by John Wible Armadillos are placental mammals that first appeared in the fossil record in South America 60 million years ago. Today, there are 21... Continue Reading
Arrow points made in eastern Sweden and Finland
Arrow points made in eastern Sweden and Finland around 2000 B.C.
Moss agate found in Colorado
Moss agate found in Colorado on display in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems
Happy Mother’s Day
Collected in 1908 (the first year Mother’s Day was celebrated!), this specimen was grown in cultivation at the former western headquarters for the Ferry-Morse Seed... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 2001
Herbarium specimen of Prenanthes crepidinea (nodding rattlesnake root) Collected on May 12, 2001, this specimen was found in Indiana County by... Continue Reading
Funerary boat
This boat, which was discovered outside of Cairo in the Dashur pyramid complex, is currently on display in Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt. Egyptologists believe... Continue Reading
Polyphemus Moths Emerge
by Vanessa Verdecia After months of overwintering, an adult Polyphemus moth from one of the cultures reared in the Section of Invertebrate Zoology emerged from... Continue Reading
Poisonous, Venomous, Toxin
by Patrick McShea With the opening for The Power of Poison just weeks away, museum educators have been re-examining familiar displays for connections to our... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1950
Collected on May 6, 1950, this specimen was found in by Werner E. Buker. Buker was a math teacher at Perry High School in Pittsburgh... Continue Reading
Scientists Live – Egypt
Carnegie Museum of Natural History has amazing artifacts from ancient Egypt on display, but did you know there are even more objects in our hidden... Continue Reading
Costa Rican Pottery Bird Adorno
by Deb Harding The people of ancient Costa Rica put a lot of bird and animal imagery in their pottery, both painted and in the... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1845
Collected on April 28, 1845, this specimen was found in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania (Franklin County) by Thomas Conrad Porter. Porter (1822-1901) was a botanist associated with... Continue Reading
Costa Rican Archaeological Bowl
by Deb Harding In the process of photographing all the archaeological pottery in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s collection, this bowl caught my eye. It... Continue Reading
Black and White Warblers
Boldly striped Black and White Warblers (Mniotilta varia) are easily identified by their unique plumage. They often build their cup-shaped nests on the ground in... Continue Reading
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers are small woodpeckers with red foreheads and small crests. The neat rows of holes they peck while searching for tree sap can be... Continue Reading
More Mammals with Venom
by John Wible The duck-billed platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus, is no doubt one of the world’s oddest mammals, with a suite of adaptations to its life... Continue Reading
Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata)
Known for their bright color and intelligence, Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata) are found near the edges of forests across the eastern United States. These birds... Continue Reading
Gallery of Paleontology, 1907
Gallery of Paleontology, 1907 vs. a recent picture of Dinosaurs in Their Time. It is amazing how much one museum can change in a century!
Tail support
A Carnegie Museum of Natural History employee welds tail support for Apatosaurus in 1915.
“Pyrite Sun”
This “Pyrite Sun” may look like a sand dollar, but it is actually a concretion that was found in Illinois.
Decorative collar of beads
This decorative collar of beads was laid across the chest of an ancient Egyptian mummy. Archaeologists have found larger beaded shrouds with a similar pattern... Continue Reading
Did you know?
Did you know that Carnegie Museum of Natural History has about 13 million specimens in the Section of Invertebrate Zoology? Get a peek at the... Continue Reading
Discoveries at Antinoupolis
by Erin Peters When I last posted about Egypt at the Carnegie, I was on an archaeological excavation at Antinoupolis, the emperor Hadrian’s famous ancient... Continue Reading
Florescence Discovered in Frogs
Polka dotted tree frog - Hypsiboas punctatus – Bolivia – 1919 By Kaylin Martin In March of 2017, a team of... Continue Reading
Lakota Moccasins
In the Lakota culture, women sometimes express affection for men and children by beading every surface of their moccasins. These beaded moccasins are on display... Continue Reading
Egg-cellent Egg Hunt
Museum staff members were feeling festive as they stuffed thousands of plastic eggs for the Egg-cellent Egg Hunt on Saturday. The first 500 children to participate... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1919
Collected on April 12, 1919, this specimen was found by Otto Jennings “North of Saunders” in Allegheny County. Jennings was an extremely influential botanist, focusing... Continue Reading
Tufted Titmouse
A Tufted Titmouse photographed this winter at Powermill Nature Reserve
Scientists Live: Conservator Gretchen Anderson
Did you ever wonder who takes care of all the amazing specimens and objects at Carnegie Museum of Natural History? Learn about museum conservation with... Continue Reading
Who is that bird knocking at your window?
by Jonathan Rice Many of us are excited that spring is just around the corner, and that includes the birds. As springtime comes into view,... Continue Reading
The American Pika
Photo by Mackenzie Jeffress, Nevada Department of Wildlife by Patrick McShea Just when our interest in a previously overlooked creature... Continue Reading
Mammals with Venom
by John Wible Did you know that some mammals are venomous? The Section of Mammals has one specimen in its collection of the solenodon, which... Continue Reading
Iguana
This iguana is part of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s living collection. We feature live animal shows every day at our museum.
Cone Snail Shells
Cone snail shells in the Section of Mollusks’ hidden collection
Beautiful purple Janthina specimens
Beautiful purple Janthina specimens in the Section of Mollusks in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s hidden collection.
Learn all about mammals!
Learn all about mammals with a museum scientist! John Wible, curator of the Section of Mammals, did a 20-minute broadcast on March 22 on Facebook... Continue Reading
Bottle from early 1900s
This bottle from early 1900s Tlinglit culture is made from glass and is covered in Sitka spruce root, grass, metal, and dyes. It is on... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1983
Collected on March 31, 1983, this specimen was found by Fred Utech and Masashi Ohara in Cullman County, Alabama. Fred was a curator of botany... Continue Reading
Carved Wooden Gope Board
Gope boards are carved wooden tablets made by groups in the Gulf of Papua. They represent ancestral spirits who protect members of the clan from... Continue Reading
Wooden Sokar Falcon
This carved falcon from ancient Egypt is associated with two gods, Ptah (the creator god) and Osiris (the god of the dead), and is often... Continue Reading
Topaz, elbaite, quartz, and albite
Topaz, elbaite, quartz, and albite from California on display in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems
Snail Foils Trump’s Plan for Wall on an Irish Golf Course
Vertigo angustior, CM62.27772 from Switzerland. (Photo by Charles F. Sturm) by Timothy A. Pearce What can stop a wall that... Continue Reading
Digitizing Museum Collections
Digitizing collections is an important initiative at Carnegie Museum of Natural History as well as many other museums across the country. The image above is... Continue Reading
Ancient Egyptians
Ancient Egyptians linked baboons to the sun god, Re, because baboons rise early in the morning. This statuette was donated to the sun god at... Continue Reading
Citizen Scientists Wanted
by Matthew Webb Did you know that millions of birds die after colliding with windows each year in the United States? You can help reduce... Continue Reading
Discover the science of snails!
Discover the science of snails with Scientists Live! Tim Pearce, assistant curator of the Section of Mollusks, showed off pieces of Carnegie Museum of Natural... Continue Reading
Butterflies
Discover more about beautiful butterflies at Amazing Butterflies through April 23.
What is a Shamrock?
Trifolium repens (collected 1974 in Louisiana), aka white clover by Mason Heberling What is a shamrock? There is no overwhelming... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1945
Collected on March 24, 1945, this specimen was found by Leroy K. Henry in North Park, just outside of Pittsburgh. Leroy Henry was an influential... Continue Reading
A Messenger’s Risk
by Patrick McShea “What would happen if the frozen action depicted in the Lion Attacking a Dromedary diorama continued?” Before posing that question to school... Continue Reading
Happy St.Patrick’s Day
by Mason Heberling Collected in Ireland in 1891, this specimen was found by Susan and Edward Harper, who were plant collectors from the Field Museum... Continue Reading
Tunic Decoration from Egypt
by Deb Harding This woven decoration depicting a picture of a leopard is from an Egyptian tunic, possibly from 3–4th century C.E. It is part... Continue Reading
Squirrels at CMNH
by John Wible Like many people in western Pennsylvania, I share my yard with gray squirrels (Sciurus caroliensis). Other than the mammalian pets in our... Continue Reading
Specimens from South America
These specimens from South America are part of a huge collection inside of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Alcohol House.
Egyptian Potters
Egyptian potters borrowed the Roman technique of applying small dots of clay, here in a different color, to a vessel’s body. We call vessels decorated... Continue Reading
Blue Whale
This mandible of a blue whale is more than 17 feet long! It is on display in Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Collected on this Day in 1830
Collected on March 10, 1830, this specimen was found by Nathaniel Wallich, probably in India. Polygonum chinense is also known as Chinese knotweed, although there... Continue Reading
Hunter and Walrus Statue
Hunter and walrus statue made of steatite, ivory, and leather found in Wyckoff Hall of Arctic Life at Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Black Opal Ring
Black Opal ring on display in Wertz Gallery: Gems and Jewelry at Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Scientists Live
Carnegie Museum of Natural History botanist Bonnie Isaac was live from the hidden collections last month!
American Tree Sparrow
This American Tree Sparrow was banded at Powdermill Nature Reserve.
Preserving museum specimens
Pictured above from left to right: Maianthemum racamosum flowers, Cipangopaludina chinensis, Platycercus eximius, Chameleo gracilis gracilis, Elliptio jayensis, Monstera of Costa... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1992
Collected on March 3, 1992, this specimen was found in Franklin Township, Ohio (Adams County) by Allison Cusick. Allison is an active research associate at... Continue Reading
Two-headed Turtle Specimen
by Kaylin Martin Red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) are the most popular pet turtles in the United States. This one in Carnegie Museum of Natural... Continue Reading
The Unseen Museum
The Unseen Museum: “Magician’s Mask” This mask is part of a collection purchased in 1902 from Walther Karl, who lived in Matadi, Congo. There is... Continue Reading
Ancient Egyptian Column Shafts
by Erin Peters Here at Antinoupolis, the Italian mission has been excavating since the 1930s and has a long and productive residence at the site.... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1976
shrub species (Myrsine australis) specimen Collected on February 24, 1976, this specimen was found by John Grehan near Whangarei, North Island,... Continue Reading
Spotted Flower Beetle
This species of scarab, Stephanorrhina guttata, is commonly referred to as the spotted flower beetle. These specimens are on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural... Continue Reading
Narwhal statue
This ivory and steatite narwhal statue was created by Iguptark Tongelik and can be found in Polar World: Wyckoff Hall of Arctic Life.
1920s Exhibit on Conservation
by Bonnie Isaac In looking through museum archives, I found a photograph that intrigued me. The image (above) looked very similar to the spring wildflower diorama... Continue Reading
Antinoupolis
Rising sun at dawn at Antinoupolis By Erin Peters I arrived at Sheikh Abada for Egypt’s Ministry of State for Antiquities... Continue Reading
Alcohol House Improvements
by Kaylin Martin Tucked away under the public galleries of Carnegie Museum of Natural History are thousands of glass jars containing decades of collecting efforts.... Continue Reading
Ask a Paleontologist
In January, Carnegie Museum of Natural History paleontologist Dr. Matt Lamanna talked from the Big Bone Room of Carnegie Museum of Natural History on Facebook... Continue Reading
The Unseen Museum
The Unseen Museum: Ka’apor Necklace This necklace (tukaniwar) was worn by women of the Ka’apor tribe of eastern Brazil for the Ta’i Rupi Taha name-giving... Continue Reading
Amazing Butterflies
Discover more about the lifecycle of butterflies at the fun, interactive exhibition—Amazing Butterflies. Open through April 23.
Carolina Wren
Researchers banded this Carolina Wren in February at Powdermill Nature Reserve.
Pyromorphite
This pyromorphite from Chester County in Pennsylvania is on display in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems.
Arriving in Egypt
By Erin Peters Today I travel for the first time to the famous city established by the emperor Hadrian in Middle Egypt, now next to... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1918
Collected on February 17, 1918, this specimen was found in Palm Beach, Florida. Helianthus debilis (also known as beach sunflower) is native to the coastal United... Continue Reading
Best Museum Exhibit
Carnegie Museum of Natural History received an award for best museum exhibit at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. Congratulations to Curator of Collections Marc... Continue Reading
Hidden Collection
Specimens from Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s hidden collection
Cosmetic storage
Cosmetic storage has come a long way! This cosmetic box was made from wood and paste and is missing its lid. It is on display... Continue Reading
Roman Period Mummy
Roman Period mummy in the Walton Hall by Erin Peters What in the world is happening with “Egypt at the Carnegie?”... Continue Reading
Did you know?
Did you know that Carnegie Museum of Natural History purchased the Lion Attacking a Dromedary diorama from the American Museum of Natural History in New... Continue Reading
Golden-Crowned Kinglet
This Golden-Crowned Kinglet was banded at Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental research center.
Collected on this Day in 1991
Collected on February 10, 1991, this specimen was found in Somerset County at Mount Davis (the highest point in Pennsylvania) by former Assistant Curator of Botany... Continue Reading
1867 Paris International Exposition
(Photo credit: Library of Congress) Our Lion Attacking a Dromedary diorama was displayed at the 1867 Paris International Exposition, pictured above.... Continue Reading
GUESS THE CONTENTS IN THE JARS
Reptile and amphibian specimens are not the only things stored in 70% ethanol! Departments such as Ornithology, Botany, and Mollusks preserve select specimens in fluid for further... Continue Reading
Learn all about archaeology
Learn all about archaeology at a special Super Science Saturday on February 18! Spend a day at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and learn about... Continue Reading
Moving a Historical Diorama
How do you move a 150-year-old diorama through a huge museum? Very carefully. When museum conservators moved the Lion Attacking a Dromedary diorama from its... Continue Reading
Purifying Water with Plants
Inside the Marsh Machine. As the days get darker and colder in western Pennsylvania, there’s still a lot of green at Powdermill Nature Center. The... Continue Reading
Identifying Macroinvertebrates
Did you know that macroinvertebrates are great indicators of stream quality? Identify and learn about these tiny creatures using our online Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Collection resource,... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1917
Collected on February 3, 1917, this specimen was found by W. Millward in Butler County near the former Nixon Station on the Butler Trolley Short... Continue Reading
Preventing Window Collisions
Birds cannot see clear glass, and as a result it is estimated that up to 1 billion birds are killed by window collisions each year.... Continue Reading
Fossilized Elatides
Conifers like this fossilized Elatides specimen were common during the Late Cretaceous period. This tree may have resembled the modern Norfolk Island Pine, which exists... Continue Reading
Gecko
This friendly little gecko is museum director Eric Dorfman’s new office mate!
Lion Attacking a Dromedary
Lion Attacking a Dromedary Symposium featured a talk that explained the X-ray images of the camel in this iconic diorama. ... Continue Reading
W.E. Clyde Todd
W.E. Clyde Todd, curator of Ornithology 1914-1945 at Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Coffin fragment
This coffin fragment is made of painted gessoed wood and is on display in Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt. (photo by... Continue Reading
Allegheny River Ridge Wildlife
by Patrick McShea Designers of museum exhibits, when they are successful, create interesting displays that convey important information and sustain multiple levels of interpretation. Occasionally,... Continue Reading
Clams
Is having a few hundred clams under your lake dock a good thing or a bad thing? A reader recently asked that question of Cottage... Continue Reading
Monarchs
Monarchs migrate farther than any other butterflies in the world– up to 3,000 miles and back. Milkweed is an important food source, especially for monarch... Continue Reading
Tools that scientists use
(Photo by Hayley Pontia) See the tools that scientists use at Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental research... Continue Reading
Paleontologist Matt Lamanna
Paleontologist Matt Lamanna was live from the Big Bone Room at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in January! Matt discusses the famous Diplodocus carnegii, becoming... Continue Reading
Neil Richmond at work
This photo shows Neil Richmond at work in his lab at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Richmond was the curator of Herpetology from 1955-1971 and... Continue Reading
Hieroglyphs
The hieroglyphs on this ancient Egyptian relief fragment were once inlaid with blue paste.(photo by Hayley Pontia)
Collected on this day in 1907
On January 20, this specimen was found in Montserrat, in the Caribbean, by John A. Shafer, who became the museum’s first curator of the herbarium in... Continue Reading
Baltimore Orioles in Pittsburgh
These taxidermy mounts of Baltimore Orioles (Icterus galbula) in Bird Hall show the differences in coloring between males and females, or sexual dimorphism. These birds... Continue Reading
H Is for Hawk
It’s not an untouched wilderness like a mountaintop, but a ramshackle wildness in which people and the land have conspired to strangeness.” ― Helen Macdonald,... Continue Reading
Profile of Dippy on BBC
Pittsburgh isn’t the only city that loves Diplodocus carnegii. A cast of our museum’s most famous dinosaur in London also has an enthusiastic following! Listen to a... Continue Reading
Strange Times on WESA
Curious about the Strange Times performance series happening across all four Carnegie Museums this year? Read about the series and the concept of the Anthropocene... Continue Reading
Finding Insects in Fresh Snow
Female snow scorpionfly in the genus Boreus Midge Orb weaver spider ... Continue Reading
Collected on this Day in 1935
This eastern wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus) specimen was collected near Connellsville, Pennsylvania on January 12, 1935 by John Franklin Lewis. Eastern wahoo is native to midwestern... Continue Reading
Butternut
(photo by Hayley Pontia) Butternut, a part of the walnut family, displayed in the Hall of Botany at Carnegie Museum of... Continue Reading
Soapstone and Ivory Walrus
Soapstone and ivory carved walrus from Pangnirtung, Canada on display in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Polar World. (photo by Hayley Pontia)
Coloring Wall
Ashley Cecil, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s artist in residence, created a pattern that museum visitors can color and decorate in the back of Discovery... Continue Reading
Saving the Bonteboks
Bonteboks, like this one on display in the Hall of African Wildlife, are the rarest antelopes in the world. In Afrikaans, the word bontebok means... Continue Reading
Dippy Casts Abroad
A cast of Dippy installed in the Natural History Museum in London A cast of dippy... Continue Reading
The House That Dippy Built
Carnegie Museum of Natural History under construction. Once back in Pittsburgh, scientists worked to free the fossils from the rock... Continue Reading
Timber Wolf Diorama Restored
Have you seen the new wolf diorama in our redesigned gift shop? Like many of the other fixtures in the shop, the diorama was pulled... Continue Reading
Green Russula
(Photo by Hayley Pontia) Green Russula found in the Hall of Botany
Moths, butterflies, and skippers
Moths, butterflies, and their close relatives, the skippers, are members of the order Lepidoptera—the most diverse group of plant-feeding animals on Earth. Learn more about... Continue Reading
Discovering Dippy
Men at work in Sheep’s Creek Wyoming, where Dippy was discovered. Dippy’s story began with his namesake — Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie... Continue Reading
A specimen of Crocodylus niloticus
A specimen of Crocodylus niloticus, one of the largest ever collected from Africa, is on display in the Hall of African Wildlife. This Nile crocodile... Continue Reading
Goethite found in Pennsylvania
Goethite found in Pennsylvania, displayed in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems
Celebrating Dippy!
You know the scarves. You know the statue. You know the dinosaur — Diplodocus carnegii or Dippy as we like to call him. But did... Continue Reading
Andrew Carnegie
In 1898, Andrew Carnegie sent this newspaper clipping to Carnegie Museum of Natural History Director Dr. William J. Holland with a $10,000 check and a... Continue Reading
Last month, we asked the public for help
Last month, we asked the public for help identifying a piece of our collection. The identity of a plaster cast of a gold nugget in... Continue Reading
Spirits called katsinas
Katsinas found in Alcoa Foundation Hall of American Indians at Carnegie Museum of Natural History For about six months each year,... Continue Reading
Giant Scorpions in Pennsylvania
Can you imagine a giant scorpion living western Pennsylvania? It seems pretty crazy, but there is evidence that about 350 million years ago colossal invertebrates... Continue Reading
Dippy isn’t the only one sporting cool winter wear this year.
Dippy isn’t the only one sporting cool winter wear this year. A staff member knitted Bob the corn snake, part of Carnegie Museum of Natural... Continue Reading
Snow goggles
Snow goggles made of caribou bone and sinew found on Holman Island, in the northwest territory of Canada, on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural... Continue Reading
Ruth Trimble
Pictured above holding a bird study skin is Ruth Trimble, a scientist who served as an assistant curator of Ornithology at Carnegie Museum of Natural... Continue Reading
Art in Bird Hall
If you walk through Bird Hall this month, you might notice that there are more than just specimens on display. Artist in Residence Ashley Cecil... Continue Reading
Skull of a kasagea
This skull of a kasagea, a type of freshwater seal, was collected on a Carnegie expedition to the Arctic in the 1930s. When this skull... Continue Reading
Elbaite, opal, pearl, and diamond brooch
This elbaite, opal, pearl, and diamond brooch was designed by Andrey Avinoff and is on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. (Photo by Hayley... Continue Reading
Chinese Paper Cutting
Examples of Chinese paper cutting sold in stores. (Courtesy of ProjectManhattan) This month, Carnegie Museum of Natural History volunteer Stephanie Sun... Continue Reading
Petrified wood found in Arizona
Petrified wood found in Arizona displayed in Wertz Gallery: Gems and Jewelry (photo by Hayley Pontia)
Ancient Egyptian Bowl
A square pool and lotuses decorate this ancient Egyptian bowl’s interior while its exterior is graced by a single open lotus. The lotus blossom opens... Continue Reading
Paleo Field Tools
By Patrick McShea Although work gloves, rock hammers, chisels, and protective goggles remain standard field equipment for fossil field work, electronic devices have become critical... Continue Reading
Scientists have discovered
Scientists have discovered more than 180,000 species of Lepidoptera (moths, butterflies, and skippers), of this amount only 20,000 are butterflies.
Katsinas of the Hopi Tribe
Katsinas of the Hopi Tribe on display in Alcoa Foundation Hall of American Indians.
Allderdice Jazz Band and String Quartet
Allderdice Jazz Band and String Quartet joined our celebration of our newly renovated gift store today.
Become a butterfly
Become a butterfly at Carnegie Museum of Natural History this January with our newest exhibition — Amazing Butterflies! Shrink down to the size of a... Continue Reading
Snails
Tree snails from Florida (top row) and land snails from Cuba (bottom row) on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History(Photo... Continue Reading
Measuring Up at Kidsport
How do you size up to a bald eagle, a lion, or even a velociraptor? You can find out next time you fly through Pittsburgh... Continue Reading
Botany Hall Dioramas in Context
Details of a diorama found in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Botany Hall. Details of a diorama... Continue Reading
Dippy wearing his Steelers’ scarf
Dippy wearing his Steelers’ scarf outside Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Visitors Develop New Logo
by Kathleen Bodenlos In 2016 we asked our visitors to help us develop a new logo for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Our loyal... Continue Reading
Chilean Azurite and Malachite
Chilean Azurite and Malachite found in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems.
Did you ever float like a butterfly?
Did you ever float like a butterfly? Kids of all ages will have their opportunity this January to do just that when our new exhibition... Continue Reading
Smithsonite and gypsum
Smithsonite and gypsum in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems. (photo by Hayley Pontia)
Snails in the Staircase
A Fossil of a small invertebrate visible in the walls of Carnegie Museum of Natural History's Grand Staircase. [caption id="" align="aligncenter"... Continue Reading
Specimens from invertebrate zoology
Specimens from the invertebrate zoology collection at Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Fossil Search: Expert Assistance
During a search for the contact point of two different Sheep Pass Formation rock units, Amy Henrici uses GPS-linked topographic maps... Continue Reading
Carnegie geologist in France
Last month, Carnegie Museum of Natural History Geologist Albert Kollar was traveling in France on a research trip, where a local newspaper wrote about his... Continue Reading
Up-cycling Museum Furniture
An up-cycled cabinet at Carnegie Museum of Natural History once holding scientific specimens now displays merchandise in the new gift store.... Continue Reading
Strange Times
JUST ANNOUNCED! Carnegie Nexus, a new interdisciplinary event series, kicks off this January with “Strange Times: Earth in the Age of the Human" Who better... Continue Reading
Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving from Carnegie Museum of Natural History! This cute little turkey poult was photographed at our environmental research center Powdermill Nature Reserve.
Songbirds and Climate Change
How are songbirds in western Pennsylvania adapting to climate change? Fairly well according to Carnegie Museum of Natural History researchers Molly McDermott and Luke DeGroote,... Continue Reading
Shifting Formations
Nevada’s White River Valley from high ground in the South Egan Wilderness. by Patrick McShea From Elko, Nevada, the Carnegie Museum... Continue Reading
Beetle Discovery
In the Section of Invertebrate Zoology, our scientists are doing important pest monitoring work in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) by... Continue Reading
Invertebrate Paleontology
Specimens from our hidden invertebrate paleontology collection
ABCA Restoration Project
by Matt Webb The Allegheny Bird Conservation Alliance (ABCA) is a newly formed group made up of local and regional conservation organizations. ABCA exists to... Continue Reading
Planning for Field Work
by Patrick McShea Planning for field work resembles vacation travel preparation in a fundamental way. Much consideration is given to gathering all necessary gear, and... Continue Reading
Where to Look for Fossils
Vertebrate Paleontology Collections Manager Amy Henrici in the field. by Patrick McShea As I travelled west from Pittsburgh to meet Carnegie... Continue Reading
Moving Day for Jane the T-Rex
It was moving week for our juvenile Tyrannosaurus Rex Jane! She’s been living in the spine of our museum for quite sometime, but this week... Continue Reading
Secondary minerals
Secondary minerals formed in the upper portions of the ancient silver mines of Laurium in Greece on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in... Continue Reading
Snake ID with a 3D Field Guide
by Patrick McShea In the wild, even the limited wild of our backyards, snakes don’t pose for identification near the numbers of convenient reference keys.... Continue Reading
Smuggled Fossil from China
How does a fossil that was illegally smuggled out of China end up on display in Pittsburgh? This feathered dinosaur fossil of an Anchiornis huxleyi... Continue Reading
Foxy sparrow
A foxy sparrow banded at Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental research center.
Owl study skins
Owl study skins from Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s hidden collection. Our Section of Birds cares for nearly 195,000 specimens of birds, including 555 holotypes... Continue Reading
Specimen Drawer
A specimen drawer from our hidden collection Photo by Josh Franzos
Unidentified Gold Nugget
by Debra WilsonThe identity of this gold nugget has been lost to time. This is a plaster cast of a gold nugget which is housed... Continue Reading
New Dioramas at CMNH
We made exciting progress on our redesigned gift shop this week here at Carnegie Museum of Natural History! Three beautifully restored dioramas were wrapped in... Continue Reading
Old and new specimen drawers
Old and new specimen drawers in the Section of Vertebrate Paleontology behind the scenes at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh.
Frog Fossil Hunt in Nevada
Frog fossil from eastern Nevada. by Patrick McShea Dinosaurs get all the attention, but fossils of less glamorous creatures also contribute much to our understanding... Continue Reading
Year of the Vampire
Our most recent 21+ event, Haunted Museum: Year of the Vampire, featured a vampire-inspired fashion show in the Carnegie Music Hall lobby courtesy of Black... Continue Reading
As habitats change
As habitats change and species die out, collections at natural history museums become increasingly important for biodiversity research. These colorful Carolina parakeets were once the... Continue Reading
Dinosaur eggs!
Dinosaur eggs! These fossilized eggs are part of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s hidden collection in the Section of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Don’t let that pretty foliage fool you.
Don’t let that pretty foliage fool you. This case in Botany Hall is full of local plant species that are poisonous or irritating to humans.... Continue Reading
Tools from the Neolithic Age
Tools from the Neolithic Age are on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh.
Comparing Pictures to Mounts
The Ruby-throated hummingbird, which has iridescent, fuchsia feathers on its neck, a dark green head, and a long black beak. Each... Continue Reading
Think lions and tigers are scary cats?
Think lions and tigers are scary cats? Check out the teeth on this Sabertooth cat who lived during the Cenozoic Era. Most predatory cats today... Continue Reading
Shells of the Coquina clams
Shells of the Coquina clams (Donax Variabilis) are found in the ocean from Virginia to Florida. See them on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History... Continue Reading
Pink Calcite
This pink calcite was collected in Zaire. Calcite in its pure form is colorless. However, ionic substitutes or mechanical inclusions of other materials cause calcite... Continue Reading
Fall Bird Banding at Powdermill
Fall is an exciting and busy time for our avian researchers at Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental research center in Rector... Continue Reading
Discovery with Museum Loans
by Patrick McShea The first grade teacher who provided this picture didn’t realize how much it revealed about her skill in conveying scientific principles. She... Continue Reading
A Wood Turtle at Powdermill
by Lauren Peele Horner On an afternoon hike, this handsome male wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) made his presence known. The rings of a turtle’s scutes... Continue Reading
Deforestation Damages
by Patrick McShea Museum exhibits frequently provide information to help us better understand current headlines. In the case of the devastation Hurricane Matthew recently caused... Continue Reading
Yellow-breasted Chat
A yellow-breasted Chat banded at Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental research center
Specimen drawer
Specimen drawer from our hidden collection at Carnegie Museum of Natural History
T-Rex teeth in Dinosaurs in their Time
T-Rex teeth in Dinosaurs in their Time at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. (Photo by Josh Franzos)
CUSP Exhibits on display at Pitt
Participants engage in an activity at CUSP, coordinated locally by Carnegie Museum of Natural History. by Laurie Giarratani How will you... Continue Reading
Craniums and mandibles
Craniums and mandibles of various mammals on display in the Hall of North American Wildlife.
X-rays at Discovery Basecamp
Visitors can examine all different types of x-rays at Discovery Basecamp, our new permanent, interactive gallery that invites visitors to take part in hands-on learning.
Specimens from the Surdick collection
Specimens from the Surdick collection on display near our Grand Staircase.
5 Surprising Conservation Facts
by Kathleen Bodenlos Gretchen Anderson is a conservator at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. She is restoring a panda diorama that will be prominently placed... Continue Reading
Swainson’s Thrush
A Swainson’s Thrush banded at Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental research center.
Aquamarine on display
Aquamarine on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh.(Photo by Hayley Pontia)
Ancient Owl Drawing
by Patrick McShea Could you finger-paint a more detailed owl than the one pictured above? In classes about owls at Carnegie Museum of Natural History... Continue Reading
The Ongoing Question of Trophy Hunting
Teddy Roosevelt in 1909 on a safari that helped popularize the activity. Photo: Library of Congress by Eric Dorfman After the... Continue Reading
Ancient Egyptian stela
The inscription on this ancient Egyptian stela, or painted limestone, says that this offering was made by Wennefer, son of Paiwenhor, and dedicated to Osiris.... Continue Reading
Wulfenite
Wulfenite found in Mexico (photo by Hayley Pontia)
Artist in residence
Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s artist in residence Ashley Cecil brought these study skins from our collection back to life with her drawings that she’ll... Continue Reading
A Dino in a ‘Death Pose’
This immature Camarasaurus’ uncomfortable stance isn’t caused by a crick in his long neck. It was discovered in what paleontologists call the “death pose.” Many dinosaur... Continue Reading
Taking Care of Tortoise
by Mallory Vopal Carnegie Museum of Natural History houses a living collection of animals that serve as important educational ambassadors in many of our programs.... Continue Reading
Decorated Horn
Decorated Horn (ca. 1627/1606-1539 B.C.) found in Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt (Photo by Hayley Pontia)
From Antarctica to Pittsburgh
Last week, several tons of fossils arrived at Carnegie Museum of Natural History from Antarctica, where our paleontologist and principal dinosaur research Matt Lamanna led... Continue Reading
Scallop and Pecten found in Pilocene
Scallop and Pecten found in Pilocene, California on display in Benedum Hall of Geology at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. (Photo by Hayley Pontia)
Mollusk Collection
by Hayley Pontia Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s collection of mollusks is home to about 3 million specimens that include more land and freshwater snails... Continue Reading
Even on our warmest and muggiest days
A Pennsylvania coal forest diorama on display in Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Even on our warmest and muggiest days, it’s... Continue Reading
Selected for Speed
by Patrick McShea At first it seems absurd to discuss speed in front of adiorama in which nothing moves. With appropriate prompts, however, this threedimensional... Continue Reading
Stegosaurus was as big as a bull elephant
Stegosaurus was as big as a bull elephant and the largest known plated dinosaur. (Photo by Josh Franzos)
Unaltered remains of Peccary
Unaltered remains of Peccary, a mid-sized hoofed pig-like mammal, found in Kentucky. (Photo by Hayley Pontia)
Greater Black-letter Dart Moth
by Vanessa Verdecia Our Section of Invertebrate Zoology had another species of moths eclose this month. These images show the last instar caterpillar, the... Continue Reading
Beaded necklaces from ancient Egypt
Beaded necklaces from ancient Egypt made of shells, faience, and gessoed wood.
Bones in the Basement
by Hayley Pontia If you thought there were a lot of bones on display in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, think again. Many of... Continue Reading
Caterpillars in the genus Datana
These caterpillars of Drexel’s Datana (Datana drexelii) were found on the Black Birch Trail at Powdermill Nature Reserve after being disturbed.... Continue Reading
Pholidophorus macrocephalus
Pholidophorus macrocephalus is a bony fish that lived about 150 million years ago in the late Jurassic Period of the Mesozoic Era.
Salamander Forests in Pa.
by Patrick McShea Within a Hall of Botany diorama depicting old growth Pennsylvania forest, a ferocious predator lurks amid dried oak, maple, and beech leaves.... Continue Reading
Reclaiming Nature
Bridge over lotus pond A once dead pond is now alive Storytime on... Continue Reading
These specimens on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History
These specimens on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh were not collected by museum scientists. Local insect entusiasts Robert and Tressa Surdick... Continue Reading
Young Green Heron
A young green heron banded at Powdermill Nature Reserve, the environmental research center of Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
One-Spotted Variant Instars
The one-spotted variant (Hypagyrtis unipunctata), a very common moth in the Geometridae subfamily Ennominae in its early stages of life. [caption... Continue Reading
Spiders catch all sorts of insects
Spiders catch all sorts of insects to eat using their sticky, clear woven webs. But how do they keep their eight little legs from getting... Continue Reading
A stratigraphic model showing different layers of rock strata
A stratigraphic model showing different layers of rock strata in Benedum Hall of Geology at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. (photo by Hayley Pontia)
Peridot, the beautiful yellow-green gem
Until recently, peridot, the beautiful yellow-green gem featured in pendant above, was the only birth stone for the month of August. Now spinel accompanies it.
An Immersive Alaskan Scene
by Patrick McShea Well planned dioramas support multiple levels of interpretation. At the Alaskan Brown Bear diorama, however, it’s initially difficult to consider any narrative... Continue Reading
The great pegmatites of Minas Gerais in Brazil
The great pegmatites of Minas Gerais in Brazil are famous for producing the widest variety of colors in tourmaline gemstones. Carnegie Museum of Natural History... Continue Reading
Diplodocus carnegii
The one and only… Diplodocus carnegii! Well not only. Casts of Diplodocus carnegii (nicknamed Dippy) we made in the early 1900s and sent to museums in cities... Continue Reading
Read This and Live Forever
by Eric Dorfman When Juan Ponce de León traveled from Spain to the New World in 1513, he was looking for immortality. Legend has it... Continue Reading
An Appalachian Research Hub
Researchers at Powdermill Nature Reserve, the environmental research center of Carnegie Museum of Natural History, are documenting the health of Western Pennsylvania’s flora and fauna... Continue Reading
Fedexia striegeli
Fedexia striegeli was a member of an extinct amphibian group called trematopids, which lived in the tropical Pittsburgh climate almost 305 million years ago. Fedexia... Continue Reading
Breastfeeding Spaces in Public
This winter, Carnegie Museum of Natural History installed a private, quiet, and comfortable space for mothers to breastfeed their babies in the museum. With cozy... Continue Reading
Snapshot from Brazil: black capuchin (Sapajus nigritus)
A Black capuchin photographed at Brazil’s first national park - Parque Nacional do Itatiaia with Observatório de Aves - Instituto Butantan.... Continue Reading
Dioptase on Calcite
Dioptase on Calcite found in Namibia on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. (photo by Hayley Pontia)
Other Milkweed-Loving Insects
Milkweed Leaf Beetle (Labidomera clivicollis) by Andrea Kautz Milkweed is in bloom and it’s not only the monarchs that love it!... Continue Reading
Photo Traps in Conservation
by Patrick McShea In the Hall of North American Wildlife at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, there’s a display of field research tools that includes... Continue Reading
Fossilized shells on display
Fossilized shells on display in Benedum Hall of Geology at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. (photo by Hayley Pontia)
Polyphemus Moth Rearing
by Vanessa Verdecia Recently, a member of the public dropped off some tiny caterpillars at Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Section of Invertebrate Zoology for... Continue Reading
Variations in a Single Family
The order Coleoptera (beetles) is by far the most diverse of all living organisms. More than 350,000 species of beetles are grouped into more than... Continue Reading
A Blast of Pittsburgh’s History
Photo by Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette by Albert Kollar The recent blasting (not the 4th fireworks) of rocks onto the railroad tracks along... Continue Reading
Bird Banding in Brazil
Our bird banding coordinator Luke DeGroote is traveling in Brazil this month, where he’ll be training Brazilian avian researchers how to do bird banding and... Continue Reading
A New Birthstone for August
Spinel in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s collection. (photo by Debra Wilson) by Hayley Pontia If you were born in August... Continue Reading
Carnegie Museum of Natural History taxidermists
Carnegie Museum of Natural History taxidermists creating the giraffe in the Hall of African Wildlife.
Have you ever wondered what makes butterflies so colorful?
Butterflies on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History Have you ever wondered what makes butterflies so colorful? Butterflies are covered... Continue Reading
Dig Site in Sheep Creek
This picture shows a man at work at a dig site in Sheep Creek, the site in Wyoming where Diplodocus Carnegii was discovered.
Calcite, sometimes referred to as “heart twin”
Calcite, sometimes referred to as “heart twin” on display in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems. Contact twins occur when two or more crystals grow... Continue Reading
Life Lab at Discovery Basecamp
(Photo by Hayley Pontia) Life Lab at Discovery Basecamp, our new interactive permanent gallery, teaches the importance of scientific research and... Continue Reading
Ancient Egyptian Cat Mummies
Mummified cat and x-ray image on display. In ancient Egypt, cats were sacred animals. People dedicated mummified cats at the sanctuary... Continue Reading
Crafting Lost Dinosaur Bones
The most amazing thing about the skeletons in our Dinosaurs in Their Time exhibit is that the majority of their bones are the real deal.... Continue Reading
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
An Eastern tiger swallowtail and various species of plant life found in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands on display in Art of Diorama. (Photo by Hayley Pontia)
Quartz Crystal
This quartz crystal was found in Russia and has its bright color due to small concentrations of chemical impurities or inclusions of other minerals. (Photo... Continue Reading
Front Door Owls
by Patrick McShea You have to know where to look to spot the owls on the front door of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Carriage... Continue Reading
What kind of habitat would you like to live in?
What kind of habitat would you like to live in? A warm beach or a peacful forest? What kind of plants and animals would be... Continue Reading
Vernonia altissima
Vernonia altissima’s bright flowers provide an important food source for native pollinators found in Pennsylvania and many other surrounding states. (Photo by Hayley Pontia)
Paramylodon harlani (Harlan’s Ground Sloth)
Paramylodon harlani (Harlan’s Ground Sloth) are pretty different from their relatives, the modern Central and South American tree sloths. These large herbivores roamed North America... Continue Reading
Researchers chase snails on Santa Rosa Island, California
Pearce collecting snails at Carrington Point on Santa Rosa Island, California. San Miguel Island is visible in the distance. (Photo by... Continue Reading
Historic Reference in Taxidermy?
by Patrick McShea Taxidermists working to position animal remains in life-like postures rely on photographs to supplement firsthand observations. In the case of the common... Continue Reading
Rhodochrosite and quartz
Rhodochrosite and quartz on display in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems (photo by Hayley Pontia)
Prickly Pear Katsina
This Katsina was made by members of the Hopi tribe. Katsina dolls are representations of benevolent spirits. This doll is wearing the fruit and leaves of... Continue Reading
Dinosaurs in Their Time
Dinosaurs in Their Time and the rest of Carnegie Museum of Natural History will be open July 4th! (Photo by Josh Franzos)
Dire Wolves Off the Screen
Despite being extinct, dire wolves are having a comeback thanks to the HBO series “Game of Thrones,” where they protect members of the Stark family.... Continue Reading
Shabtis in Walton Hall of Egypt
Shabtis in Walton Hall of Egypt
Fluorescent Hyalite in Hillman Hall
By Marc Wilson Pictured above, the mineral hyalite is a type of non-precious opal that is usually formed in hot springs environments, like Yellowstone National... Continue Reading
Tlingit Totem Pole
These totem pole carvings show two hunters in a dugout canoe. One hunter holds a spear, while the other grips a seal, which represents the... Continue Reading
Remembering Restoration
Have you ever noticed two dark squares in the mural on Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s grand staircase? When you’re taking in the grandeur of... Continue Reading
You can pet the mane of this lion
You can pet the mane of this lion at Discovery Basecamp, our new permanent gallery where visitors can explore, touch, and examine specimens from nature... Continue Reading
Hopi Katsina doll
This Hopi Katsina doll was collected in 1900 and is called Whipper. Katsina dolls are representations of benevolent spirits.
The Taxidermists’ Table
By Steve Rogers The National Taxidermists Association met at Seven Springs in early June and Carnegie Museum of Natural History Collection Manager Stephen Rogers was... Continue Reading
The Ba in Ancient Egyptian Culture
The image on this coffin canopy in Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt represents the ba, which was the spirit-like quality Egyptians believed all people possessed.... Continue Reading
What’s up with the dead birds?
A study skin displayed below a taxidermy mount in Bird Hall. by Patrick McShea Museum visitors sometimes offer spontaneous testimony to... Continue Reading
Lakota moccasins
These Lakota moccasins are more than 100 years old. It’s thought that the horseshoes beaded onto the moccasins reflect the wearer’s prowess in acquiring horses.
Decorated ware jar in Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt
This decorated ware jar in Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt is dated between 3650 and 3300 B.C. The pierced lugs on each side of the... Continue Reading
Schenley Park’s Snail Population
Volunteer Katie Zawrotniak showing snail finds to visitors. (Photo by Tim Pearce). by Timothy A. Pearce What lives in our city... Continue Reading
Art of the Diorama
Red-footed booby specimens on display in Art of the Diorama, an exhibition at Carnegie Museum of Natural History that explores the evolution of natural dioramas.... Continue Reading
The Garden Necklace
This piece on display in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems is called “The Garden Necklace.” It features several diamonds and 35 blue zircons. The... Continue Reading
Lariosaurus
This Lariosaurus was a Middle Triassic nothosaur that could grow up to 10 feet long!
Dippy Celebrates LGBT Pride Month
Dippy is rocking rainbow to celebrate President Obama issuing the 2016 LGBT Pride Month Proclamation!
A Holotype with a History
by José Padial This jar contains the holotype of Macroprotodon cucullatus iberius, a subspecies of false smooth snake, in the herpetology collection of Carnegie Museum... Continue Reading
Cicadas at Powdermill
The cicadas are here! Staff at Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental research center, posted these up-close photos of this 17-year cicada... Continue Reading
Boulder Selfies!
Take a selfie with our life-sized replica of the Indiana Jones boulder NEXT WEEKEND at Indiana Jones…After Dark on June 10. Tickets on sale now!... Continue Reading
Painted Gessoed Wood
This piece of painted, gessoed wood is on display in Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt. Archaeologists dated it from between 1070 and 653 B.C. and... Continue Reading
Play in the Savannah
Hall of African Wildlife at Carnegie Museum of Natural History by Patrick McShea Amid the life sized, realistic diorama’s in Carnegie... Continue Reading
Dinosaurs in their Time Spotlight: Ceratopsians
These fossilized skulls are all from Ceratopsians, a group of dinosaurs best known for their horns. This dinosaur group crossed a land bridge between East... Continue Reading
Behind the Glass in Hillman Hall
Carnegie Museum of Natural History has far more mineral and gem specimens that we could ever display, but than doesn’t mean they stay hidden. Collections... Continue Reading
High Arctic Butterflies
When you think of a butterfly, do you imagine it fluttering through your garden? Maybe landing on a flower in a tropical forest? Whatever you’re... Continue Reading
Men at work in Sheep Creek
Men at work in Sheep Creek, the site in Wyoming where Diplodocus carnegii was discovered.
Discovery Basecamp
Pots from our archaeology collection on display in Discovery Basecamp, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s new permanent interactive gallery.
100-year-old Postcard: The Original Social Media
How did word get around about Carnegie Museum of Natural History before Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat? Postcards of course! Steve Rogers, our collection manager of... Continue Reading
Invertebrate Zoology
Stunning shades of yellows and oranges in the invertebrate zoology collections on display at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. (Photo by Hayley Pontia)
C is for Carnegie
The Carnegie “C” on the front doors of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Garfield Going Green
Proposed plans for Garfield Green Zone 2.0 When city neighborhoods undergo change, the words revitalization, innovation, and gentrification are often parts... Continue Reading
Dippy in Red
Dippy put his scarves back in the closest for now as he soaks in this spring weather! He’s sporting a red bandanna for a new... Continue Reading
Flow to Pittsburgh
by Patrick McShea The scene in a new mural on the second floor of Carnegie Museum of Natural History is a fall morning at Powdermill... Continue Reading
Dinohyus hollandi
Dinohyus hollandi translated from Latin means “terrible pig.” The fossils of this frightening, 6-foot-tall omnivore were found in Nebraska and are on display at Carnegie... Continue Reading
Zebra Duiker Dioramas
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Zebra Duikers are shown in their natural habitat, the coastal rain forests of Africa in the Hall of African... Continue Reading
Hard Head Fred the Crystal Skull
Meet Fred – the devilishly handsome life-sized crystal skull who has taken up residence in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s mineral collection. Fred’s spooky style... Continue Reading
Front Line Birds
Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s taxidermied Goshawk By Patrick McShea Best-selling books aren’t usually discussed during our daily 15-minute customer service personnel... Continue Reading
Orca Whale Headdress
This carving of an orca whale is actually a headdress made by the Tlingit, the indigenous people of the Pacific North West. Made of wood, tanned... Continue Reading
Happy Mother’s Day
Jane
Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex “Jane” (Photo by Hayley Pontia)
Critters in the Litter, Earth Day walks at Frick Park
Dr. Pearce with walk participants findingcritters in the leaf litter (Photo by Alice W. Doolittle.) by Timothy A. Pearce Since trees... Continue Reading
Race for the Cure
Dippy, our 22-foot tall dinosaur sculpture, is sporting pink this week for Sunday’s Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Pittsburgh!
Fire Destroys Museum Collection in Delhi
Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s collection includes 2855 specimens from India, mostly collected by Carl Gans and collaborators from the National... Continue Reading
Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems
A display in the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. (photo by Hayley Pontia)
The Amazing Life of Dr. Medicine Crow
Photo by Pete Souza Many national news sources across the country recognized his passing and fascinating life last month. NPR reported that Dr. Joseph Medicine... Continue Reading
Dippy Makes an Impression
By Laurie Giarratani Recently I had dinner with friends, one of whom recently visited Carnegie Museum of Natural History on a school field trip. After... Continue Reading
Do you think
Do you think this lion’s jaws ever gets tired of keeping the Grand Staircase lit at Carnegie Museum of Natural History?
The Camel’s Petite North American Ancestor
Did you know that camels originated in North America? Though camels today are most commonly seen padding across sand dunes in the expansive Sahara, their... Continue Reading
Feeding Albert the Alligator
Albert the American alligator is one of the reptiles housed in our Living Collection here at the museum. These animals are frequently used as ambassadors... Continue Reading
New Discovery Lets Researchers Get Inside a Dinosaur’s Head
The skull of Sarmientosaurus musacchioi at the discovery site in Argentina. (photo by Rubén Martínez) In some areas of the world,... Continue Reading
Superb Lyrebird
If you thought you were having a great hair day, check out the in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Bird Hall. Males Superb Lyrebird attract... Continue Reading
Cone Snails – Another Thing to Fear
In case sharks, rip tides, and tidal waves weren’t enough to keep you running away from the shoreline, lurking in shallow tropical waters and hidden... Continue Reading
Scarlet Cup fungus
Scarlet Cup fungus in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Hall of Botany.
Protoceratops andrewsi
Protoceratops andrewsi lived about 80 million years ago in what is now Mongolia and China. These horned dinosaurs stood only about two and a half... Continue Reading
Carnegie Museum Scientist Discovers New Species of Frog
Discovering a new species is no easy undertaking in 2016. Dr. José Padial and a team of scientists had to venture deep into the Amazonian... Continue Reading
In Defense of Dandelions
by Andrea Kautz Dandelions are surely one of the most detested weeds out there, but if you go out on a sunny spring day, you... Continue Reading
A Visit from the Vet
by Mallory Vopal The alligators in the Living Collection at Carnegie Museum of Natural History are always the stars of the show when they come... Continue Reading
Plants of the Northwest territories
From our botany collection: “Plants of the Northwest territories” that were collected on an expedition in the 1880s
Scientists on Specimen ID
Above: Timothy Pearce, Assistant Curator of Mollusks, helps identify a specimen. Can you stump the scientist? Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s... Continue Reading
Pyrite Concretion
(Photo by Debra Wilson) Multi-colored pyrite concretion from Russia
Local teens collaborate with scientists
Local teens collaborate with scientists on new exhibit at Carnegie Museum of Natural History by Scott Nobbs and Lindsey Scherloum After a year of learning... Continue Reading
Pterodactyl or Pterosaur?
Evolution of the Diorama
An Indoor Zoo Did you ever walk through the zoo and have the frustrating experience of not seeing the animals? Perhaps they were sleeping or... Continue Reading
Pterosaurs installed
Three new pterosaur casts were installed in late March and are now flying high over our museum’s prehistoric landscape. A flock of Cycnorhamphus pterosaurs were carefully... Continue Reading
2,400-year-old child mummy
Our 2,400-year-old child mummy in the Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt was excavated in Abydos, Egypt, in 1911. Not much was known about the child’s... Continue Reading
Blending Dark and Light
by Pat McShea A cast of a large leatherback sea turtle now swims overhead near the microscope station in Discovery Basecamp. In its suspended position, this... Continue Reading
This stunning mineral
Photo by Debra Wilson This stunning mineral is the most recent specimen to be exhibited in Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems at the Carnegie... Continue Reading
Stream Sentences
Photo courtesy of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy By Patrick McShea Among the joys of working as a museum educator are... Continue Reading
Unseen at Carnegie Museum of Natural History: The Alcohol House
Away from the public eye, scientists at Carnegie Museum of Natural History have access to more than 200,000 jarred, labeled, and perfectly preserved specimens stored... Continue Reading
AP3: Antarctica Peninsula Paleontology Project
AP3: Antarctica Peninsula Paleontology Project February 29–March 6, 2016 Project G-182-N (PI Matt Lamanna) The team completed several of its research objectives and continued to... Continue Reading
Egg-cellently Prepared
Museum staff was hard at work last week stuffing more than 4,000 eggs for the annual Egg-cellent Egg Hunt on March 26. The first 600... Continue Reading
North American Wildlife Mural
Visitors to our Hall of North American Wildlife are currently able to watch artists transform a previously blank wall into an intricate and scientifically accurate... Continue Reading
Prehistoric Egg Hunt
For many years, Paleontologists were on an egg hunt that extended way beyond Easter. Until 1997, scientists did not know much about the way sauropods... Continue Reading
Diplodocus carnegii
Paleontologists prepare Diplodocus carnegii for display.
Shabtis
Shabtis, small statues found in ancient Egyptian tombs, are on display in the Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt.
Bee-balm
Bee-balm (Monarda didyma Linnaeus) specimen in the Botany collection. Image credit: Josh Franzos/Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
AP3: Antarctica Peninsula Paleontology Project
Sunset over camp on Vega Island. The eastern shore of James Ross Island and the RVIB Nathaniel B. Palmer are visible... Continue Reading
Ireland in the Ice Age
Long before St. Patrick chased the snakes out of Ireland, the Megaloceros giganteus strutted across the Emerald Isle during the Ice Age sporting antlers that... Continue Reading
A Look Back at Carnegie Quarry
Scientists at work in Carnegie Quarry National Dinosaur Monument, discovered in Utah by Carnegie Museum paleontologist Earl Douglass in 1909. The quarry yielded thousands of... Continue Reading
A New Way to Study Climate Change
Students from Shady Side Academy Middle School studied our extensive fossil collection last week to learn about theories of climate, extinction, and evolution. Albert Kollar,... Continue Reading
Take a Tortoise for a Walk
Betty the leopard tortoise Natasha the Russian tortoise By Mallory Vopal On sunny days when the temperature... Continue Reading
X-ray of a Cat Mummy
Color Returns
By Patrick McShea Within the Hall of Botany, a male wood duck’s beautiful plumage shares splendor with the fall foliage of a quaking bog in... Continue Reading
Live from Antarctica!
Eric Dorfman and one of the many young aspiring paleontologists who attended The crowd at Forbes Digital... Continue Reading
AP3 Antarctica Peninsula Paleontology Project 2016
Q: What is the biggest anticipated challenge facing the expedition? A: The thing that concerns us the most are the weather and climate conditions in... Continue Reading
AP3: Expedition 2016
“It’s not just dino bones we’re seeking. Here’s some fossilized wood found on Cape Lamb.” Matt Lamanna is a paleontologist and the principal dinosaur researcher... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Lima
The bizarre, and beautiful, “naked” peruvian dog (perro calato de sechura in Spanish), a common companion of local peoples. [caption id="attachment_274"... Continue Reading
Signature Specimen
This signature specimen is a hemimorphite after calcite with greenockite inclusions from near Joplin, Missouri. It was donated to the museum in 1897 and was... Continue Reading
Fast Cat and Invisible Insects
by Patrick McShea An argument can be made that one of the more interesting features within this diorama are the reddish earthen mounds framing the... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Lima
A large crowd meets at night a park of Lima to watch marine biology and and conservation documentaries during an open... Continue Reading
AP3 Expedition 2016
Q: Will you be digging under deep layers of ice? A: We will not be digging through ice for our expedition. Our expedition is timed... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Ayacucho
Dr. Santiago Castroviejo talking about the wonders of glassfrogs (Centrolenidae) A poster of the non-profit Pro Fauna... Continue Reading
AP3 Expedition 2016
AP3 Expedition 2016: Sunset at Vega Camp (photo: Pat O'Connor) Matt Lamanna, is a paleontologist and the principal dinosaur researcher at Carnegie Museum of Natural... Continue Reading
Black and Gold Advantage
by Patrick McShea Recently, when a middle school science teacher borrowed a set of taxidermy mounts to stimulate class discussions about natural selection, I included... Continue Reading
AP3 Expedition 2016
Q: How do you find fossils in Antarctica? A: In brief, there are basically two ways by which one can determine where to look... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Herps
An individual of diminutive frog (ca. 1.5 cm) in the genus Noblella, which includes some of the smallest known vertebrates. (Photo... Continue Reading
AP3: Antarctica Peninsula Paleontology Project
February 15–18 We continued work on Sandwich Bluff and two helicopter-supported day trips to Seymour Island. Both of these areas produced an abundance of well-preserved... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba: The First Helicopter Flight
The town of Pichari at the shore of the Apurimac River. (Photo Maira Duarte). Right before our... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Herps
A new species of Pristimantis from the cloud forests of Vilcabamba. (Photo Giussepe Gagliardi). A new species... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
A view of the neighborhood from our hotel room in Pichari. (Photo Maira Duarte). Herpetologists Roberto Gutiérrez... Continue Reading
AP3: Antarctica Peninsula Paleontology Project
Project G-291-N’s discovery of one of the largest inoceramid clams ever reported, in Late Cretaceous sediments of Dreadnought Point. From left... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
Charging electronic devices using solar energy during a short period of sun. (Photo Maira Duarte). Reading time... Continue Reading
When Collections Come Alive!
by Mallory Vopal The Carnegie Museum of Natural History has many rich and fascinating collections from around the world, but did you know that we... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba: Pichari
February 23, 2016 We are back in the town of Pichari. During the last week we opened a track along a zigzagging ridge and reached... Continue Reading
Snail eating snails: two species become one
by Timothy Pearce The land snail family Haplotrematidae is widespread in North America. They are omnivorous, eating other snails as well as plants. Western North... Continue Reading
AP3 Antarctica Peninsula Paleontology Project 2016
A few recent images: SnowDay Camp Set Up (we were putting up additional tents for additional people coming into Vega) and coffee in camp on... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
A different species of bluish butterfly sleeping under a leaf at night (Photo Juan C. Chaparro). Wilbert... Continue Reading
AP3 Expedition
AP3 Expedition: Antarctica peninsula paleontology project 2016.
What’s in a name?
by John Wible Once discovered, every organism on Earth ends up with a formal scientific name in addition to an informal common name. Sometimes those... Continue Reading
Antarctica Peninsula Paleontology Project: Robertson Island
February 14, 2016 Part of the team (Eric Roberts, Matt Lamanna, Julia Clarke, and Pat O'Connor) went down to Robertson Island. The weather was perfect.... Continue Reading
Students + Staff: Co-Creating a Dynamic Museum Profession at Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
by Erin Peters Today’s museums strive to be increasingly relevant, ethical, and responsible public-facing institutions by engaging with issues like accessibility, diversity, collaboration, and inclusion.... Continue Reading
World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) interviews Eric Dorfman
World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) interviewed Eric Dorfman for their February 2016 newsletter. The following are excerpts from that article: Q: Recently you... Continue Reading
Blue Fleece Jacket
by Patrick McShea Call it simple digital entertainment. While checking the Tumblr blog of Carnegie Museum of Natural History for pictures and progress reports from... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
Park ranger Angel Castellanos, biologist Liz Gomez Ore, and Maira Duarte with their bowls of masato during the Ashaninka celebration. (Photo... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Pichari
Connecting to the internet from near Camp 1. (Photo Maira Duarte). A mouse opossum sits at night... Continue Reading
Vilcabamba mountains of Peru
One of the three bridges that connect Camp 1 and Camp 2. (Photo Maira Duarte) A secretive... Continue Reading
AP3 Antarctic Peninsula Paleontology Project 2016
February 14, 2016 Put in camp today on Vega Island. Already found bones & ammonites! Oh, and leopard seals too. #ExpeditionAP3 Matt Lamanna has served... Continue Reading
Valentine’s Day
Feeling lots of butterflies this Valentine’s Day?
AP3 Antarctic Peninsula Paleontology Project 2016
February 12, 2016 Here’s the first iceberg we came across. It was a beauty! Matt Lamanna has served as the lead Principal Investigator and project... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Pichari
José Padial and his team of researchers are traveling in the remote Vilcabamba mountains in Peru. He blogs and sends photos as often as possible... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Pichari
During a failed attempt to connect with our BGAN satellite communicator. (Photo Jose Padial) Maira Duarte climbing... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Pichari
From Camp 2, rainbow emerges after the rain from the Sevishari river valley. (Photo Maira Duarte) Roberto... Continue Reading
Where will they go next?
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Pichari
From Camp 2, rainbow emerges after the rain from the Sevishari river valley. (Photo Maira Duarte) Roberto... Continue Reading
Winterwerk
An example of Swiss “Winterwerk” c 1780 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show (Photo by Eric Dorfman)
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Pichari
Maira Duarte climbing the steep slope along the ridge that leads to Camp 2. (Photo Jose Padial) ... Continue Reading
Postcard of Diplodocus carnegii skeleton cast
Postcard of Diplodocus carnegii skeleton cast at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. Arthur Coggeshall and William Holland from the Carnegie Museum, along with Marcellin... Continue Reading
AP3: Antarctica Peninsula Paleontology Project 2016
February 10, 2016 Day 3 of our cruise and we’re in the Drake Passage–the body of water between South America and Antarctica–which is said to... Continue Reading
Powdermill Nature Reserve
“Our nets are like a box of chocolate, you never know what you’re going to get. Our January morsel: a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. The only other... Continue Reading
Making their way to Antarctica
Matt Lamanna and Steve Salisbury and the AP3 crew making their way to Antarctica. Read their hourly updates on Twitter (@antarcticdinos).
In an age of humans, can the arts save the planet?
William Turner, Rain Steam and Speed - the Great Western Railway (1856) by Eric Dorfman The rapid decline of the global... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
A smart looking Enyalioides lizard (Hoplocercidae). (Photo by Giussepe Gagliardi). A beautiful species of snake of the... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
A tropidurid lizard (Tropiduridae) found sleeping at night on a tree trunk. (Photo by Giussepe Gagliardi). Four... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
Vilcabamba, Camp 1, on the confluence of the Pichari and Meanteari Rivers. (Blog 12: Part 2 of 2) February 03, 2016 ... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
Vilcabamba, Camp 1, on the confluence of the Pichari and Meanteari Rivers. (Blog 12: Part 1 of 2) February 03, 2016 We are all safe and... Continue Reading
Reunited with his robin!
Eight-year-old Chris Fleischner proudly donated a robin to Carnegie Museum of Natural History in 1979. Now 36 years later, he’s been reunited with his bird!... Continue Reading
AP3 Antarctica Paleontology Project
Fur seals (Meng) AP3 Antarctica Paleontology Project 2016 begins soon.
Spiny, Cuppy and a box full of Dunkin’ Donuts.
Spiny, Cuppy and a box full of Dunkin’ Donuts. You don’t see that everyday. (at KDKA-TV)
Eastern Pondhawk
Eastern Pondhawk (female) (Erythemis simplicicollis) at Powdermill Nature Reserve.
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Expedition Schedule
Lake Parodi in the upper area of Vilcabamba, the highest area to be surveyed during the expedition, and the one were... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
Moving around in Pichari by motocar. Street of Pichari at sunset. Pichari river,... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
Ashaninka village of Marontuari, on the slopes of Vilcabamba (photo by Juan C. Chaparro) Meeting in Marountuari... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Heading to the Amazon
Loading our pick up truck in Ayacucho. Cultivated fields in the inter Andean valleys. [caption id="attachment_1179" align="aligncenter"... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Ayacucho
Small churches made of linco clay keep bad spirits away and decorate the roofs of houses of Ayacucho and the Huamanga... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Lima, Cargo to VRAEM
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Lima, Cargo to VRAEM January 24, 2016 Our load is ready to travel. We found a transport company that delivers cargo... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
Roberto Gutierrez, from the Natural History Museum in Arequipa, and Juan Carlos Chaparro, from the Natural History Museum of Cusco, wonder... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Street Art of Lima
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Street Art of Lima January 23, 2016 The streets of Lima have been taken over by muralists who have added shades... Continue Reading
George, the Silverback Lowland Gorilla
Silverback Lowland Gorilla A resident of the Pittsburgh Zoo in the 1960s and 1970s, George was an amiable gorilla known for... Continue Reading
Nyctosaurus fossil
This is one of the most complete of this species of pterosaurs ever found with wingspans measuring up to 9 feet. Image © Carnegie Museum... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016: Preparations
Three carts worth of food is our heaviest load for the expedition: 40 Kg of rice, 24 Kg of pasta, 12... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
Sunset from Barranco, Bahía del Callao, Lima. Old mansion in Barranco, Lima. Bahía... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
Another famous Peruvian dish is "causa" ($4), prepared with a base of yellow Peruvian potatoes--there are about 4,000 potato (Solanum tuberosum)... Continue Reading
Notocolossus gonzalezparejasi
Notocolossus life reconstruction. Credit: Taylor Maggiacomo Research team: Leonardo Ortiz David (Universidad Nacional de Cuyo) Dr. Bernardo... Continue Reading
Eastern tiger swallowtail
Eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) at Powdermill Nature Reserve. Image © Joe Stavish/Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
Packing equipment for the Discoverers Expedition to Vilcabamba 2016. Photo taken at the Amphibians and Reptiles Section’ office of Carnegie Museum... Continue Reading
Discoverers Expedition Vilcabamba 2016
2008 Previous expedition photo on the Kimbiri River, on the slopes of Vilcabamba in 2008. In the picture, José M. Padial,... Continue Reading
Baby-friendly privacy area
This space, located near our newly renovated Discovery Basecamp with lots of touchable objects, is a baby-friendly privacy area for breastfeeding mothers. Check out the... Continue Reading
Welcome to the Alcohol House
Did you ever wonder what goes on behind all those closed doors in a museum? Welcome to the Alcohol House–so dubbed because its specimens (reptiles... Continue Reading
Funerary Customs: Mummification
Life in Ancient Egypt Funerary Customs: Mummification The process of mummification, the form of embalming practiced by the ancient Egyptians, changed over time from the... Continue Reading
Humpback whale
Paleontologist Matt Lamanna caught this image of a Humpback whale on his expedition in Greenland in 2014. Whale Males produce a complex song lasting up... Continue Reading
Crane fly
Adult head of crane fly (Erioptera) enlarged by a scanning electron microscope. © Carnegie Museum of Natural History. (at Carnegie Museum... Continue Reading
Cast of a pterosaur egg
This cast of a pterosaur egg shows a fossilized pterosaur curled up, with its wings wrapped around its body. The skeleton is nearly complete, indicating... Continue Reading
Punctum minutissimum
How can research shape our understanding of the local natural world? In 1985 the smallest land snail in Pennsylvania, Punctum minutissimum, was reported to be... Continue Reading
Smoky Quartz
Smoky Quartz, Amazonite from Colorado. Image © Carnegie Museum of Natural History. (at Carnegie Museum of Natural History)
Rhamphorhynchus muensteri fossil
. ©AMNH/C. Chesek In this well-preserved Rhamphorhynchus muensteri fossil, researchers detected layers of skin threaded with blood vessels, muscles and long fibers that stiffened the... Continue Reading
Portion of a Stela
Portion of a stela (painted limestone). The inscription says that this offering stela was made by Wennefer, son of Paiwenhor, and dedicated to Osiris. (ca.... Continue Reading
Funerary Customs: Weighing of the Heart
Sarcophagus. Image © Carnegie Museum of Natural History The ancient Egyptians believed that the heart recorded all of the good and... Continue Reading
Aurora Trout (1927)
In 1923 the Aurora Trout was discovered by four Pittsburgh angelers in the Latchford area of Ontario, Canada. The next year Carnegie Museum of Natural... Continue Reading
Bear’s Head Tooth Mushroom
Bear’s Head Tooth Mushroom (Hericium americanum) at Powdermill Nature Reserve. Image © Joe Stavish / Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Black Swallowtail caterpillar
Black Swallowtail caterpillar (Papilio polyxenes) at Powdermill Nature Reserve. Image © Joe Stavish / Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Microraptor fossil
This microraptor fossil was illegally brought into the U.S. and will be returned to China thanks to the efforts by Carnegie Museum of Natural History... Continue Reading
Roseate Spoonbill (1890-1910)
Around 1850 the study of natural history became a worldwide phenomenon, and with it, a fascination with taxidermy. As it became fashionable to display birds... Continue Reading
Dolichorhynchops bonneri
Dolichorhynchops bonneri, one of the swiftest predators in the Cretaceous seas. It used its four powerful flippers to chase down fast-moving prey. Once it caught... Continue Reading
Mississippian coelacanth
#FossilFriday: Caridosuctor, a Mississippian coelacanth
Tyrannosaurus rex
In 1905 the name “Tyrannosaurus rex” was given to this highly-recognized dinosaur.
Discovered by a team of Carnegie scientists in 1899
Discovered by a team of Carnegie scientists in 1899, “Dippy” is renowned for being the first major dinosaur fossil in our collection and one of... Continue Reading
Blue Jays
Did you know that the pigment of Blue Jays is actually brown but they appear blue because the barbules which feathers are composed of scatter... Continue Reading
Finely crystallized “azurite sun”
Finely crystallized “azurite sun” concretion 12.2 cm in diameter from near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. This is the best specimen of... Continue Reading
Longhorn beetle
Longhorn beetle, a member of family Cerambycidae, at Powdermill Nature Reserve. Image credit: © Joe Stavish/Carnegie Museum of Natural History. (at Powdermill Nature Reserve)
Spinel from Vietnam
#MineralMonday: Spinel from Vietnam. Highly fluorescent crystals under Long Wave Ultraviolet light to 1.2 cm. Image © Carnegie Museum of Natural History. (at Carnegie Museum... Continue Reading
This cast of a fossil of Nemicolopterus crypticus
This cast of a fossil of Nemicolopterus crypticus, one of the smallest pterosaurs, was discovered in northeastern China in 2008. Its fossil skeleton, with its... Continue Reading
This horned frog (Ceratophrys cornuta) is ready to hunt.
This horned frog (Ceratophrys cornuta) is ready to hunt. It sits motionless in the leaves and waits until something moves. If tasty, it will try... Continue Reading
Thalassodromeus sethi
Thalassodromeus sethi had a crest three times larger than the entire rest of its skull, when seen from the side. It had the largest crest... Continue Reading
Juvenile Rainbow Boa
The iridescent sheen in the skin of this juvenile rainbow boa (Epichrates cenchria) inspired its name. Unlike many other boas, rainbow boas are mostly terrestrial... Continue Reading
Recently Discovered Pterosaur
carnegiemuseumnaturalhistory: This recently discovered pterosaur, found in Liaoning Province, China, has a long, straight tail, like most primitive species on the pterosaur evolutionary tree. But... Continue Reading
Dendropsophus sarayacuensis
A male Dendropsophus sarayacuensis calls from a branch in an open swamp. Frog choruses in the Amazon can have more than twenty species calling all... Continue Reading
The colorful Ameerega Macero
The colorful Ameerega macero, a poison arrow frog of the family Dendrobatidae. This and other species of dendrobatids are considered poisonous because their skin contains... Continue Reading
Expedition Antarctic: Peninsula Paleontology Project 2016
Nathaniel B. Palmer Expedition Antarctic: Peninsula Paleontology Project 2016 Begins February 2, 2016 With support from the National Science Foundation and... Continue Reading
Scaphognathus
Scaphognathus was a pterosaur that lived in what is now Germany during the Late Jurassic about 150 million years ago. This fossil preserves an incomplete... Continue Reading
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