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All the United States Iowa Iowa City University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

The oldest university museum west of the Mississippi retains its 19th century feel.

Iowa City, Iowa

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Allison Meier
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Taxidermy display   hampandle/Flickr
Museum of Natural History at the University of Iowa   Billwhittaker/Wikimedia
Bandicoot taxidermy   groppi/Flickr
Giant sloth recreation   groppi/Flickr
Sea Lion Skeleton   Ragnar of Ballard / Atlas Obscura User
Rusty, unofficial mascot of Iowa City   Ragnar of Ballard / Atlas Obscura User
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The University of Iowa Museum of Natural History was founded in 1858 and has now grown to around 115,000 specimens, with herds of taxidermy animals, prehistoric stone tools, and artifacts from the Philippines that were once on display at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. Located on the University of Iowa campus, the focal points of the museum are definitely the Mammal Hall and the Bird Hall. Both are crowded with taxidermy creatures big and small, yet the museum's most eye-catching display might be the massive recreation of a giant sloth. While the museum continues to evolve for the next generation of researchers and visitors, it still retains a feel of its long history in its halls. 

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Museums Natural History Taxidermy

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Allison

Edited By

mjmeiers19, Ragnar of Ballard

  • mjmeiers19
  • Ragnar of Ballard

Published

September 16, 2013

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University of Iowa Museum of Natural History
17 N Clinton Sreet
Iowa City, Iowa, 52240
United States
41.661832, -91.53549
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