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| Idaho Museum of Natural History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Idaho Museum of Natural History |
| Caption | Museum building on the campus of Idaho State University |
| Established | 1934 |
| Location | Pocatello, Idaho, United States |
| Type | Natural history museum |
| Director | Mark F. Romick (interim) |
| Publictransit | Pocatello Regional Transit |
Idaho Museum of Natural History is a public natural history museum located on the campus of Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho. The museum preserves paleontological, anthropological, biological, and geological collections that document the natural and cultural history of Idaho and the surrounding Great Basin, Intermountain West, and Snake River Plain regions. It serves as a regional research center, public exhibit space, and educational resource for university students, K–12 schools, and the general public.
Founded in 1934 as the Museum of the Idaho State College natural history collection, the institution developed through affiliations with Idaho State University and state cultural initiatives, expanding during the mid-20th century alongside growth in Pocatello and Bannock County. Significant milestones include acquisition of large vertebrate fossil collections originally collected by field teams associated with Museum of Comparative Zoology-style expeditions and state geological surveys, mid-century curation projects influenced by curators trained at Smithsonian Institution, and accreditation and professionalization in the late 20th century under guidance from organizations such as the American Alliance of Museums and the Society for American Archaeology. Collaborative fieldwork and exhibit exchanges increased ties with institutions including the Natural History Museum of Utah, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and the University of Idaho.
The museum houses extensive collections in vertebrate paleontology, paleoecology, archaeology, ethnography, vertebrate zoology, invertebrate zoology, herpetology, ichthyology, ornithology, and geology. Notable holdings include Miocene and Pliocene vertebrate fossils from the John Day Formation, Swan Valley, and Eocene Green River Formation–style localities, Pleistocene megafauna associated with Bonneville Flood contexts, and archaeological materials from Shoshone, Bannock, and Nez Perce cultural sites. Exhibits feature mounted skeletons, fossil casts, lithic assemblages, taxidermy specimens, mineralogy displays, and rotating special exhibitions curated in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, the American Museum of Natural History, and regional museums. The collections serve as type or reference material for paleontological and archaeological research, and many specimens are cataloged under accession systems used by research institutions like the American Society of Mammalogists.
Research at the museum spans paleontology, zooarchaeology, paleoecology, osteology, and cultural heritage studies, with projects conducted by museum curators, Idaho State University faculty, and graduate students. Field programs include stratigraphic surveys, isotopic analyses, radiocarbon dating collaborations with laboratories associated with University of Arizona and University of Washington, and faunal identification projects supporting agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management and the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office. Educational activities include formal university coursework cross-listed with departments such as Geology (Idaho State University), Anthropology (Idaho State University), and outreach programs aligned with standards from National Science Teachers Association and partnerships with regional school districts including Pocatello/Chubbuck School District.
The museum occupies a purpose-adapted building on the Idaho State University campus featuring climate-controlled collection rooms, a preparation laboratory, conservation suites, and exhibit galleries. Facilities include a fossil prep lab equipped for mechanical and chemical preparation, an osteology reference room, a paleobotany microscope suite, and a digital imaging studio supporting 3D scanning and photogrammetry used in collaboration with institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution and universities that maintain digital repositories. Public amenities include interactive learning spaces, a museum store, and accessible exhibition areas connected to campus resources such as the Miller Hall and nearby Pocatello Regional Transit services.
The museum conducts community programming including docent-led tours, family science nights, summer camps, teacher professional development workshops, and traveling exhibits that visit libraries, community centers, and tribal schools of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Collaborative initiatives include citizen science projects, fossil identification events, lecture series with visiting scholars from institutions like the University of Utah and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and partnerships with cultural organizations such as the Idaho State Historical Society and regional heritage festivals.
Governance includes oversight by Idaho State University administration, an advisory board comprised of academics, community leaders, and museum professionals, and alignment with state cultural policy administered by entities like the Idaho Commission on the Arts. Funding sources combine state appropriations, university support, grants from foundations such as the National Science Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, philanthropic donations, membership fees, admission income, and competitive research grants awarded to collaborating universities including Boise State University and University of Idaho.
Category:Museums in Bannock County, Idaho Category:Natural history museums in Idaho