News
New Educational Programming
Sustainability Day
This is a new program for middle and high school students. It includes a campus tour focusing on sustainable practices, visiting the solar thermal water heating system and the solar panel pavilion, and a tour of the Oakes Museum focusing on how unsustainable practices affect animal populations. Visit our Field Trip page for more information.
Homeschool Days
Beginning in January 2013, The Oakes Museum of Natural History will be offering three days of educational, science-enrichment programming for homeschool families. Each day will include group lessons, hands-on activities, time for families to discover at their own pace and take-home extensions. Visit our Field Trip page for more information.
Exhibits
New Exhibit - "Naked Canaries" a photographic exhibition by Dr. John Cossel.
Naked Canaries is a photographic exploration of the beauty and biology of amphibians, the causes of their decline and their message for us all. The exhibit contrasts the beautiful colors and textures of healthy frogs with the dark and perhaps disturbing images of frogs that have suffered from various factors responsible for their decline. Many of the frogs were photographed in the tropical forests of Costa Rica where Dr. Cossel and students conducted research on one of the diseases killing frogs world-wide.
The exhibition opens on Saturday, February 9, 2013 and runs through May 18, 2013. The exhibit is located in the African Watering Hole.
Dr. Cossel is a Professor of Biology at Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, Idaho.
Native American Ojibwe Regalia
"Regalia is who we are. It is part of our culture. " - Dale Singer
Part of the Singer Collection of Native American Artifacts, the authentic Ojibwe regalia is made of elk hide, turkey bones, and abalone shell. It features a prayer fan, medicine bag, and symbolic beads. This exhibit is located on the North American Floor.
Not Your Average Rocks
Do you think a rock is just a rock? Find out more about the unique properties and interesting characteristics of rocks and minerals such as quartz, magnetite, and amethyst. This exhibit is located on the North American Floor.
Stouffer Farm Excavation Exhibit
An ongoing, collaborative archaeology project with Messiah College's history department, this exhibit features artifacts from the 2010 excavation. This exhibit is located in the Chesapeake Bay Gallery.
North American Exhibit
Come nose-to-nose with an Alaskan Moose, the most recent acquisition in our North American animal collection.
Grantham's Pre-historic Landscapes Exhibit
Created for the Spring 2010 Humanities Symposium, this exhibit includes artifacts and pictures revealing the historical significance of Grantham, Pennsylvania to Messiah College. This exhibit is located on the African Floor.
For the Kids
Sensory Discovery Room
Children of all ages can observe rocks, minerals, shells, reptiles, and amphibians up close. Use the microscope to take a closer look at items from nature! Select a coloring page or track rubbing of your favorite Pennsylvania animal. Read a book about the animals found in the museum. Enjoy learning more about nature in this hands on room.
Museum Store
Looking for unique gifts or educational items that will enhance your museum experience after your visit? Our store is stocked with quality books, puppets, geological specimens and souvenirs for all ages.