Morrill Hall-University of Nebraska State Museum

Lincoln, Nebraska; Lancaster County

The University of Nebraska State Museum, established in 1871, is the top museum in the state for natural history. Its goal is to discover and share knowledge about the natural world through education and research.

At Morrill Hall, visitors can enjoy interactive exhibits that showcase Nebraska’s past and present biological diversity, as well as its cultural heritage. The museum is located on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln City Campus, near the corner of 14th and Vine Streets in Lincoln, Nebraska. It spans four levels and boasts 70,000 square feet of exhibition space.

Morrill Hall is famous for its paleontological displays, including the iconic Elephant Hall, where visitors can view the world’s largest articulated fossil Columbian mammoth and a unique collection of fossil elephants from Nebraska. The museum also has interactive exhibits on paleontology, such as a Jurassic dinosaur gallery. The fourth floor has been recently renovated and features a Smithsonian-inspired Visible Lab, a hands-on Science Exploration Zone, and a Sustainable Earth gallery with a 5-foot diameter digital globe. Visitors can also explore our Universe and our place in it at the onsite Mueller Planetarium. The museum hosts temporary exhibits on various topics in addition to its permanent galleries.

As a research-based museum affiliated with the University, faculty-curators, students, and staff maintain a collection of over 13 million specimens, ethnographic, and archeological objects.