Alabama Museum Of Natural History

Alabama Museum Of Natural History

The Alabama Museum of Natural History is the state’s natural history museum, located in Smith Hall at the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa. The oldest museum in the state, it was founded in 1831. The exhibits depict the natural diversity of Alabama from the Age of Dinosaurs, the Coal Age, and the Ice Age. Collections include items relating to geology, zoology, mineralogy, paleontology, ethnology, history, and photography. The Grand Gallery Exhibition Hall houses a replica of a Basilosaurus cetoides, an Eocene whale that has been designated as the State Fossil. Exhibits of special interest include the skull of an American mastodon dredged from the Tombigbee River near Demopolis and the Hodges meteorite. The latter hit a woman as it fell to earth near Sylacauga on November 30, 1954. The museum sponsors expeditions throughout the year, as it has since 1979.

The Smith Hall Alabama Museum Of Natural History Wedding

Courtney and Jeremy had a beautiful wedding on the campus of the University of Alabama in Smith Hall- which just so happens to have a massive dinosaur skeleton hanging from above. What I love about Courtney and Jeremy is that they actually kind of loved that dinosaur instead of wanting to take it down. Thats the kind of couple they are- they roll with whatever life throws their way! They had a beautiful and intimate first look at Shelby Hall before their ceremony. Courtney also did a first look with her dad that I think had everyone around in tears

Bulletin Of The Alabama Museum Of Natural History

The Bulletin is published by the Alabama Museum of Natural History, a unit of The University of Alabama. The Bulletin is devoted primarily to scholarship and research concerning the natural history of Alabama and the Southeast, and is published on an irregular schedule with consecutively numbered issues.

The Bulletin succeeds its predecessor, the Museum Papers, which was terminated in 1961 upon the transfer of the Museum to the University from its parent organization, the Geological Survey of Alabama.

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The Museums Building History

The Alabama Museum of Natural History, with thousands of invaluable specimens from all lines of scientific research, is a lasting monument to the energy, labor, and love exhibited by Dr. Eugene Allen Smith. He was appointed as state geologist in 1873 and Dr. Smith spent nearly 40 years surveying, mapping, and collecting scientific specimens throughout the state of Alabama.

According to historic records, the cornerstone for Smith Hall was laid on May 28, 1907. Alumni President Hill Ferguson placed in the cornerstone documents and souvenirs which would help some yet unborn generation glimpse the glory of the day. The construction of Smith Hall was completed in the fall of 1909 and it was formally dedicated with appropriate pomp and ceremony at Commencement, May 5, 1910.

Smith Hall consists of a three-story central section built to house the Alabama Museum of Natural History and has a two-story north and south wing. The north wing originally housed the Department of Biology and the matching south wing was for the Department of Geology. Both wings still contain classrooms and labs used by students today. The basement currently houses the Museums teaching collections and field research equipment.

ALMNH Links

National Fossil Day At The Alabama Museum Of Natural History

The APS was thrilled to be back out interacting with the public at this years National Fossil Day event at the Alabama Museum of Natural History on the University of Alabama Campus in Tuscaloosa. The event was held on the afternoon and evening, Wednesday, October 13. The APS was represented by Ashley, Prescott, Carl, and Jim B. There was a good crowd that came through the main hall visiting the various tables. The National theme this year was the late Cretaceous of which we certainly have represented in Alabama.

We had three tables of fossils covering the Mississippian, Pennsylvanian, and Cretaceous of Alabama as well as some late Cretaceous dinosaur and other fossils from the western United States.

We look forward to next year, as it was a wonderful evening. Maybe next year it will be without the masks!

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County And Local Governments

Alabama has 67 counties. Each county has its own elected legislative branch, usually called the county commission. It also has limited executive authority in the county. Because of the constraints of the Alabama Constitution, which centralizes power in the state legislature, only seven counties in the state have limited home rule. Instead, most counties in the state must lobby the Local Legislation Committee of the state legislature to get simple local policies approved, ranging from waste disposal to land use zoning.

The state legislature has retained power over local governments by refusing to pass a constitutional amendment establishing home rule for counties, as recommended by the 1973 Alabama Constitutional Commission. Legislative delegations retain certain powers over each county. United States Supreme Court decisions in Baker v. Carr required that both houses have districts established on the basis of population, and redistricted after each census, to implement the principle of “one man, one vote”. Before that, each county was represented by one state senator, leading to under-representation in the state senate for more urbanized, populous counties. The rural bias of the state legislature, which had also failed to redistrict seats in the state house, affected politics well into the 20th century, failing to recognize the rise of industrial cities and urbanized areas.

Lost Worlds In Alabama Rocks

Lost Worlds in Alabama Rocks: A Guide to the States Ancient Life and Landscapes. Jim Lacefield. 276 pp. more than 700 color photos, Second Printing of Revised and Expanded Second Edition 2018. $37.50.

Long before the world as we now know it came into being, other very different worlds existed at this same spot on Earth. They were not imaginary worlds described in mythology or science fiction stories, but worlds every bit as real as our own. These lost worlds of the Earths past are not really lost, however. They have left an extensive record of their existence in the form of rocks and fossils.

Lost Worlds In Alabama Rocks tells the story of one small part of the Earth, the land we call Alabama, and the changes that have taken place in its landscape and life over the past half-billion years. It offers the reader a guided tour through the states geological history and explains many of the scientific tools and techniques used to reconstruct this history.

This beginners guide, by Jim Lacefield, has been created especially for Alabamas Earth Science teachers and students, outdoor enthusiasts, natural history buffs, and anyone interested in exploring the epic story of how this land and its life have developed through time.

Second Printing of Revised and Expanded Second Edition8 ½ x 11/276 pp Hard CoverOver 700 color images

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Department Of Museum Research And Collections

This department is one of the youngest additions to the University of Alabama Museums. It was created in 2016 and under the direction of Dr. John C. Abbott, and is responsible for overseeing the management and curation of the UA Museums collections and developing interdisciplinary research programs across the University that focus on museum-based research. The department is made up of five full-time staff and works closely with 14 Curators across six different university departments.

Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum

The Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum serves to broaden the knowledge of transportation related topics that gave rise to the City of Tuscaloosas development and human culture through exhibits and quality programs of research, instruction, and service.

The Warner Transportation Museum is housed in the historic Queen City Pool House on Jack Warner Parkway, built in 1943 by architect Don Buel Schuyler, an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright. The community used the pool and the pool house until it was closed in the 1980s. On December 13, 2011, the renovated bath house was officially reopened as the Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum, with exhibits tracing the citys history through the development of its transportation systems.

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Office Of Archaeological Research

The University of Alabamas Office of Archaeological Research has over 40 years of experience providing archaeological and historic research and cultural resources management services to multiple federal, Native American tribal, state, and local governmental agencies as well as private and commercial clients. OARs priority is to assist our clients to meet certain technical and environmental regulatory requirements to successfully accomplish their objectives.

The Alabama Museum Of Natural History

• Bo HesterFebruary 1, 2014Bring a friend and spend some time getting to know your history.
• JD MaloneSeptember 8, 2015Quite interesting and the staff were very friendly when asking questions.
• Justin LisenbySeptember 29, 2014Has lots of cool artifacts and exhibits.
• Kelli HarrisJuly 19, 2012Stop by the information desk and get a free copy of the Museum’s newsletter.

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• alabama museum of natural history tuscaloosa & #149
• the alabama museum of natural history tuscaloosa & #149

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