Museum of Natural and Cultural History

The University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History, also known as the UO Natural History Museum, is a significant natural history museum located at the University of Oregon in Eugene. It is situated near Hayward Field on the east side of the UO campus and is the largest natural history museum between Seattle and San Francisco. The museum is a center for archaeological and paleontological research in the Pacific Northwest and the wider world.

Museum's Headquarters and Design

The museum's headquarters and public spaces are located at 1680 East 15th Avenue. The building's design is inspired by the architecture of Pacific Northwest Native longhouses, adding a unique cultural touch to the museum's structure. This location is where visitors can explore the museum's various exhibits and collections.

Divisions of the Museum

The museum is divided into four main divisions: the Condon Paleontological Collection, an Archaeological Research Division, an Anthropological Collections division, and a Public Programs Division. Each division houses a unique set of collections and exhibits, offering a wide range of learning opportunities for visitors.

Museum's Collections

The museum's collections are vast and diverse, including nearly 100,000 fossils from Oregon, the Pacific Northwest, and around the world. It also houses nearly a million archaeological artifacts, including the famous Fort Rock sandals, which are among the oldest shoes in the world, dating back approximately 10,000 years. The museum also boasts extensive ethnographic collections from cultures worldwide, including over 1500 Native American baskets, and thousands of comparative specimens from modern or historical birds, mammals, reptiles, marine and freshwater shells, and other organisms.