U of A Museum Open House

About this event

This family-friendly open house event will give visitors an opportunity to explore the museum and participate in activities, including some connected to the mastodon naming campaign that took place earlier this fall.

The campaign began earlier this fall when the museum invited the public to suggest a name for its mastodon skull cast, an object acquired by the University Museum in the early 1900s. Historic photographs suggest the skull may have been on public display as early as 1902. Museum staff reassembled the skull earlier this year, providing an opportunity to reintroduce it to the public and, after more than a century, finally give it a name.

Community members responded with a wide range of creative name suggestions before nominations closed Oct. 1. Museum staff have since worked to narrow those submissions to four finalists.

Beginning Nov. 1, the public will be invited to choose among the final four through the University of Arkansas Museum’s website, Instagram and Facebook pages.

The University of Arkansas Museum houses extensive collections representing archaeology, ethnology, history, geology and zoology and supports the university’s teaching, research and public engagement missions.