Cons Sci Seminar - 11/14/25

November 14, 2025

12:00-1:00pm

In person (preferred): 335 Borlaug Hall, St. Paul Campus, UMN

Remote access: https://umn.zoom.us/j/91587399054

Get to Know Your Friendly Neighborhood Natural History Museum

Dr. Holly Menninger

Executive Director, Bell Museum of Natural History

Abstract

The Bell Museum was founded in 1872 by the Minnesota Legislature to collect, preserve and interpret the biological record of Minnesota – and for that to happen here at the University of Minnesota. Now with a public building located on the edge of the St. Paul campus and collections in nearby academic buildings, the Bell is a public gateway to the University and a community resource. Menninger will provide a broad overview of the Bell Museum including its history and mission, collections and research, public engagement, and statewide reach – ending with a call to action for how you can better connect and utilize the resources the museum has to offer.

Biosketch

Dr. Holly Menninger is the Executive Director of the Bell Museum, Minnesota’s state natural history museum and planetarium at the University of Minnesota. As director, Menninger oversees the curation of the Bell’s scientific research collection containing more than 1.2 million specimens, supports the expansion of institutional efforts to engage diverse communities statewide, and strengthens the Bell’s role as a gateway to research and scholarship at the University of Minnesota. An entomologist by training, Menninger is a science communicator by passion and practice. For nearly 20 years, she has worked at the intersection of science and society – in policy, natural resource management, and public engagement in science.