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THE MORRILL ACT COMES TO THE MOR

Sept 2—The Museum of the Rockies at Montana State University will play host to a document signed by President Abraham Lincoln and considered a "national treasure" from Sept. 2 through Oct. 2, 2010.

The Morrill Land-Grant College Act of 1862 is considered by the National Archives to be one of the 100 "milestone documents" that influenced the course of American history. It shares this designation with the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Civil Rights Act.

This is the first time the Museum of the Rockies has exhibited an artifact of such recognized national significance, said Shelley McKamey, dean of the Museum of the Rockies.

MOR OFFERS COMMUNITY FREE DAY

Sept 1—On September 11, 2010 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the Museum of the Rockies will be offering free admission to the general public. This is the MOR’s way of saying “thank you” to the Gallatin Valley for its support. This is also the last day of the Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion exhibit. Admission to the Taylor Planetarium and new Children’s Discovery Center is also free.

MOR TO CELEBRATE 3 MILLIONTH VISITOR ON AUG. 2

July 29—The Museum of the Rockies will soon celebrate its three-millionth visitor since the Museum annex was completed in 1989. MOR staff members anticipate that this visitor should arrive sometime on August 2. This milestone is not only an important one for the Museum, but also speaks to the positive economic impact of the high number of visitors to the Gallatin Valley each year.

The Museum will be celebrating this occasion at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 2, in the Museum’s lobby. The three-millionth visitor will be announced and honored with a gift basket filled with Museum Store items, a one-year membership to the Museum, as well as with cake and balloons.

U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SCALIA TO LECTURE ON JULY 28

July 21—Bozeman - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia will deliver a lecture at the Hager Auditorium in the Museum of the Rockies at Montana State University at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 28. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The Hager Auditorium seats 220.

The title of his lecture is "Constitutional Interpretation."

TRICERATOPS, TOROSAURUS WERE DIFFERENT STAGES OF ONE DINOSAUR

July 13—By Evelyn Boswell, MSU News Service. Research by a Montana State University doctoral student and one of the nation's top paleontologists is upending more than 100 years of thought regarding the dinosaurs known as Triceratops and Torosaurus.

Since the late 1800s, scientists have believed that Triceratops and Torosaurus were two different types of dinosaurs. Triceratops had a three-horned skull with a rather short frill, whereas Torosaurus had a much bigger frill with two large holes through it.

MSU paleontologists John Scannella and Jack Horner said in the July 14 issue of the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, however, that Triceratops and Torosaurus are actually the same dinosaur at different stages of growth. They added that the discovery contributes to an unfolding theory that dinosaur diversity was extremely depleted at the end of the dinosaur age.

AUTHOR DOLIN TO SPEAK AT MOR ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK ON THE FUR TRADE

July 12—The Museum of the Rockies welcomes best-selling author, Eric Jay Dolan on August 11, 2010, at Noon in the Hagar Auditorium. Dolan will be speaking about his new book, “Fur, Fortune, and Empire: The Epic History of the Fur Trade in America.”

This book begins in the 1600s, where Dolin traces the dramatic rise and fall of the American fur industry, from the first Dutch encounters with the Indians to the rise of the conservation movement in the late nineteenth century.

This lecture is free to attend, and Dolin’s book will be available for purchase. After the lecture there will be an opportunity for audience questions as well as a book signing by Dolan.

NEW PERMANENT EXHIBIT OPEN AT THE MUSEUM OF THE ROCKIES

July 1—Explore Yellowstone, the new exhibit in the Martin Children’s Discovery Center, opened on Thursday, July 1, 2010 at the Museum of the Rockies. The opening marks the culmination of three years of planning, fundraising and construction and is thefinal project from the Museum’s 50th anniversary capital campaign.

The new exhibit is geared towards children up to age 8 and is intended to teach this audience about the science of Yellowstone Park in a way that is interactive and engaging.

Admission to the Children's Discovery Center is included with Museum admission and free to MOR members.