Attention Girl Scouts:
Just one more reminder to send in your booth host application for GEMS 2010 by Friday at 5 p.m. for consideration – we’re going to have a lot of fun this year and we don’t want anyone to miss out on the opportunity to participate and share some knowledge! Go to our website to download the information packet and application – I can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with this year.
Is your troop not yet old enough to host a booth? Leave a comment and let us know what topics you’re most interested in learning about at GEMS 2010!
See you all in February at GEMS!
The Houston Museum of Natural Science was founded in 1909 – meaning that the curators of the Houston Museum of Natural Science have been collecting and preserving natural and cultural treasures for a hundred years now. For this yearlong series, our current curators have chosen one hundred exceptional objects from the Museum’s immense storehouse of specimens and artifacts—one for each year of our history. Check back here frequently to learn more about this diverse selection of behind-the-scenes curiosities—we will post the image and description of a new object every few days.
This description is from Tina, the museum’s associate curator of malacology. She has chosen a selection of objects that represent the most fascinating shells and animals in the Museum’s collections, that we’ll be sharing here – and at 100.hmns.org- throughout the year.
Lion’s Paws – Nodipecten fragosus (Conrad, 1849)
The Nodipecten fragosus is a member of the Pectinidae family, and ranges from Cape Hatterus, North Carolina through Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico. The colors are variable from brown, purple, pink, orange, red, to yellow and multiple colors appearing on a single specimen. It gets its common name from the knobs formed on the outer surfaces of both valves which resemble the paws of a lion. As a member of the Pecten family, they are edible as a scallop but do not occur in sufficient members to make them a reliable source commercially.
Learn more! Dive into the Malacology Hall, a permanent exhibition at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
You can see more images of this fascinating artifact – as well as the others we’ve posted so far this year – in the 100 Objects section at 100.hmns.org
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We’re breaking ground on our new Duncan Family Wing on
Nov. 19, 2009 – but we still have $25 million more to raise
before we can complete the expansion.We need your help!
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We’ve come a long way in 100 years- and we’re going even farther.
We’re expanding science education in Houston for the 21st century and working to build the finest science museum in the country. And we need your help!
We’ve raised over $60 million from generous individuals, foundations and corporations that are committed to our mission of science education, and know how important science and a science-literate population will be to the future of Houston.
Now, we’re breaking ground on our new wing on Nov. 19, 2009 – but we must raise $25 million more before we can complete the expansion and meet our goal of becoming the world’s best science museum, right here in Houston.
Help us build for the future of Houston by sharing your thoughts on why HMNS is important to you, your family and to Houston – or join our cause on Facebook to help us spread the word about our upcoming expansion, and donate to help us reach our goal.
Learn more about what’s coming to the new Houston Museum of Natural Science from HMNS President Joel A. Bartsch:
Let us know why a bigger, better HMNS is important to you. Click here.
Donate to the HMNS@100: Building for a Second Century of Science capital campaign. Click here.
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This is the floor plan of the Westheimer Natural History Museum
at the Houston Public Library. In 1922, this is where the Attwater collection
- one of the founding collections of the Houston Museum of Natural Science
- was displayed. Learn more about the history of HMNS – and where we’re headed
in the 21st century – on ourCentennial web site, 100.hmns.org |
The Houston Museum of Natural Science was founded in 1909 – meaning that the curators of the Houston Museum of Natural Science have been collecting and preserving natural and cultural treasures for a hundred years now. For this yearlong series, our current curators have chosen one hundred exceptional objects from the Museum’s immense storehouse of specimens and artifacts—one for each year of our history. Check back here frequently to learn more about this diverse selection of behind-the-scenes curiosities—we will post the image and description of a new object every few days.
This description is from Tina, the museum’s associate curator of malacology. She has chosen a selection of objects that represent the most fascinating shells and animals in the Museum’s collections, that we’ll be sharing here – and at 100.hmns.org- throughout the year.
Spondylus linguafelis – Sowerby, G.B. II, 1847
This extremely fragile, colorful species is a member of the Pectinoidae family of marine bivalves. They are found in Hawaii, Polynesia, the Solomon Islands to Western Australia. The long-spined specimens are found in sunken ships and in underwater caves, which makes them dangerous to collect for divers. Colors range from purple to yellow to white, but multi color variations are sometimes found.
You can see more images of this fascinating artifact – as well as the others we’ve posted so far this year – in the 100 Objects section at 100.hmns.org
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