Cabinets of Curiosity: Insect Collection and Natural Resources Library
Wed, Feb 7 2024, 1pm
Insects—some we love to watch, like butterflies—but others genuinely bug us. If you are curious about insects in their astonishing variety, plan to join the UMRA Cabinets of Curiosities tour at the Department of Entomology on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus in St. Paul. Biologist E. O. Wilson said that insects, along with other invertebrates, are "the little things that run the world."
Curator Robin Thomson will tell us about the amazing UMN collection of more than 4,000,000 specimens and 53,000 species in stacks of cabinets housed in Hodson Hall. She will open up the drawers and allow us to look closely at butterflies, moths, beetles and even smaller insects housed behind their research laboratory space. We will also have a special opportunity to see the collection of rare illustrated natural history books in the Natural Resources Library under the watchful eye of Natural Resources librarians Amy Gmur and Philip Herold. Given the space available among the cabinets and in the library, we have relatively limited registration space for this tour.
The event is free. Registration is now closed, but you can contact us to get on the wait list. Join us on February 7, from 1-3 pm at Hodson Hall on the St. Paul Campus.
There is relatively close parking for Hodson Hall in Lot 106. Once again, we will likely gather at a local eatery for friendly conversation after the event, with more details to come.
Can’t attend this time? Look for more Cabinets of Curiosity outings in the coming months, including a visit to the College of Biological Sciences Conservatory on April 4.
Questions are welcome to Sally Gregory Kohlstedt ([email protected]), Jan Morlock ([email protected]), or Cathy Lee Gierke ([email protected]).
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.