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
Meeting to plan books for next year.
There has been a lot in the news recently about the University of Minnesota Medical School, University of Minnesota Physicians, and Fairview Health Services. Please join us at breakfast on January 8 for a respectful and engaging discussion of their relationship.
The theme for January is great MN views.
52 Loaves: One Man's Relentless Pursuit of Truth, Meaning, and a Perfect Crust by William Alexander will be the selection for discussion when the UMRA Book Club gathers via Zoom for its first monthly meeting of 2026.
Developing a sense of identity is a central psychological task of the lifespan. Memories and stories from our personal past, as well as cultural memories and stories in society play key roles in how we develop our identities. This presentation will discuss psychological theory and research on how memories and stories make us who we are.
When you are of Icelandic descent you can trace your ancestors back to around 1200 and sometimes further.
Bleak House by Charles Dickens.
Here’s another great opportunity to buy discounted tickets and join your UMRA friends to cheer for the Gophers when the Women’s Basketball team hosts the Purdue Boilermakers at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on February 1.
Join fellow UMRA members for a morning hike in Theodore Wirth Park to celebrate Groundhog Day on Monday, February 2.
UMRA’s special event for this winter will again be a celebration of brighter days and the approaching end of winter. We’ll have food, fellowship, and music provided by Urban Sound, one of the University’s premier student a cappella ensembles.
Family history with Jim Kurle. A tale of Swedish emigration to Dunn County, North Dakota, including my grandfather whose unusual relationship to several churches and religion in general was one of the reasons for his emigrating.
UMRA’s Cabinets of Curiosity tour on Thursday, February 12, will offer an inside look into the rich resources of the University Libraries Borchert Map Library. Map Librarian Ryan Mattke will showcase the treasures and innovations of one of the largest map libraries in the U.S.
Growing Up by Russell Baker.