Natural History Quest

This week’s badge takes you to Main Campus for a visit to the University of Michigan Natural History Museum. You can identify it by the "Golden Dome" of our new Planetarium & Dome Theater off of Washtenaw Avenue, north of Geddes Avenue.

1105 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 and their hours are:

Summer Hours
July through August
Daily 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Closed Monday, July 4, 2022

Masks optional & FREE admission. Note that UM is still doing online covid screening, accessible from a QR code at the entrance.

Palmer Parking Structure Location

200 Washtenaw Ave.

Ann Arbor, MI 48109

The Palmer Visitor Parking Structure is just north of the museum and is recommended for visitors. Parking can be difficult on weekdays during the University of Michigan’s fall and winter semesters.

Within the Palmer Structure, take the South Elevator to the Plaza Level (P), turn right as you exit and walk around to the front of the Museum on the south side of the building. Enter through the doors flanked by two statues of pumas at the east end of the building. / $2.00 per hour / 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday

On Sundays, free parking is also available in unmarked “Blue” faculty/staff spaces.

Alternative Parking Options

The City of Ann Arbor has parking structures throughout the city. The closest to the museum is the Forest Street Structure.

Environmentally Friendly Options

Take the bus! The museum is near the Central Campus Transit Center which is serviced by Routes 23, 62, and 32. For more information, visit TheRide.org.

Ride a bike! There are many bike racks scattered around the Biological Sciences Building.

This badge is 100% stroller and handicapped accessible. Plus it’s AIR CONDITIONED! It should take you about 30 minutes to complete.

BEGIN by finding your way to the MAIN entrance with the PUMA statues. If you enter from a different door you can find your way to the front doors from inside too. Click here for a MAP of the museum or pick one up at the desk to the right of the entrance .

This badge has been awarded to 614 players

Comments

I was rushing through to…

I was rushing through to keep up with my group, so I just took photos of the calcite I saw first in the minerals display case. Yeah… don’t do that. There’s a separate section of Michigan minerals apparently. I got pictures of the calcite from Mexico and Oklahoma. I’ll just have to go back later for that one piece.
I did learn while trying to guess the code that Michigan is home to the largest calcite quarry in the world. NASA has a picture of it that they took from the space station.

We visited the museum…

We visited the museum Saturday July 2nd as a kids play date from 12 to 3:30. The 12 pm Museum highlight tour was great, the 1 pm biodiversity chat was engaging. The most fun was the kids talking with a live scientist about their Monarch butterflies research and the fossil station at 3 pm. Unfortunately, we didn’t know there’s a badge to earn for the museum!