World Museum of Natural History re-opens to visitors

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RIVERSIDE, Calif. – La Sierra University’s World Museum of Natural History reopened this summer to visitors following two years of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

<p> A Malayan pangolin on display at La Sierra University's World Museum of Natural History. </p>

A Malayan pangolin on display at La Sierra University's World Museum of Natural History.

<p> An image of an opal in the natural history museum's extensive collection of gems and minerals. </p>

An image of an opal in the natural history museum's extensive collection of gems and minerals.

<p> A taxidermy Philippine eagle at the World Museum of Natural History. </p>

A taxidermy Philippine eagle at the World Museum of Natural History.

<p> A mineral sphere on display at the musuem which possesses approximately 1,500 spheres, one of the world's largest such collections. </p>

A mineral sphere on display at the musuem which possesses approximately 1,500 spheres, one of the world's largest such collections.

<p> Local elementary school students tour the World Museum of Natural History during a university service-learning event in March 2016. </p>

Local elementary school students tour the World Museum of Natural History during a university service-learning event in March 2016.

The free-admission museum holds extensive displays of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles, as well as gems and minerals, petrified wood, shells, American Indian artifacts and many other unique specimens. The museum also holds one of the world's largest collections of mineral spheres with upwards of 1,500 in its possession. Its reptiles collection includes more than 90 percent of known species of crocodilians, and its Southeast Asian Bird display is the largest of its kind in the United States. A taxidermy display of Minnie, one of the world’s largest Komodo dragons, greets visitors to the museum. The male dragon originally weighed around 365 pounds and was initially erroneously believed to be female when given its nickname.

The museum is open to the public the third Saturday of each month from 2 – 5 p.m. with its next availability on Saturday, Aug. 20. This month’s offerings will include a birdfeeder craft station (while supplies last), and an ongoing educational nature film.

Up to 10 individuals at a time are allowed to tour the museum. Guests are encouraged to confirm availability in advance via the website at https://lasierra.edu/world-museum-of-natural-history/, or by calling 951-785-2500 or emailing advancement@lasierra.edu. Educational group tours are available by reservation.

Minnie, one of the world's largest Komodo dragons, greets visitors to the World Museum of Natural History which this year and in 2016 was ranked among the top 30 university natural history museums in the nation.

The museum first re-opened to visitors in June. Its history dates to 1970 and is the result of decades of work by its founder and taxidermist Dr. Elmer A. “Billy” Hankins, a dermatologist by profession and a 1960 graduate of La Sierra College. In 2016 the museum garnered national recognition as one of the top 30 university natural history museums in the country as ranked by Best College Reviews. It landed once again in Best College Reviews’ top 30 museums list this year, taking the 30th ranked spot on a roster led by museums at Yale, Drexel, and Harvard universities.

In 2020, the university hired museum collections assistant Lindi Montes to take care of the collections and rotate displays. She is also conducting an extensive inventory to catalog and digitize the collections so that they may be made available to the public in the future. “And I hope to uncover some more treasures,” she said.

“The World Museum of Natural History really is a hidden gem as it contains many of the world’s most exotic and rare specimens and not many people know it is located in their own community,” Montes said. She noted that revitalization of some public programs is in the works such as nature walks and bird watching activities. The museum also seeks volunteers.

La Sierra University is located at 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside. The World Museum of Natural History is located in La Sierra’s E.E. Cossentine Hall. Museum information is available at https://lasierra.edu/world-museum-of-natural-history/. A campus map is at https://lasierra.edu/campus-map/#c3893.

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