Florida Museum of Natural History Records

The Floria State Museum (now the Florida Museum of Natural History), was founded in 1891 when Frank Pickel, professor of natural science at the University of Florida's predecessor institution, Florida Agricultural College, purchased research collections to use as teaching aids for biology and agricultural sciences. When the University of Florida (UF) was created in 1905, the Museum became part of UF and moved with UF from Lake City to Gainesville in 1906. While the Museum was originally displayed in Thomas Hall, it was moved to the Science building (now Flint Hall) soon after.

In 1939, after running out of room in Flint Hall, the exhibits were moved to the Seagle Building in downtown Gainesville and opened to the public. By the 1960s, all zoological collections were moved to the Seagle Building. Construction began on a new building to house research collections and exhibits in 1968--this building would become Dickinson Hall.

The Museum's name was changed in 1988 to the Florida Museum of Natural History. In 1995, with a lack of space in Dickinson Hall, a new exhibit facility was constructed in the UF Cultural Plaza. This new exhibit building was named Powell Hall for the two couples who made a leadership gift for its construction. The facility at Powell Hall for Lepidoptera research and the Butterfly Rainforest exhibit opened in 2004.

For more information on the history of the Florida Museum of Natural History, see the Museum's history page.