Sternberg Museum of Natural History
Historical Note
The Sternberg Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum operated by Fort Hays State University. It began prior to 1907 as a collection of privately donated fossil and taxidermy specimens donated to the Western Branch of the Kansas State Normal School for education purposes. In 1914, C.W. Miller was appointed as the first curator for the Museum. The first dedicated space for the museum opened in 1915 alongside the original Forsyth Library in McCartney Hall.
George F. Sternberg was appointed curator of geology and paleontology collections for the museum in 1927 and was promoted to curator of museums in 1933. In 1934, the herbarium and mycology collection of Dr. Elam Bartholomew was bequeathed to the museum.
In 1955, Myrl V. Walker was appointed Director of Museums with Sternberg continuing to curate the geology and paleontology collections until his retirement in 1961. After Sternberg’s death in 1969, the Sternberg Geology Club successfully petitioned Pressident John W. Gustad to rename the museum in honor of the Sternberg family. Walker continued to serve as director of the Sternberg Memorial Museum until his retirement in 1973. He was succeeded by Dr. Jerry Choate, who served as director until his retirement in 2009. He was succeeded by Dr. Reese Barrick, the museum's current director.
The Sternberg Memorial Museum operated on the main Fort Hays State campus until 1994, when it merged with the Museum of High Plains to form the Sternberg Museum of Natural History. The Sternberg Museum opened at its current location in the former Metroplex dome at 3000 Sternberg Drive on March 13, 1999.
Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:
Jerry R. Choate Papers
This collection consists of the faculty papers of Dr. Jerry R. Choate, who taught Zoology at Fort Hays Kansas State College from 1971 to 2009 and who served as director of the Museum of the High Plains/Sternberg Museum of Natural History from 1973 to 2009. The materials date between 1965 and 2009. Materials consist of correspondence, teaching materials, research materials, publications, and Sternberg Museum construction information.
George F. Sternberg Collection
This collection consists of the collected papers of paleontologist George F. Sternberg, who served as curator and later director of the Fort Hays State museums from 1927 to 1961. Materials consist of correspondence, publications, field notes, fossil lists, photographs, scrapbooks, and video recordings.
Myrl V. Walker Papers
This collection consist of the faculty papers of Myrl V. Walker, who taught geology at Fort Hays Kansas State College and served as the director of the Sternberg Memorial Museum from 1955 to 1973. The materials are comprised of correspondence, articles, reports, photographs, and photographic negatives.