That One Museum in Macbride Hall
Iowa city, home to a giant brain in the middle of campus, a cemetery with a cursed black angel, and Falbo’s, where the pizza barely received FDA approval. To add to this quirky list, MacBride Hall is specifically home to Rusty, a ten-foot tall sloth. Although this may seem a little too unusual, Rusty is part of something much bigger that has served and educated the population for many years.
In 1858, after being ordered by the Iowa General Assembly, the University of Iowa created the Museum of Natural History in order to display the findings of certain specimens and artifacts. This action was in response to a faculty member who started a petition to display more specimens and findings as a tool for professors to use in the Natural Science department. Now, the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History is considered the second oldest museum that lies west of the Mississippi River. The museum has six different exhibits, which consists of over 140,000 artifacts and specimens.
A true appreciation for the museum was not established until the University of Iowa suffered a massive blow. In 1897, a fire broke out in Iowa City that destroyed the Main Library, North Hall, and other important buildings on campus. After this unfortunate event, the Iowa State Legislature realized the importance of preserving the collections the museum held. Not only because they served as important tools for teaching, but the gathered collections were popular amongst the public. As a result, the new and improved Natural Sciences building was created in 1904. Thirty years later, the building was renamed Macbride Hall after Thomas Macbride, a former University of Iowa President. This building continues to serve as the current location of the Museum of Natural History.
Some may believe that the museum is full of boring artifacts and useless information, but this museum has a star attraction that is very well known throughout the of Iowa City area. As mentioned before, the Museum of Natural History is home to a replica of a ten-foot sloth that goes by the name of Rusty the Giant Sloth, who roamed the earth during the Ice Age 12,000 years ago. The replica Megalonyx Jeffersoni, or giant sloth, is based on one of the three skeletons found in this region. Rusty is the main attraction in one of the most popular exhibits, the Iowa Hall exhibit. This section of the museum has been open now for 30 years and covers a variety of different aspects that contribute to the history of Iowa. Each year, Rusty and the exhibit are visited by over 40,000 people that range from all different ages. The giant sloth has become so popular that it has its own Facebook page, Twitter account, and participates during special events or holidays by dressing up in costume for its fans.
The University of Iowa Museum of Natural History was started by a petition to help educate not only the students of the university, but to the public as well. The museum has now been open for over 150 years and with the help of students, the University, and even Rusty himself, it has been able to continue to serve its original purpose.