Upcoming natural history museum programs

MARION — The Natural History Museum has upcoming programs for the community.

The museum will host Professor Robert Thorson on Friday, Nov. 6 from 6-7 p.m.

His talk will focus on freshwater wetlands in  New England, which began to be protected by state and federal regulation in the early 1970s. He will also discuss the study of drylands and how they enrich habitat diversity.

Thorson is a Northwestern geologist and a professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Connecticut.

People can attend in-person or online. A $10 donation is recommended. Register in advance at marionmuseum.org.

The museum will also have a presentation on its Native American archaeological collections on Friday Nov. 13 from 6-7 p.m. The presentation will feature Heather Olson, laboratory and collections manager.

The museum has preserved objects that reflect the natural and cultural heritage of the region for over 154 years. The objects include bird nests, butterflies, minerals, shells and Native American artifacts from Marion and surrounding areas. 

The program will highlight recent research into the museum’s Native American collection, examining what the artifacts reveal about the area’s past and discussing their significance to our understanding of local history.

Register at marionmuseum.org.