Discover UW-Madison’s Zoological Museum

by Kevin Chen, age 16

Who would’ve guessed that you can find a 13,000-year-old giant beaver skull right here in Madison? It is among the 750,000 different species of animals in the UW-Madison Zoological Museum.

The museum started collecting specimens as early as 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state. The Zoological Museum is also a national center for research and education. Its goal is to study animals, not just in Wisconsin but also from around the world. UW biology students study skeletons of “finch” birds, which were also studied by Charles Darwin. They learn about Darwin and natural selection during class and examine the skeletons in labs.

What makes this museum stand out even more is associate director and curator Laura Monohan’s time spent on the museum’s upkeep. “She is the core – the heart – of the museum,” said Jason Miszaniec, a research associate and museum scientist. Monohan has raised more than $800,000 from donors and grant agencies to supply equipment and fund operations. “Most museums are probably only ever going to put 5-10% of their collections on display. But behind the scenes, there’s 95% of what they have…that’s really what I love,” Monohan says. She always puts enormous effort into maintaining the museum. Monohan has worked at the museum for over 17 years. She enjoys collecting specimens and teaching students about the importance of zoology. Emily Halverson, a collections manager for the museum, said, “People come into the museum, in part, to see her.” Monohan’s contributions to the museum led to her being awarded the 2023 Academic Staff Excellence Award.

[Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; UW-Madison]