A traveling version of the University of Wyoming’s “The Natural Archive: Glimpses into the University of Wyoming’s Scientific Collections” exhibit will visit libraries across the state beginning in early October.
The Wyoming State Library is coordinating the tour, which starts at the Goshen County Library in Torrington. Twenty-five main and branch libraries are hosting the exhibit, which will remain on the road through October 2028.
“The Wyoming State Library is proud to partner with University of Wyoming Libraries to bring this exhibit to communities across the state,” says Abby Beaver, Wyoming state librarian and UW adjunct faculty member. “This tour is a fantastic opportunity for residents to engage with our state’s rich scientific history and natural heritage in a meaningful, accessible way.”
Developed at UW, the exhibit is a partnership among UW Libraries and seven natural history collections housed across campus, including the Biodiversity Institute, UW Museum of Vertebrates, UW Geological Museum, UW Insect Museum, Williams Conservatory, Rocky Mountain Herbarium, and Wyoming Natural Diversity Database. It highlights and documents Wyoming’s biodiversity and natural heritage.
The traveling exhibit consists of nine panels. Each image includes a caption or QR code that links to digitized items or additional information about the collection.
The exhibit will be displayed at each library for about four weeks. Patrons and visitors should check with their local libraries for exact display dates. The tour schedule is:
- Goshen County Library, Torrington—October 2026.
- Weston County Library, Newcastle—November 2026.
- Crook County Library, Sundance—December 2026.
- Campbell County Libraries, Gillette, including the Wright branch and Gillette College—January, February, and March 2027.
- Johnson County Library, Buffalo—April 2027.
- Big Horn County Library, Basin—May 2027.
- Park County Library, Cody, including the Powell branch and Northwest College—June, July, and August 2027.
- Washakie County Libraries, Worland—September 2027.
- Hot Springs County, Thermopolis—October 2027.
- Fremont County Libraries, Lander, including the Riverton and Dubois branches—November and December 2027 and January 2028.
- Sublette County Library, Pinedale—February 2028.
- Lincoln County Library, Kemmerer—March 2028.
- Uinta County, Evanston—April 2028.
- Sweetwater County Libraries, Green River, including the White Mountain branch—May and June 2028.
- Carbon County Library System, Rawlins, including the Encampment and Little Snake River Valley branches—July, August, and September 2028.
- Wyoming State Library, Cheyenne—October 2028.
The full exhibit also is on permanent display at UW, outside the Library Annex in the basement of the UW Biosciences Building, across from the Harry C. Vaughan Planetarium and SCI DIY Makerspace. It is free and open to the public.
For more information on the traveling exhibit, email Travis Pollok at travis.pollok@wyo.gov or call (307) 777-8936. To explore digitized materials from UW’s scientific collections, visit https://linktr.ee/uwyolibraries.
