Schiele Museum of Natural History
| Established | July 24, 1961 |
|---|---|
| Location | 1500 E. Garrison Blvd. Gastonia, North Carolina, US |
| Type | Natural history museum |
| Founder | Bud Schiele Lilly Schiele |
| Website | www |
The Schiele Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum in Gastonia, North Carolina. The museum's exhibits consist primarily of life science specimens, including several fossil casts, dioramas, and live animals. It hosts one of the largest collections of Catawba Indian pottery in the world.
History
[edit]The museum was founded by Bud and Lily Schiele on July 24, 1961, as the Gaston County Museum of Natural History, taking its current name three years later. Most of the early exhibits were directly donated from the Schiele's collections of wildlife, rocks and minerals, and Native American pottery and jewelry. In 2001, the museum became a Smithsonian Affiliate.[1]
In 2023, the museum announced its replacement of its central T. rex exhibit, nicknamed Wankel, with a Quetzalcoatlus.[2][3]
Collection
[edit]
The museum's collections include one of the largest collections of Catawba Indian pottery in the world,[4] the largest collection of mounted land animals in the Southeast,[5] and several fossil and wildlife displays. Several exhibits feature both taxidermied and live animals,[6] such as farm animals, reptiles, and an opposum. Many of these animals are sourced from animal rehabilitation centers.[4]
Exhibitions
[edit]The museum has a number of both permanent and temporary exhibits and galleries. It is home to the James H. Lynn Planetarium[7] along with the Hall of North American Habitats, The Hall of North American Wildlife, The Hall of North Carolina Natural History, and Henry Hall of the American Indian.[8][9]
Various exhibitions are also outside on the museum's grounds, including a nature trail and a replica Catawba Indian Village.[10]
Location and property
[edit]The museum is located at 1500 E. Garrison Blvd., Gastonia, North Carolina, neighboring Grier Middle School. It is located on 16.57 acres of property, with the main building itself having a square footage of approximately 4320 ft2.[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Foote, Sharon. "The Schiele Museum turns 60!". City of Gastonia. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ^ "The city of Gastonia's top five priorities in 2025". eu.gastongazette.com. January 30, 2025. Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
- ^ "Schiele Museum working on new exhibit". eu.gastongazette.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
- ^ a b "The Schiele Museum". SHARE Charlotte. April 22, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
- ^ "See dinosaurs, space, and more at the Schiele Museum in Gastonia". wcnc.com. April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
- ^ "The Schiele Museum of Natural History & Planetarium". www.visitnc.com. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
- ^ "James H. Lynn Planetarium". The Schiele Museum of Natural History. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved June 15, 2012.
- ^ WLOS (October 25, 2024). "The Ingles Open Road: The Schiele Museum of Natural History". WLOS. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ^ "Permanent Galleries". The Schiele Museum of Natural History. Archived from the original on June 5, 2012. Retrieved June 15, 2012.
- ^ The Schiele Museum: Preserving Natural History. November 14, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2025 – via www.wbtv.com.
- ^ "GIS". gis.gastongov.com. Retrieved March 30, 2025.