McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture

The McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture is a museum located on the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Built in 1963, exhibits focus on natural history, archaeology, anthropology, decorative arts, and local history.

The McClung Museum on the University of Tennessee campus in June 2021.

Permanent exhibits include:

• Ancient Egypt: The Eternal Voice — A collection of artifacts from ancient Egypt spanning the pre-dynastic to the Ptolemaic periods.
• Archaeology and the Native Peoples of Tennessee — A collection of artifacts found during the building of dams in the state in the 1930s and 1940s, with examples including the "Sandy" statue found at the Sellars Farm Site,[1] the cache of ceramic figurines found at the Brick Church Mound and Village Site,[2] and the Duck River Cache of ceremonial chert objects discovered at the Duck River Temple Mounds in 1894.[3]
• The Civil War in Knoxville: The Battle of Fort Sanders — Provides an overview of the broad context of the American Civil War, while highlighting the specific, pivotal role that Knoxville played in the Battle of Fort Sanders.
• The Decorative Experience — A collection of art from various times and cultures from around the world.
• Geology and Fossil History of East Tennessee — A collection of Tennessee fossils representing a comprehensive overview of geological history. Outside of the main building, the museum's most prominent and popular exhibit is a replica of an Edmontosaurus annectens, nicknamed "Monty" by the students at the University of Tennessee.
• Human Origins: Searching for Our Fossil Ancestors — A concise overview of the current scientific understanding regarding human evolution.
• Tennessee Freshwater Mussels — A collection displaying the incredible diversity of freshwater pearl mussels in Tennessee.

In addition, the McClung Museum houses special exhibitions that temporarily showcase art or artifacts from other collections or institutions. The McClung Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.[4]