News

The month of September now greets us, marking the unofficial end of Summer and welcome of Fall. This season traditionally offers arts and entertainment audiences -now returning indoors from summerlong getaways and outdoor activities – a robust calendar of premiers, launches, and re-openings to settle in and decide among for the remainder of the […]

Jacques Fath and the LBD

The color black has long been associated with mourning, religious, academic, legal, and ceremonial dress. But within the last 100 years, black has become a woman’s classic fashion choice. “The Little Black Dress” has saved many of us from the dilemma – “What to wear?”

The history of the little black […]

Historical Coin Press No. 1 will operate from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 7, minting reproductions of the 1870 Liberty Seated half dollar. The original Liberty Seated coins were minted from 1870 to 1878; the reproductions are minted from Nevada silver and sell for $125. For more about the Liberty Seated design, click […]

Did you know that when our museum was created in 1939 it was called the Nevada State Museum and Art Institute? With assistance of the Nevada Art Association (a former Nevada organization separate from the current Nevada Artists Association), our first art exhibit was presented in the east wing of the second floor of […]

I am elated to share that over 300 bi-partisan members of Congress participated in this year’s Congressional Art Competition, an annual exhibition opportunity for several hundreds of high schoolers from around the nation to submit their artwork to their local member of Congress in hopes that it is selected for display in the Cannon […]

This June, our Curator’s Corner examines two spectacular ichthyosaur fossils recovered here in Nevada, that invite us to consider the enormous depth – literally and figuratively speaking – of our geological history.

Thanks to the Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, our Nevada State Museum in Carson City is able to preserve, document, and share these fossilized moments […]

Did you know that the 1977 Nevada Legislature designated the official State Fossil to be an ichthyosaur? In 1989 this statute was amended to specify this state symbol as Shonisaurus popularis.
There are two well-known examples of fossil marine reptiles called ichthyosaurs from Nevada. Specimens of one type have been found in the Humboldt Mountains […]

In May our nation recognizes the numerous contributions that generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have contributed to the diversity and vibrancy of our history, society and culture.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month started as a concept in 1978 when the House and Senate presented joint resolutions to President Carter proposing that […]

Sadly, this is the second year that we had to cancel the Museum’s annual Lei Day event; however, in lieu of live music, hula performances, and lei making, I want to highlight the Museum’s small tapa collection. Tapa is the common name for cloth made from the inner bark of trees. Throughout the Pacific […]

May 19, 2021 update: The Capitol Medallion will be minted from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays throughout the summer, or until all 2,000 medallions in this limited series are minted. 

CARSON CITY, Nevada — The Nevada State Museum, Carson City, will activate historical Coin Press No. 1 from 1 to 7 p.m. May 18 […]