Join our Elephant Hall Renovation Adventure
"Ever since I became Director, it has been my dream to renovate Elephant Hall. This project will bring the newest research to Nebraskans, celebrate Nebraska's heritage and world-renown fossils, and provide expanded learning opportunities for students and future generations."
~UNSM Director, Dr. Susan Weller
We're excited to share that on Friday, April 24, 2026, the Nebraska Board of Regents approved a $15.9 million renovation of Elephant Hall and its side galleries. The largely donor-funded project will extend the life of the museum’s most significant fossil specimens, conserve the historic Elizabeth Dolan murals, and position Morrill Hall to be a resource for scientific learning and natural history education for another century.
Follow us here as we embark on this project that will ensure Morrill Hall serves as a relevant resource for our community for the next 100 years.
Fundraising Status
$2 million left to fundraise
Want to be part of building and preserving history?
Exhibit Vision
The renovated version of Elephant Hall and its adjacent galleries will share the most recent research on the history of mammoths and mammals in the Great Plains. The renovated exhibits will still display Archie the mammoth and many of the mammoth and mastodon fossils current visitors are familiar with but will add the opportunity to display additional fossils from the museum’s Research Collections. The side galleries will serve as a walk through time, telling the story of the origins of mammals in North America and the origins of the grasslands to the Nebraska of today. The exhibit will highlight the size and grandeur of elephants, mammoths, and their relatives, but also environments in which they evolved, the differences between them, and the newest most hi-tech research in their evolution and behavior.
Archie the Mammoth
Fossil Archie is staying. He will be temporarily taken down, conserved and digitized, then returned as the centerpiece in the front of the new Elephant Hall.
Elizabeth Dolan Murals
The murals will be conserved and digitized as part of the renovation process. An analysis by an art conservationist team found the murals to be in good shape for their age. The conservation process will remove layers of dirt, including some coal dust buildup from the era of coal heating in Morrill Hall, as well as touch up any flaked plaster areas that may be discovered. The digitization of the murals will allow the museum to share Dolan's work with researchers and artists across the globe.
Mammoth & Mastodon Fossils
Nearly one-third of the project’s budget will be dedicated to the conservation and digitization of fossils currently in the exhibit. Many of the fossils have been on display since the museum’s opening in 1927. The renovation process will preserve fragile specimens and redo the armature (display framework) of other fossils using modern exhibit standards, expanding their lifespan on exhibit and enabling easier access for researchers.
FAQs
The following are some FAQs on the project. If you have additional questions, feel free to contact us at morrillhall@unl.edu.
Why Now?
Many of these fossils have been on display for almost 100 years. Our understanding of the science of the rise of mammals has changed, as have best museum practices for displaying specimens. The renovation will allow us to conserve the fragile specimens, and build new armature (display framework) that will expand the fossils’ lifespan. It will allow us to share the most recent science and understanding of mammoths. We want to create an Elephant Hall that will serve visitors and share science for another 100 years.
What does the project entail?
The museum will renovate Elephant Hall and the two side galleries into a walk through time celebrating the rise of mammals and mammoths on the Great Plains. The process includes conserving and digitizing the fossils on display as well as the Elizabeth Dolan murals. A south side freight elevator will be added to address current and future safety and logistical challenges of moving large fossils and exhibits.
How much will the project cost and where is the money coming from?
The Board of Regents has approved a $15.9 million renovation plan. The project is largely donor funded, and currently 90% fundraised. The museum is grateful to the Hubbard Family Foundation and Dr. Anne Hubbard for providing the lead gifts that sparked the fundraising success to date. The Lancaster County Visitors Improvement fund recently awarded $1 million to the project. The museum continues to invite donations and hopes to complete its campaign by end of 2026.
Want to get involved and support the project? You can give now and help us build the new Elephant Hall.
When will construction begin?
Current plans call for work to begin in summer of 2027 and conclude by January 2029.
Will Morrill Hall close during construction?
We currently do not know. Next steps include finalizing designs and selecting a construction partner. The final design will help determine if or when anything would need to close. As soon as that information is available, we will share it with members and visitors.
What will happen to Archie?
Archie will return to Elephant Hall. However, he will return as the central fossil in this iconic space. He will likely also be joined by several old friends from the current Elephant Hall, as well as new friends from our collection that haven’t been displayed before.
This AI-enhanced, generated image shows what a renovated side gallery to Elephant Hall could look like. Official renderings of a new space will be shared after the design phase is completed.