Spring is a great time to travel and enjoy a change of scenery. With Spring Break quickly approaching, many students and families are planning trips or deciding how to make the most of the upcoming break. Whether you are traveling for a change of scenery or warmer temperatures, consider learning something new on your trip. There are many destinations where you can explore a new culture, learn the local history of an area or engage in fun activities!
As an archaeologist, I love getting to explore the prehistory and history that Missouri has to offer. You can explore Graham Cave State Park in Montgomery City, Missouri where artifacts were discovered in a cave occupied by prehistoric people between 8,000 and 10,000 years ago. The park is also a great spot for hiking, camping, and fishing with over 300 acres including the Graham Cave Glades Natural Area. You could also check out the petroglyphs at Thousand Hills State Park in Kirksville, Missouri. Petrogylphs are prehistoric rock carvings that were made by intentionally pecking, incising or carving to remove part of the rock’s surface. At Thousand Hills, you can also enjoy camping, hiking, biking, and fishing in the beautiful Forest Lake. You can also visit Defiance, Missouri to see the historic home of Daniel Boone, an early pioneer who eventually settled in what is now St. Charles County. The Boone home is part of a county park that includes a general store, a schoolhouse, and a gristmill. If you want to learn more, the library has several biographies of Daniel Boone including “Daniel Boone: An American Life” and even a compilation of interviews from his son Nathan Boone!
If you are looking to travel a little bit further, Collinsville, Illinois near St. Louis is home to Cahokia Mounds which is the largest prehistoric settlement north of Mexico. Cahokia Mounds is a State Historic Site located on over 2,000 acres and containing around 120 mounds. The site has a museum where you can learn about Mississippian Period culture and the people who lived at the site. If you want to learn more about Cahokia, check out our book, “Cahokia: Ancient America’s Great City on the Mississippi” by Timothy Pauketat who is an expert and one of the leading archaeologists at Cahokia.
If you can’t get away for a vacation, there are many fun places to explore in Columbia. The University of Missouri has two great museums, the Museum of Anthropology and the Museum of Art and Archaeology. The Museum of Anthropology has an excellent collection of archery with over 5,000 artifacts spanning six continents! In addition to the Grayson Archery Collection, they also have historic artifacts from the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Their archaeology collections also feature artifacts from Missouri like the famous Jaguar Gorget and Lilbourn Mace! You can also explore their collections online through small virtual exhibits called eExhibits. If you want to learn more about the archaeology here in Missouri, check out “Cat Monsters and Head Pots: The Archaeology of Missouri’s Pemiscot Bayou” by Michael J. O’Brien.
In the same building, the Museum of Art and Archaeology boasts a wide range of ancient artifacts from Greek, Roman, Near Eastern, Egyptian, and Byzantine cultures. In addition, their art collection spans the 15th century to modern day and contains pieces from Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Whether you are looking for something new or old, they have something for everyone to enjoy. They also have an online catalog where you can explore some of the collections. They host events and other educational programs where you can learn more about the collections, sketch, or enjoy live music while you stroll through the gallery. Check out the events section on their website for more information! At the Columbia Public Library, we have a reference copy of the “Illustrated Museum Handbook: A Guide to the Collections in the Museum of Art and Archaeology, University of Missouri – Columbia”. Although this particular book cannot be checked out, it would be a great way to visually explore the museum’s collection next time you visit the library. So, whether you are traveling far for spring break, visiting a virtual exhibit, or taking some time to explore Columbia I hope you learn something new and have fun!
Feature image, “Descending Monk’s Mound,” hakkun [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]
