The following individuals and companies have graciously donated articles to the Museum of the Missouri Institute of Natural Science or have given us the license to use certain copyright materials owned by them, royalty-free in perpetuity.  We truly appreciate their support of our educational activities and we thank them for their generosity!

Richard Ellis

Author/Illustrator of: Sea Dragons: Predators of the Prehistoric Oceans

Richard Ellis is known worldwide for his paintings of whales, sharks and sea animals, which have appeared in countless prominent magazines and museums.  He has carved a reputation through such books as The Book of Whales, Great White Shark, Monsters of the Sea and The Search for the Giant Squid.  His most recent book is the Empty Ocean, the story of the depletion of Earth’s marine resources.  In 1978, the Denver Museum of Natural History unveiled a 35-foot long mural of a whale painted by Richard.  The Smithsonian Institution has selected over a hundred of his paintings as part of a traveling exhibit on marine animals; this collection is now part of the permanent collection of Whaleworld, a museum in Australia.  He is a research associate in vertebrate paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, where he is Co-curator of the Mythic Creatures section.

Roger Hall

Natural History illustrator.  Roger's illustrations of extant animals are infused with vivid color, faithful form and a naturalist's eye for fine detail.  His fine art brings animal form to breathtaking life, and we are excited that we have his signed fine art prints at our Museum Store for sale to our patrons.

Roger's love of nature serves as a continuing source of inspiration, motivating him not only as an artist, but also as an environmental advocate.  He is a member of the Sierra Club, World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy and Defenders of Wildlife, and contributes regularly to environmental causes.  Additionally, Roger is a member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, a global organization comprised exclusively of artists specializing in ecological and wildlife themes. Roger’s website is at www.inkart.net.

Stackpole Books, for permission to use graphics from the book, Discovering Fossils, by Frank Garcia and Donald S. Miller.

Ms. Lorena Kemppainen donated corals, sea urchins, shark jaws and blowfish to the Museum, adding to our collection of marine specimens.

Ms. Ila Gibbons donated a specimen of petrified wood from her farm in Washington, and it is now in our petrified woods collection.

The Museum of the Missouri Institute of Natural Science is very grateful for the generosity of these individuals and companies, and applauds their support of the Museum's mission.