Egg, nest and cat exhibits

People

Mary Suter
Curator of Collections
msuter@uark.edu

Mary Suter
Mary Suter during a tour

Laurel Lamb
Curator of Education & Engagement
lalamb@uark.edu

Laurel Lamb
Laurel Lamb sharing collections in zoology with college students.

Museum Advisory Council

Passionate volunteers from across the university campus and surrounding community meet monthly to assist museum staff in meeting the goals of its strategic plan. Council members volunteer for activities, help raise funds, and act as a sounding board.

Council Members

Kristi Mascher with a Fruit Bat Skeleton

Kristi Mascher, Ph.D.,
MAC President,
with a Fruit Bat Skeleton

U of A Alumna and Teaching Assistant Professor in Curriculum and Instruction/Childhood Education Department 

Allyn Lord with a Pufferfish

Allyn Lord,
MAC Vice President,
with a Pufferfish 

Retired Museum Professional, Previously UARK Museum Registrar

Kay Murphy with a Navajo Wedding Vase

Kay Murphy, Ed.D.,
MAC Secretary,
with a Navajo Wedding Vase

U of A Alumna and Director of Marketing & Communications, Global Campus 

Molly Boyd with a Portrait of the artist Hart Merriam Schultz (also known by his Blackfoot name, Lone Wolf)

Molly Boyd
with a Portrait of artist Hart Merriam Schultz/Lone Wolf

U of A Alumna and English, Communication, & Journalism Librarian, Mullins Library 

Jacob Hayward with a cast of the foot of Arkansaurus fridayi

Jacob Hayward, Ph.D.
with an Arkansas State Dinosaur foot cast

U of A Alumnus and Middle School Principal, National Science Teaching Association District 7 Director 

Emily English with a Ming Vase

Emily English
with a Ming Vase

U of A Alumna and Fayetteville Art Gallery Director 

Catherine Wallack with a Gibson Basket

Cat Wallack
with a Gibson Basket

Architectural Records Archivist, UA Special Collections 

Kate Reilly-Phillips with an Ancient Greek Figurine of a person on a horse

Kate Reilly-Phillips
with an Ancient Greek Figurine

Community Member

Tracie Slattery with an Ida Roberta Bell Doll of Harriet Tubman

Tracie Slattery
with the Ida Roberta Bell Doll of Harriet Tubman 

U of A Alumna and Retired K-9 Gifted Teacher, Fayetteville Public Schools  

Eston Dunn with a Paddlefish

J. Eston Dunn III
with a Paddlefish

Campus Member

Lisa Purkayastha with a Caddo Compound Bottle

Lisa Purkayastha
with a Caddo Compound Bottle 

Community Member

Ayari Torres-Reyes with a Passenger Pigeon

Ayari Torres-Reyes
with a Passenger Pigeon 

Museum Professional and Community Member

Group photograph of docents during training session standing outside of Museum.

Docent Program

We’re excited to announce our new docent program here at the Museum! Starting in September of 2024, these individuals met for their first training sessions to provide tours of the Museum collections throughout the academic year.

The docent program is a new venture aimed at increasing community engagement with the museum by making tours more accessible. It’s also an opportunity for community members to explore museum work and gain familiarity with the University Museum collections.

2024-2025 Docents

  • Meghan Lucas
  • Jordan Wolf
  • Colleen Hill
  • Sophie Barrentine
  • Ashlyn Fox
  • Anna Rogers
  • April Kittler
  • Raynor Littleton
  • Kristi Mascher
  • Fawn Lovelance
  • Tracie Slattery
  • Karen McGilvery
  • J. Eston Dunn III
  • Brenna Gutierrez
Coca-Cola bottles
Ironwood carvings.
Niloak pottery on shelf.
Niloak Ceramics
Whistling pots and “Resting Warrior” effigy pipe cast.
Taxidermy bird mounts.
Details from Ida Roberta Bell doll of Solon C. Bell.