Southern Vermont Natural History Museum

The mission of the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum is to foster an interest in nature, the environment, and the natural sciences through exhibition, research, and educational activities. Our goal is to provide an unforgettable experience to our visitors.

The Southern Vermont Natural History Museum was founded in 1996.

A small, but fast growing organization, the Museum has over 200 members. The staff consists of an executive director and two part-time educators, as well as several volunteers.

Our natural history collection includes over 600 native New England birds and mammals in 150 small dioramas, one of the largest collections of its type in the Northeast. Many of these wild animal specimens were collected by Luman Nelson between 1900 and 1962.

We offer an exciting display of non-releasable live hawks and owls and use these birds to present live raptor programs to area schools.

The Southern Vermont Natural History Museum is located on the top of Hogback Mountain in Marlboro, Vermont, the southern foothills of the scenic Green Mountains. Perched on an overlook with views into Massachusetts and New Hampshire, on a clear day the horizon is 100 miles away.

Enjoy our wildflower exhibit summer and fall. Learn about Vermont wetland inhabitants through our amphibian and reptile exhibit. See unusual specimens including albino mammals and extinct birds. Enjoy a hike up nearby Mt. Olga for a breathtaking view of the northern New England Mountains. The Hogback Mountain Gift Shop and the Skyline Restaurant are located next door.

Learn about Vermont wetland inhabitants through our amphibian and reptile exhibit. See unusual specimens including albino mammals and extinct birds.

The museum publishes a natural history newsletter and offers various free programs to community members.