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Highway 180 bisects the Museum of Northern Arizona campus

Besides the inspiring exhibitions, the Museum of Northern Arizona has 200 acres of land, including gardens, trails, a library, and many historic buildings. Some of the outdoor spaces are open to the public, such as the gardens and trails. Collections areas and research laboratories occasionally offer Behind-the-Scenes tours. Other areas, including the Discovery Village and Pearson Hall, are used for public programs and private events. Highway 180 bisects the campus, with the museum building on the south side of the busy road and the other facilities to the north. When visiting the campus, please respect that you are on private land where people are working.

Download a printable Main Campus Map or Full Campus Map, or browse the interactive map and links below.

The Coops

The Coops on MNA’s Research campus are used as housing for interns, visiting scholars, and artists in residence. The coops consist of nine, single-room units, a community kitchen, and bathhouse.

Discovery Village

In 2010, three historic cabins on MNA’s campus, Matthews, Guernsey and Fewkes were relocated behind the Newberry Building on MNA’s Research Center campus. These buildings are currently used as classrooms for MNA’s summer Discovery programs for kids.

Research Center

MNA founders Dr. and Mrs. Colton purchased the land where the Research Center is located in 1927 and established Antelope Valley Ranch, a working dairy and farm. Through the years, many conversions have been made and new buildings have been erected. MNA collections, research departments, and administration moved from the exhibit building to quarters at the Research Center.

McMillan Homestead

Follow the link to read about the rich history of the homestead. In 1976, MNA refurbished the home and nearby springs with a matching grant from the State Historic Preservation Office. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was leased by the Grand Canyon Trust until 1995. Since then, the Homestead has been restored as closely as possible to its original condition.

Museum Exhibition

Built during the Depression with local malpais (lava rock) masonry, the building opened in the spring of 1936. The original structure included the south entrance, the anthropology and geology galleries, the bookstore, and museum shop. The Branigar/Chase Discovery Center is the newest addition to MNA.

Easton Collection Center

The Easton Collection Center is a premier attraction of MNA’s Research Campus. The ECC represents MNA’s commitment to the highest standard of care for its collections. The ECC provides a stable and secure environment for collections, with optimal ranges of temperature and humidity; a fire suppression system; protection from insect damage; and a high degree of security.

Gardens Trails Library

The Buildings

Museum Building

Built during the Depression with local malpais (lava rock) masonry, the museum building opened in the spring of 1936. Additions have expanded the facility over the years, including the Branigar/Chase Discovery Center auditorium, which can be rented for events. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

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Easton Collection Center

Dedicated in June 2009, the Easton Collection Center (ECC) provides a stable and secure environment for collections. The 17,000 square foot building is an impressive piece of environmentally friendly architecture.

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Administration & Library

This building contains the Harold S. Colton Memorial Library as well as offices for public programs, development, marketing, and finance. Built in 1953 it was originally a 12,000 square foot building and has been expanded over the years. An addition in 1972 doubled the size of the library, which now includes the Katharine Bartlett Reading Room and book stacks.

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Discovery Village

This cluster of historic buildings is used for kids camps and programs. The Discovery Village is off Highway 180 at the end of Winding Brook Road. Download a Printable Discovery Village Map here.

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Pearson Hall

This cinderblock seminar hall was built in 1955 and named for NASSA board member Gustaf A. Pearson. He was the Director of the US Forest Service Fort Valley Forest and Range Experiment Station. It is used for meetings and as a classroom and can be rented for private events.

The Coops

Rustic cabins used to house interns, visiting scholars, and artists in residence.

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McMillan Homestead

Long considered the oldest remaining Anglo-American residence in Flagstaff, the McMillan Homestead was built in 1886 by Thomas Forsythe McMillan.

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Potato Barn

Built in the 1880s, this log barn is one of the original structures from Thomas McMillan’s homestead. Sawdust insulates the space between the double log walls to create a cool storage area for potatoes and other crops.

Hilltop (Facilities Office)

Now used as offices, this four-room frame cottage was built in 1927 for the farmer who leased the farm operations from Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton. Since then it has been renovated and enlarged several times.

Anthropology

A wing was added to the administration building in 1963; it was built by US Geological Survey funds to house the astrogeology branch of USGS. The space was later turned over to the MNA Anthropology Department and additional rooms were added to provide bulk archaeological storage.

Powell Building (Biology)

Originally built as dairy barns in 1935, these malpais structures are now used as botany and ecology labs. The floors had chipped cement to keep cows and calves from slipping and a walk-in cooler used for keeping dairy products. It was converted into offices and labs for geology and biology in 1945.

Brady (Geology)

This structure was built with National Science Foundation funds in 1966 and contains six offices, a conference room, dark room, vault, storage areas, study areas, and preparation rooms. It is named for longtime MNA geologist “Major” Lionel Brady and houses the Geology Department and collections.