Dan Gunderson of Minnesota Public Radio, left, interviews museum director Jim Pollard in early February.

In very early February, the Southern Minnesota Museum of Natural History in Blue Earth had a special visitor.

That visit resulted in the museum being featured on Minnesota Public Radio, which was aired this past Monday, March 24.

Dan Gunderson of MPR spent most of a day in Blue Earth recording an interview of museum director Jim Pollard, as well as taking photos of many of the exhibits in the museum.

Besides being aired on the radio, Gunderson’s written story about the museum and many of his photos can be found on the MPR website at https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/03/24/fascinated-by-fossils-minnesota-man-builds-a-smalltown-science-museum-bone-by-bone

The story is also now on Facebook and can be found there at https://www.facebook.com/NPR/posts/jim-pollard-70-spent-his-career-as-an-artist-but-a-lifelong-fascination-with-fos/1029263729070626/

Gunderson’s story details the history of Pollard’s love of fossils and natural history, as well as the creation of the idea of a museum in Blue Earth.

“Hopefully this statewide publicity will bring some notice to what we are doing here in Blue Earth,” Pollard said. “We are hoping it means more visitors to the museum.”

Pollard said that he has already had calls and messages from people from all over who have seen the story on the MPR website.

Gunderson’s visit to the museum was not his only interview and story about something in Blue Earth. He has also featured the decades long Chautauqua Circle ladies of Blue Earth on his show.

The name of his radio show is ‘Wander & Wonder.’

Being featured on Minnesota Public Radio is not the only thing going on at the Southern Minnesota Museum of Natural History in Blue Earth.

The museum recently purchased two microscopes and one telescope, which they are lending out to the public, much like a library does with books.

“A person can borrow a microscope or the telescope for one week at no charge,” Pollard says. “They do have to fill out a short form and sign it.”

Pollard says he then gives the person or persons borrowing the items some instructions on how to use them.

“We also give them some items to look at with the microscopes,” Pollard explains. “Some are fossils, some are 50 million year old insects in amber, and there are other things to look at and learn about.”

He also instructs borrowers how to use the telescope as well as what to look for in the night sky.

“We created a lunar challenge,” Pollard says. “It is for kids to find certain places on the moon through the telescope. If they find all the locations on the moon, then they get an award, a lunar coin.”

Some of the places are where the Apollo and Russian moon landings were located.

One young man named Connor has already found all the specified places on the moon and received a lunar coin. Kids do need to have a parent with them in order to fill out the forms and borrow the items.

“The telescope is fairly powerful, but also is super easy to use,” Pollard says. “Users can see the moon in detail, as well as nearby planets like Venus and Jupiter and even Saturn at different times of the year.”

Currently the museum is only open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In June, July and August it will be open every day of the week from 1-4 p.m.

People interested in visiting the museum or wanting more information on borrowing a microscope or telescope can stop in on Saturdays or call the museum at 507-526-DINO and leave a message.