We would like to extend this opportunity to join the Friends of the University of Montana Paleontology Center. The Friends was organized to act as a support and advocacy group for the UMPC. Your membership dues will fund the creation of more public exhibits and expand the tour/education program. Members will also receive a twice annual newsletter with an update of activities in the UMPC.  Dues are for a period of one year and all contributions to the Friends are tax deductible to the full extent provided by law.

Printable Friends of UMPC membership form

These Duck-Billed Platypus skulls were purchased with dues from Friend’s memberships and were 3D printed at the Mansfield Library using CT Scan data from the University of Texas-Austin. They were added to the Cenozoic display case to describe the unique isolated evolution in Australia and to shed light on the ancient lineage of Monotreme mammals.  The Monotremes are the only mammals that lay eggs and the only surviving members of this order are the platypus and 4 species of echidnas – all indigenous to Australia and New Guinea.  The top skull is of the modern platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus, and the bottom skull represents Obdurodon dicksoni a 15 million year old platypus.