Photos: The Weird, Wonderful and Nostalgic at the UNI Museum, Closing This Month

When the University of Northern Iowa Museum closes its doors at the end of the month, an era spanning 120 years will come to an end.

"All of the staff here are so awesome, and everybody is so educated in their fields. They have done so much with the little they've been given," said Jori Wade-Booth, public affairs coordinator for the museum. "It's sad that we won't be able to share that with the public anymore."

The museum's closure comes amid wide-reaching budget cuts at the University of Northern Iowa. Much of the museum's collection will remain in storage on campus, around UNI in future years.

According to the museum's website:

The University Museum began in 1892 through the individual collecting by faculty members of artifacts and specimens for use in the classroom. These collections were initiated by those in the disciplines of geology and biology, but were later expanded to include history and anthropology.

In 1975, the museum was accredited by the American Association of Museums, an honor bestowed on less than 10 percent of museums in America.

These photos are of just a few of the 110,000 items in the museum's collection. To see them for yourself, visit the museum now through the end of the month.

The museum's last day will be June 29. This Saturday, June 7, will be the last Saturday the museum will be open, as well as the last day to view ?"

Normal hours are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The museum will be closed June 12 to 16 while the "Race" exhibit is being taken down.

The museum's permanent collection will still be available for viewing through June 29, and Wade-Booth said museum staff are working on a special exhibit documenting the museum's history.