Our UMN Story
Held in trust since 1872
We are Minnesota’s natural history museum and a proud part of Minnesota’s land-grant university—one of the most prestigious public research universities in the nation. At the University of Minnesota, we are driven to discover—changing lives through research, education, and outreach.
The museum is powered by the great minds on campus–from our faculty curators, student lab assistants, and interpretive guides to our dedicated staff and collegiate partners–with the curiosity and innovative spirit to confront the world’s great challenges from every angle. The University of Minnesota is vibrant, filled with ideas, and fueled by boundless human energy. The university overflows with unique promise that drives the economy, culture, and innovation of the state of Minnesota. And now we have an opportunity to make an impact on the world.
CFANS: Where passion meets purpose
As part of a major urban university located in the heart of the Twin Cities, the Bell Museum’s organizational home is within the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. In CFANS, we look at the bigger picture. When we envision a better tomorrow, it includes disease-resistant crops, products that protect our health, lakes free from invasive species, and so much more. We use science to find answers to the world’s grand challenges and solve tomorrow’s problems.
Thirteen academic departments and 10 research and outreach centers make up our college, along with the Bell Museum, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, and dozens of interdisciplinary centers.