Kingman Museum’s journey began deep in the heart of Battle Creek’s history. It all started during the Civil War, when the first collections were acquired and displayed in the Central Building of Battle Creek Public Schools, which opened in 1871.
In the same year, high school student Edward Morris Brigham helped organize a collection of rocks, minerals, and fossils, sparking his lifelong passion for museum work. Brigham’s enthusiasm took him on expeditions to the Amazon, Alaska, and Hawaii, where he made groundbreaking discoveries, including documenting the rare hoatzin bird. His global collections laid the foundation for what would become Kingman Museum’s core.
After Brigham became the museum’s first director in 1906, he expanded the collection, adding cultural artifacts and rare fossils from his travels, and even contributed to major institutions like the Smithsonian and the Field Museum.
In the 1920s, Brigham dreamed of an educational campus to house art, natural history, music, and more. With the help of Emma Kingman’s generous donation in memory of her husband, Senator A.C. Kingman, and land from local benefactors like Leila Post Montgomery, the dream of a dedicated museum building was realized. In 1933, the Kingman Memorial Museum opened its doors at Leila Arboretum.
The museum’s leadership continued to thrive under Edward Brigham, Jr., who expanded its global collection. However, due to financial challenges in the late 20th century, the museum faced closure. Determined to preserve the legacy, community members formed Kingman Museum, Inc., securing the museum’s future as an independent non-profit.
Kingman Museum is deeply grateful to be hosted through the generosity of the Battle Creek Regional History Museum, whose partnership has ensured the continued care and accessibility of our collections during this transitional period. Their support reflects a shared commitment to preserving and celebrating the stories of our community. Building on this spirit of collaboration, Kingman Museum is actively working alongside fellow cultural institutions across the region to establish a unified museum alliance. This effort will strengthen connections between organizations, expand educational opportunities, and create a more coordinated, impactful cultural experience for the people of Battle Creek and Southwest Michigan.
Kingman Museum of Natural History would like to recognize a few friends and partners in the Battle Creek community who have helped the organization in the past few years.
Kingman Museum is grateful for the generous partnership of the Art Center of Battle Creek, a community institution dedicated to enriching lives through the visual arts since 1948. Over the past several years, the Art Center has opened its doors to Kingman, hosting traveling exhibits including Characterful Creatures, Works of the WPA, and Things that Fly — bringing natural history to audiences who might not otherwise find their way through our doors. The Art Center has also welcomed Kingman’s gift shop into their shared space, giving our visitors another way to support the museum while enjoying all the Art Center has to offer. We are proud to call them a friend and neighbor in Battle Creek’s cultural community, and we encourage everyone to visit them at 265 E. Emmett Street.
Some friendships go back further than memory — and our relationship with the Leila Arboretum Society is one of them. Kingman Museum sits on the very grounds of Leila Arboretum, a 72-acre sanctuary that traces its origins to 1922, when Leila Post Montgomery donated the land to the City of Battle Creek Wikipedia — part of a broader cultural campus envisioned by Edward M. Brigham, Emma Kingman and Leila Post Montgomery the same visionaries behind Kingman Museum itself. That shared DNA has made the Leila Arboretum Society a natural partner and neighbor from the very beginning. Today, LAS stewards more than 3,000 trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals across the grounds, and welcomes more than 40,000 visitors a year Leila Arboretum — many of whom find their way to our doors as well. We are proud to call the Leila Arboretum Society a true friend of Kingman, and we encourage everyone to explore the remarkable living collection that surrounds us. Visit them at 928 W. Michigan Avenue or at lasgarden.org.
When Kingman Museum faced one of its most critical moments, the Battle Creek Community Foundation stepped up. Working in partnership with the Battle Creek Regional History Museum, BCCF helped secure Kingman’s collection — ensuring that the natural history, specimens, and artifacts entrusted to this institution would be preserved for future generations of Battle Creek residents. That act of commitment spoke volumes about what BCCF stands for. Since 1974, the Battle Creek Community Foundation has brought together community members, local businesses, and organizations to invest in Battle Creek’s future — growing gifts over time through endowment funds that fuel grants, scholarships, and community projects. That same philosophy continues to benefit Kingman today. BCCF manages and stewards endowment funds on behalf of the museum, providing the kind of long-term financial stability that allows us to focus on our mission rather than our survival. Their model is built on investing endowments responsibly so that gifts create lasting, local benefit — and for Kingman, that has made all the difference. We are deeply grateful for their partnership through restructuring and beyond, and proud to count them among our most steadfast friends.
Kingman Museum of Natural History is proud to partner with Lawson Printers as our primary printing partner.
“Lawson Printers recognizes Local 550M of the Graphic Communications Conference International Brotherhood of Teamsters as the exclusive bargaining representative for its production employees, and maintains a long and mutually beneficial working relationship with that union. Lawson is also authorized to display the union label of the GCIU and Allied Trades, as well as the UAW label for work requiring those designations.”
By choosing Lawson, Kingman Museum ensures that our printed materials — from exhibit panels to fundraising collateral — are produced by a shop that upholds fair labor standards and supports union workers in the printing trades. This reflects our broader commitment to working with partners who share our values.
