Kingman Museum of Natural History Community Science Network
Battle Creek’s living laboratory — connecting curious minds to the natural world
The Kingman Museum Community Science Network invites residents of Southwest Michigan to become active participants in the scientific study of the natural world around them. Whether you’re tracking migratory birds along the Kalamazoo River corridor, monitoring insect populations in your backyard, or documenting plant phenology through the seasons, your observations matter — and here, they have a home.
Rooted in the museum’s more than a century of natural history scholarship, the Network bridges professional science and everyday curiosity. Participants contribute real data to regional and national research initiatives while deepening their own connection to the ecosystems of Southwest Michigan. No science background required. Just a willingness to look closely.
What the Network offers:
- Guided field programs led by museum educators and regional scientists
- Citizen science project partnerships with platforms like iNaturalist, eBird, and CoCoRaHS
- Youth-focused programming that builds observation skills and environmental identity from an early age
- Access to the museum’s collections and archives to ground your observations in historical context
- Community events, BioBlitzes, and seasonal nature walks open to all ages
Why it matters:
Long-term, community-generated data reveals patterns no single researcher could capture alone. When a Battle Creek resident logs a sighting today, it joins a record stretching back through the museum’s founding collections — a living archive of how this landscape changes over time. The Kingman Museum Community Science Network is how our community becomes part of that story.