Idaho Museum of Natural History to open ‘Gone Fishing’ exhibit Aug. 21; dinner party opening celebration set

POCATELLO – Did you know that Idahoans spend more than 2 million days fishing every year? Or that the Salmon River is one of the longest undammed rivers in the lower 48?

The Idaho Museum of Natural History at Idaho State University will open a new exhibit “Gone Fishin’!” on Aug. 21. The museum invites the public to take a great fishing trip with their families to the IMNH.

The exhibit was designed with the goal to submerge visitors into the habitat of both fish and fisherman. So, while visitors won’t catch any fish at the Museum, they can get hooked on learning.

“This exhibit presents Idaho’s fish in a way you’ve never seen before,” said Leif Tapanila, the IMNH’s interim director. “Museum guests will experience a beautiful and interactive exhibit, while learning something new about Idaho’s native fish.”

The heart of “Gone Fishin’” features a one-of-a-kind art exhibition called “38 Minus: The Idaho Fish Project,” which spotlights all 38 varieties of Idaho’s native fish using life size paper relief sculptures created by artist, Lonnie Hutson. It took Hutson, an alumnus of the University of Idaho, three years to make all the sculptures. The handmade paper used in each sculpture is full of natural materials like volcanic ash and Idaho plants, making each piece unique and irreplaceable.

To complement such masterful artwork, the Museum will have interactive, touchscreen stations highlighting more information about each fish, modern and historic fishing camps, wall puzzles and exhibits spotlighting the region’s local waterway, the Portneuf River.

A dinner party will be held on Aug. 21 from 5 to 8 p.m. to celebrate the opening of “Gone Fishin’!” Guests will be able to purchase dinner, drinks, hear from exhibit creators, and make Japanese Gyotaku fish prints. Dinner party tickets, available at the door, are $10 for ages 12 and up, $5 for 11 and under and free for kids 3 and under.

Museum hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday and closed on Monday.

Museum admission is $5 for adults 18 and over, $4 for seniors 60 and over, $2 for ISU students with valid Bengal Card, $1 for youths 4-17 and free for children 3 and under.

For more information call 208-282-3168 or visit imnh.isu.edu.