Benedictine University located in Lisle Illinois is the home of the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum. The museum, while small in scope, is filled with specimens that were collected all over the world. Brothers Father Hilary Jurica and Father Edmund Jurica spent their lives in pursuit of educating others through hands-on learning. They collected and exchanged animal and plant specimens with colleagues in the United States and Europe. Karly Tumminello, the Director and Curator of the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum has agreed to answer a few questions for us about the museum and the importance of Nature Journaling.
What species are on display at the museum?
The Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum was established in 1971, and currently displays over 3,500 specimens from around the world. The museum is located on the 2ndfloor of the Birck Hall of Science at Benedictine University in Lisle, IL. Some of our rarest specimens are a collection of extinct animals including passenger pigeons, Carolina parakeet, whooping crane, ivory-billed woodpeckers, and more. We have a sei whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling at the center of the museum, and several dioramas highlighting different habitats.
If one of our readers wanted to visit the museum, how would they go about doing that?
The museum offers free admission and is open to the public. Our hours change seasonally because our museum is staffed by undergraduate student workers. Reservations to the museum can be made on our website.
Nature journaling while done for hundreds of years, is becoming more common. What is nature journaling?
Nature journaling is a wonderful tool that allows us to notice and document the natural phenomenon happening around us all the time. It is a process that promotes curiosity, celebrates awe and wonder, and brings us into a state of mindfulness. Nature journaling involves creative non-fiction nature writing, drawing and sketching, and gathering data. It is an activity that all ages can partake in. It really involves getting to know your local environment and allows us to develop our sense of place within it.
Are any skills required before one starts nature journaling?
No special skills are required to start a nature journal. Many people get a bit nervous about drawing and sketching, but those are skills that just get better with practice!
The best advice I have is to keep your nature journaling kit handy. Make it accessible and embed it within a part of your daily routine. For example, do you always have your morning coffee and watch the bird feeder? That is a perfect place to keep a journal and pen ready to go!
Don’t be afraid to come back to your journal sporadically either. Especially starting something new, we can’t always commit to it daily. That is ok! Whether you can fit it in weekly, monthly, or even a few times per year, once you have a few entries to look back on you will see how powerful it can be.
Does nature journaling need to be done outdoors?
Nature journaling can be done anywhere. It is a very accessible activity. Nature can be accessed through a window, via a nature walk, when traveling, or even through a nature webcam. Many people enjoy time outdoors, and then come inside to complete their nature journal session. It can also be fun to nature journal at different times of day, like documenting nighttime observations. There is no wrong way to create a nature journal!
What are the benefits of nature journaling?
There are many benefits of nature journaling. It can be a very mindful experience, promoting peace and relaxation. It can also be invigorating and exciting experience, like when spotting a rare bird. Overall, it is very good for your brain, which likes to be curious. Exploring nature can be good for physical health, mental health and wellbeing, as well as spiritual health.
Are there particular items that you recommend someone acquires prior to beginning to do nature journaling?
Nature journaling can be completed with very simple tools, such as a piece of paper and a pencil. It can also be completed with more elaborate gear, such as a drawing pens, watercolor pallet, markers, colored pencils – any and all of your favorite art supplies.
What types of media are usually involved in nature journaling? Is it primarily writing and drawing or does it involve photography as well?
There are many ways to nature journal. They can be handwritten or typed, they can be printed or online, they can include illustrations, photographs, collages, leaf rubbings, pressed plants, etc. There really is no wrong way to make a nature journal. It can be as creative as the author wants it to be.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc.,a landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her atKathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
