Have you ever stroked a polo bear?  Well you can, at the Lewis County Museum of Natural History.  Did you know Meriwether Lewis was murdered here?  There is a great place to discover more about this great mystery.  The Lewis County Museum of Natural History and Discovery Center is a great place to visit.  

Not just any small town museum, here you can delve into the mysterious death of Meriwether Lewis.  Was it murder or suicide?  Located at 108 East Main Street, the Museum presents the story of Lewis County, beginning with the prehistoric peoples who built hunting camps here.

The exhibit on Meriwether Lewis includes the key to the cabin where Lewis died.  Much of the museum is dedicated to the world-class wildlife collection donated by Dan and Margaret Maddox.  The collection has been recognized as the fourth largest in the Western Hemisphere.

Wild Game and Pottery Shards

You will see some of the oldest pottery shards uncovered in the southeastern U.S.  Exhibits on early American Settlement, the Civil War, Gordonsburg Mining and Swiss settlement will give a better understanding of what you will see in Lewis County. 

The Museum also contains one of the largest collections of wild game trophies in the western hemisphere.  The recorded voices of Dan and Margaret Maddox, who acquired over half a century and donated the collection, guide you through the exhibits.  Dan Maddox built Nashville's famed RCA Studio B and owned a farm in Lewis County.  New video presentation show the African animals in their natural habitats. 

The Discovery Center

The Discovery Center allows visitors to explore the relationship between humans and nature and then see how humans have adapted to the environment.  Under construction is a replica of Lewis and Clark's Fort Mandan, an early 1800 era cabin and the Ice House classroom.  You can also view the original stones that covered the grave of Meriwether Lewis for over 150 years. 

Hours of Admission

The Museum is open Tues-Sat 10 - 4, Sundays 1-4.   Closed Holidays and winter months.  Admission adults $5.00; Seniors (60 & over) $4.00; Students $2.00.  Call  931-796-1550 for more information.