Help Preserve the Spirit of the American West
Charles R. Preston, Ph.D.
Founding Curator, Draper Museum of Natural History
Phone: 307.578.4078
Fax: 307.578.4076
cpreston@bbhc.org
Dr. Charles R. Preston serves as Senior Curator of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center and Founding Curator in charge of its Draper Museum of Natural History. He is an ecologist and conservation biologist who explores the influence of climate, landscape, and human attitudes and activities on wildlife, and is widely recognized as a leading authority on wildlife and human-wildlife relationships in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. He is a strong advocate for the role of scientists as public educators and for experiential science programs for youth.
Prior to his current appointment, Dr. Preston was Chairman of the Department of Zoology at the Denver Museum of Natural History, and before that Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He holds or has held adjunct faculty appointments in biology and environmental science at the University of Colorado (Boulder and Denver campuses), environmental policy and management at the University of Denver, and biological sciences at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
Dr. Preston sits on numerous national and regional boards and advisory committees and promotes understanding of the dynamics of coupled human and natural systems through his writing, teaching, public appearances, and museum exhibits. He has authored four books and more than sixty scholarly and popular articles dealing with wildlife behavior and ecology, human dimensions of wildlife management, and the role of working scientists as public educators and interpreters. His current field research focuses on Golden Eagle nesting ecology in the eastern portion of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Areas of Responsibility/Expertise
- Draper Museum of Natural History and related exhibits
- Rocky Mountain wildlife
- Birds of prey
- Ecology and wildlife management in Greater Yellowstone Area
- Greater Yellowstone environmental issues
- Role of natural history museums in the 21st centuryAcquisition, preservation, and care of Natural History Collection
- Informal science education
Philip McClinton
Assistant Curator, Draper Museum of Natural History
Phone: 307.578.4093
philipm@bbhc.org
Philip McClinton M.S. has been the Curatorial Assistant of the Draper Museum of Natural History since 2005. He is responsible for day-to-day operation of the natural history museum and is the collections manager. His other duties include gallery and exhibit management and design, supervision of the Draper's volunteers, equipment procurement and repair, and attention to daily office needs. His other duties include fieldwork, educational presentations on various subjects, and writing popular articles for Points West magazine.
Philip's interests are diverse. He is a master bander, and has banded in excess of ten thousand Inca, mourning, and White-winged doves. As a sophomore, he was the co-primary investigator on the first scientific project involving the endangered Texas black bear. Other investigations include avian parasites, mountain lion food habits, bat capture and identification, and wildlife forensics for a state game agency. Reptiles and amphibians are among his favorite subjects. He is deeply involved with the education and enlightenment of the public to many natural history topics. His greatest concern on the topic of U.S. wildlife is the continued spread of White-nose Syndrome in the nation's bat populations.
Melissa Hill
Assistant Curator, Greater Yellowstone Raptor Experience
Phone: 307.578.4111
melissah@bbhc.org
Melissa Hill joined the Draper's staff to establish, launch, and manage a new program, the Greater Yellowstone Raptor Experience, which will bring approximately five birds of prey to the Center for public educational programs. All birds—non-releasable due to physical or behavioral defect, will come from other educational programs or rehabilitation facilities.
Hill comes to the Historical Center from HawkQuest, a nonprofit raptor education organization based in Colorado that has presented popular raptor programs at the Historical Center in recent years. She was lead lecturer there, and prior to that served as curator of birds at Reptile Gardens in South Dakota, where she did programs, trained birds, and taught staff and volunteers to care for and handle them. Hill's bachelor's degree is in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and Management from the University of Wyoming.
Carl Preussl (1894 – after 1934) Old Faithful, 1929 oil on canvas. 3.01
Yellowstone has always inspired artists as well as scientists and nature lovers. See the nature of Yellowstone through art.
Register now or at the door. Our June 21 "Guys Night at the Museum" features the Draper Museum and our live raptors! More info.