Solution Studio, Bell Museum

Impact Goals Award

Dr. Holly Menninger is the Executive Director of the Bell Museum, Minnesota’s state natural history museum and planetarium at the University of Minnesota. As director, Menninger oversees the curation of the Bell’s scientific research collection containing more than 1.2 million specimens, supports the expansion of institutional efforts to engage diverse communities statewide, and strengthens the Bell’s role as a gateway to research and scholarship at the University of Minnesota. Previously, Menninger was the Bell’s director of public engagement and science learning for five years. She supervised all aspects of the Bell’s interpretive efforts during a time of transformational change, including staff who developed and delivered authentic science learning experiences through exhibitions, planetarium shows, and on-site and virtual programs for youth, adult, and family audiences.

An entomologist by training, Menninger is a science communicator by passion and practice. For nearly 20 years, she has worked at the intersection of science and society — in policy, natural resource management, and public engagement in science. Menninger previously held positions at NC State University, Cornell University, and the American Institute of Biological Sciences. She’s authored a number of peer-reviewed scientific publications, policy articles, and popular science stories, and her work has been frequently featured in the popular news media. Menninger earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Denison University and her PhD in behavior, ecology, evolution and systematics from the University of Maryland.