Missouri paddlefish to be featured in Smithsonian exhibition marking America’s 250th anniversary

FOX23 News at 9 p.m

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KBSI) — An American paddlefish from Missouri will be featured in a new Smithsonian exhibition highlighting the natural and cultural heritage of all 50 states as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History will open “From These Lands: Sharing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage” on June 18. The 5,000-square-foot exhibition will showcase more than 600 specimens and cultural objects from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories.

The exhibition will include seven objects from Missouri, including an American paddlefish, one of the last surviving species in an ancient fish lineage dating back more than 310 million years.

According to the Smithsonian, the American paddlefish is the only remaining member of the paddlefish family and is now found primarily within the Mississippi River watershed. The species is known for its distinctive paddle-shaped snout, which helps detect electrical currents and locate food.

Museum officials said the exhibition is designed to showcase the connections between people, places and the natural world through fossils, minerals, cultural artifacts and scientific specimens.

The exhibition will remain on display through December 2029.

“From These Lands” is part of the Smithsonian’s “Our Shared Future: 250” initiative commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary.