J.C. Dickinson, Jr. Hall, home to the Museum since 1970, now exclusively houses collections and research activities. Dickinson Hall is visited mostly by scientists and university students engaged in collections-based natural history research.
THIS BUILDING IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Visitors must make an appointment with a staff member to gain entrance.
Important Notice: Ongoing road construction around Dickinson Hall may limit or obstruct access to the building. Please visit campusclosures.ufl.edu or contact the front desk at 352-392-1721 for the latest information on closures and impacts before attempting to visit.
Location
Florida Museum of Natural History
Dickinson Hall
1659 Museum Road
PO Box 117800
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-7800
352-392-1721
GPS coordinates:
N29o 38′ 41.2″ W82o 20′ 39.9″
From Interstate 75: Take exit 384 and travel 3.4 miles east on State Road 24 (Archer Road) to U.S. 441 (S.W. 13thStreet/Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard). Turn left (north) onto U.S. 441 and travel 0.1 mile. Turn left (west) at stop light onto Museum Road. Travel west on Museum Road to Newell Drive (the first stop light). Dickinson Hall is located on the southwest corner of Museum Road and Newell Drive.
From U.S. 441: Travel west on Museum Road about 0.1 mile to Newell Drive (the first stop light). Dickinson Hall is located on the southwest corner of Museum Road and Newell Drive. If driving from the south, turn left onto Museum Road, which is about 0.1 mile north of S.R. 24 (Archer Road). If driving from the north, turn right onto Museum Road, which is about .5 mile south of S.R. 26 (West University Ave.)
From Jacksonville: Take I-10 west to U.S. 301 South (exit 343) toward Starke. Travel on 301 to Waldo, about 37 miles. From Waldo veer right (look for Gainesville sign) onto S.R. 24 West/Kennard St./Waldo Road and continue 13 miles to S.R. 26 in Gainesville. Turn right onto S.R. 26/East University Ave. and travel 1.7 miles to U.S. 441 (S.W. 13th Street/Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard). Turn left (south) and travel 0.5 mile to Museum Road. Turn right and travel about 0.1 mile to Newell Drive (the first stop light). Dickinson Hall is located on the southwest corner of Museum Road and Newell Drive.
Guest parking is extremely limited. A parking pass is required from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, excluding state and UF holidays. Researchers working in Dickinson Hall should obtain a parking permit from UF Traffic and Parking Services, located at 1273 Gale Lemerand Drive. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the telephone number is 352-392-7275. Researchers working for extended periods should first request and obtain a letter from the Museum Director’s Office to present to Traffic Parking Services when purchasing a parking pass.
All guests must sign in at the front desk and obtain a name badge, which must be worn at all times within the building.
Dickinson Hall was named for Director Emeritus Dr. J. C. Dickinson, Jr. Its design reflects the pyramidal structures of Native Americans — Southeastern United States temple mounds from the front and Mesoamerican pyramids from the rear. The building is the signature piece of one of Florida’s most-renowned architects, William Morgan.
The transfer of exhibits and public programs to the Powell Hall Education and Exhibition Center in 1998 generated additional space for teaching, scientific collections and research labs. The University of Florida Herbarium was relocated to Dickinson Hall and the remaining space has been retrofitted for research and collection expansion.