Nebraska Artist's Murals Decorate University Museum

Elizabeth Dolan's 1920s watercolor frescoes highlight fossils and ancient landscapes at Morrill Hall.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:06am

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single, iconic fossil object such as a mammoth tooth or ancient plant repeated in a tight grid pattern, utilizing flat, vibrant, and unnatural neon color palettes overlapping with heavy black photographic outlines to turn an everyday museum artifact into modern pop art.Elizabeth Dolan's vibrant, scientifically-inspired murals have decorated the University of Nebraska State Museum for nearly a century, celebrating the institution's fossil collections through her unique artistic vision.Lincoln Today

The University of Nebraska State Museum in Lincoln features the work of Elizabeth Dolan, a recognized fresco artist in the 1920s and 1930s who was hired to paint murals throughout Morrill Hall celebrating the museum's fossil collections. Dolan's scientifically accurate watercolor frescoes blend ancient and modern landscapes behind depictions of mammoths and other prehistoric creatures.

Why it matters

Dolan was one of the first female artists to have work displayed in the Nebraska State Capitol, and her murals at Morrill Hall represent an important part of the state's artistic history that is now seeing a resurgence of local interest and appreciation.

The details

Elizabeth Dolan, the daughter of Irish immigrants, was born in Iowa and came to Nebraska as an infant. After studying art in Chicago, New York, and France, she returned to Nebraska to care for a family member. The director of the University of Nebraska State Museum, E.H. Barbour, then hired Dolan to paint murals throughout Morrill Hall to celebrate the museum's fossil collections. Dolan was paid $100 per week to create the watercolor frescoes on the first and second floors, traveling with Barbour to research the fossils and plants to ensure scientific accuracy.

  • Dolan painted the murals at Morrill Hall in the 1920s after the museum was constructed.
  • In the 1920s and 1930s, Dolan was becoming a nationally recognized fresco artist.

The players

Elizabeth Dolan

A Nebraska artist who painted murals throughout the University of Nebraska State Museum in the 1920s, known for her scientifically accurate watercolor frescoes blending ancient and modern landscapes.

E.H. Barbour

The director of the University of Nebraska State Museum who hired Dolan to paint the murals at Morrill Hall.

University of Nebraska State Museum

The museum in Lincoln, Nebraska that features Dolan's murals highlighting its fossil collections.

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What they’re saying

“Dolan traveled with Barbour, researching the fossils and plants to make sure things were scientifically accurate.”

— Caroline Clements, with the University of Nebraska State Museum

The takeaway

Elizabeth Dolan's murals at the University of Nebraska State Museum represent an important part of the state's artistic heritage, showcasing the work of a pioneering female fresco artist whose scientifically accurate depictions of ancient landscapes and fossils have endured for nearly a century.