Only a few steps from classes, students can check out Missouri artifacts dating back to 9,000 B.C., read newspapers from the 1800s and see dozens of 16th century costumes. ArtiFact, a consortium of on-campus art outlets and museums, held a fair on Lowry Mall on Wednesday to raise awareness of these cultural emporiums and more on MU’s campus.

If you’re looking for something to do on a Wednesday night, stop by Morrison Observatory and get a glimpse of the moon. On Fridays, find out what the Craft Studio has in store during its free “Crafternoons.”

The museums, observatory and Craft Studio are a few places on campus that are teaming up as part of the new organization, ArtiFact, to promote the cultural, artistic, historical and scientific venues in the MU community. Representatives from the organizations in ArtiFact held a fair on Lowry Mall to raise awareness and involvement.

Whether a seasoned artist or a complete beginner, any student can take advantage of the studio space, tools and workshops the Craft Studio offers.

Craft Studio Advisor Lindsay Akens said the ceramics class usually sells out before the class even starts.

“Any class that we get to use fire torches is very popular,” Akens said. “We teach classes and workshops, but they’re not for credit or grades. We’re all for fun, so you can learn how to make a new thing,”

For a chance to observe art, check out the historical and contemporary exhibits at the George Caleb Bingham Art Gallery, located in MU’s Fine Arts Center. This month the gallery is hosting its third annual alumni exhibition.

Artwork and artifacts from Missouri and around the world can be found in two museums in the Francis Quadrangle. The Museum of Art and Archaeology, located in Pickard Hall, holds collections of Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Near Eastern artwork and artifacts. Visitors can also find pieces of European and American art dating from the 15th century to the present.

If you ever find yourself curious to check out 6 million specimens of insects, arachnids and fossils, look no further than the Enns Entomology Museum in the Agriculture Building. The museum holds worldwide importance because it houses the best primary sources of insect and arachnid specimens from the Ozark Plateau.

“We’re mostly a research museum, but we do have an area with displays,” museum manager Kristin Simpson said. “Most specimens were collected by MU researchers, and some are even from professors collecting insects in the South Pacific during World War II.”

Missouri history is well preserved at the State Historical Society in the East Wing of the Ellis Library. Visitors will also find historical maps, photographs, manuscript collections and an artwork gallery featuring works by George Caleb Bingham.

More than 6,000 pieces of fashion history are displayed in the Missouri Historical Costume and Textile Collection. Clothing and textile items from the 16th to 20th centuries are available to the community for research and exhibition.

The School of Music had a table promoting their different outreach programs. The Community Music Program offers discounted music lessons to members of the community taught by MU music students, said Jonathon Kuuskoski, outreach and community programs coordinator. The String Project gives MU students who aspire to be music teachers the chance to teach an orchestra of third and fourth grade students.

“We have well over 200 students now in all of our preparatory programs,” Kuuskoski said. “The Music School has a lot of great programs that have been around for a long time, and we’re starting to connect them all together under one umbrella.”

The ArtiFact fair served to inform students about the great resources right on MU’s campus.

“Most people don’t know these places are on campus, and that’s why we’re having this,” Simpson said. “ArtiFact is a fairly new organization and we’re trying to promote ourselves and say, ‘Hi, we’re here.’”