Museum of Culture and Environment

X-Ray Vison: Fish Inside Out

January 7 through March 14, 2026

Fish are vertebrates—animals with backbones—and have bodies supported by a bony skeleton. Variations in the skeleton, such as the number of vertebrae or the position of fins, are documented with X-rays. The Smithsonian’s National Collection of Fishes X-rays represent more than 70 percent of the world’s fish specimens and is the largest and most diverse collection of its kind in the world.

Although the X-rays featured in the national collection were made for research purposes, the strikingly elegant images demonstrate the natural union of science and art and are a visual retelling of the evolution of fish. X-Ray Vision: Fish Inside Out, an exhibition from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) and Smithsonian Affiliations, will showcase these dramatic prints exposing the inner workings of the fish.

The exhibition features 40 black-and-white digital prints of different species of fish. Arranged in evolutionary sequence, these X-rays give a tour through the long stream of fish evolution. The X-rays have allowed Smithsonian and other scientists to study the skeleton of a fish without altering the specimen, making it easier for scientists to build a comprehensive picture of fish diversity.

X-Ray Vision: Fish Inside Out is organized by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) and Smithsonian Affiliations. It was inspired by the book Ichthyo: The Architecture of Fish (Chronicle Books in association with the Smithsonian Institution, 2008) by Stephanie Comer and Deborah Klochko.

Learn about microplastics in the life-sustaining waters of our own Yakima River and what you can do about this nearly invisible pollutant and health concern.

CWU biology graduate J Shah conducted this research with her thesis advisor and professor of biology Dr. Clay Arango. The Window on Central showcases the work of CWU faculty and students in the College of the Sciences. J Shah is currently a habitat biologist in Yakima County for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.  (a College of the Sciences “Window on Central” display) 

What's Up with the Wind?

This student curated and designed exhibit in the Dean Hall Lobby explores how geography contributes to the unmistakeable Ellensburg wind.

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Students from the CWU Museum Club install their 2019 exhibit Thanks for the Memories.

The CWU Museum of Culture & Environment resides on land ceded by the Yakama people in 1855. We must respect and take care of this land and all that comes from it. The Yakama people continue their relationship with the land to this day, offering gratitude and stewardship. We acknowledge that the Museum and the collections we steward came to be at CWU because of the many complex legacies of colonialism. And we acknowledge Indigenous CWU students, past, present, and future.