Harvard Museum of Natural History
Daily, 9 am-5 pm
26 Oxford Street, 617-495-3045
www.hmnh.harvard.edu

The Harvard Museum of Natural History (HMNH) presents to the public the collections and research of Harvard University's three natural history institutions: The Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University Herbaria, and the Mineralogical Museum. The HMNH's mission is to enhance public understanding and appreciation of the natural world and the human place in it, sparking curiosity and a spirit of discovery in people of all ages. To realize the mission, HMNH draws on the vast resources of the Harvard Faculty and on collections numbering close to 23 million specimens. In an effort to showcase more of the vast natural history collections, the HMNH presents special temporary exhibitions with related programming for the whole family.

The HU Herbaria collection includes the internationally acclaimed Ware Collection of Glass Models of Plants. These "Glass Flowers" are a one-of-a-kind collection of over 4,000 models of plants painstakingly and beautifully crafted in glass by Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka, father and son. The project spanned five decades from 1886 to 1936 and culminated in representations of more than 830 plant species. An extensive research collection of Precambrian fossils, dating back 3.5 billion years, and an historically important collection of economic botany materials are also housed in the Museum building on Oxford Street. For information about botanical collections, research, and archives, visit the Harvard University Herbaria's website at www.herbaria.harvard.edu or call 617-495-2365.

The Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) was founded in 1859 by Louis Agassiz. The twelve sub-departments-biological oceanography, entomology, herpetology, ichthyology, invertebrate paleontology, invertebrate zoology, mammalogy, marine biology, mollusks, ornithology, population genetics, and vertebrate paleontology-together comprise one of the world's most extensive holdings for scientifically described materials (type specimens), geographical range, and historical significance. These collections have gained new relevance as human activity increasingly places species and ecosystems at risk. For information about the MCZ's archives, call the Mayr Library at 617-495-4576. For information about zoological collections, research, and archives, visit the MCZ website at www.mcz.harvard.edu or call 617-495-2460.

The Mineralogical and Geological Museum maintains internationally important collections of rocks, minerals, ores, and meteorites that support teaching and research, primarily in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. The Museum's extraordinarily comprehensive mineral collections are featured in both systematic and topical displays in the public galleries. Other specialties include a broadly representative collection of New England minerals, an exhibit of birthstones, and a good selection of meteorites. For more information about mineralogical and geological collections and archives, call 617-495-4758.

   Wheelchair access through basement entrance of the Museum of Comparative Zoology on Oxford Street and through Tozzer Library on Divinity Ave.