Research & Collections

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Research and Collections

Photograph of Butterfly specimens in the NHM collection

Our Collections

NHM has, wait for it, 35 million real objects and artifacts. Explore them online!

See what we've got

Our Research

There are dozens of scientists and historians on staff, protecting our records of the planet, and making new discoveries all the time.

What our experts are up to

austin hendy looking at specimens in collections research and collections

Recent highlights

Research and Collections

A Deep Dive on Microplastics

Museum scientists are examining fish guts to understand the pervasiveness and types of plastics invading California waters over time, which may help us understand how that pollution affects sea creatures and even land-loving pescatarians.

Dispatches from the D-ARK

Follow Curator of Malacology Jann Vendetti with updates from an expedition into the deep sea caves around Japan's Minami-Daitō Island

L.A. Sunday Times cover depicting Chinese father and son from 1907 cropped for close up

An Object of Contempt and Curiosity to a Testament of Hope

At quick glance, the picture looked unremarkable and vaguely familiar like something I might have on my iPhone. After introspection, it reveals stories about community, immigration, tradition, and a historic earthquake.