collection of shells malacology research and collections NHM

Research and Collections

The specimens we collect and conserve document the occurrence of individual organisms in space and time.

Photograph of Butterfly specimens in the NHM collection

Our Collections

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

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Jann Vendetti sorting speciments UNRC

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

R&C Highlights

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Community Science at NHM

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Research & Collections News

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Our Research Departments

Our Research Departments

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Our positions, policies, and processes 

Our collections operations are governed by our institutional collections policies.

To request a loan or plan a visit to the collections, please contact the department that holds the materials you’re interested in using. 

Statement on Evolution