Harvard Museum of Natural History

The Harvard Natural History Museum is a veritable treasure trove of learning and exploration, and located at the campus of one of the most prestigious universities in the world, this is the place to come for a little enlightenment on your trip! Here’s a look at the permanent exhibits at HMNH:

• Africa Gallery: See impressive mounted specimens of African wildlife including hippos, lions, ostrich, gorillas, hyena, as well as a collection of rare animals from Madagascar
• Great Mammal Hall: Constructed in 1872, this hall features massive giraffes, antelope, bats, and skeletons of many of the world’s primates and mammals arranged in biologically-fascinating poses
• Evolution: Examine fossil, anatomical, and genetic evidence that life is connected through a shared evolutionary history, including the animals and plants that once sparked Darwin’s curiosity
• The Glass Flowers: See the world-renowned collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants, including over 4,000 models by the glass artisan Blaschka and his son
• The Zoological Galleries: Visit examples of animals from prehistory, including reptiles and dinosaurs, to today’s mammals

The Harvard Museum of Natural History also boasts an array of special exhibits highlighting diverse perspectives on the natural world, including: “Headgear: The Natural History of Horns and Antlers”; “The Language of Color”, which examines the nature of color and pattern and how various animals perceive it; and “Climate Change: Our Global Experiment”.

HMNH exhibits its cutting-edge research and promotes the power of the museum to change the way visitors see and understand the world around them. The mantra of the Harvard Museum of Natural History is “look closer, dig deeper”. More than 180,000 visitors pass through its halls each year, so be sure to take a trip to this museum when you visit Boston for a unique learning experience!