Research & Collections | Natural History Museum

BE ADVISED: On Friday, May 10, the LA Memorial Coliseum will be hosting USC Commencement ceremonies. These will impact traffic, parking, and wayfinding around the Natural History Museum. Please plan your visit accordingly, and consider riding the Metro E (Expo) Line and exiting at USC/Expo station.

collection of shells malacology research and collections NHM

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!

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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

austin hendy looking at specimens in collections research and collections

Our Staff

Meet scientists and historians

bug specimens research and collections

Our Departments

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Recent highlights

Research and Collections

Research and Collections

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Shot of the Jamstec Ship

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.

Chalcides ocellatus, image flipped

A New Skink in Town

How an iNaturalist observation of a non-native lizard could help protect Southern California’s native species—and its economy

Launch pad for the Ariane 6 for Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana

Spaceport Fossils from French Guiana

How one small step for a spaceport in French Guiana led to a giant leap for Pleistocene fossils

La Brea Tar Pits National Natural Landmark

A Landmark Anniversary for La Brea Tar Pits

Mark the 60th anniversary of La Brea Tar Pits' designation as a National Natural Landmark with some vintage photography.

A female Halichoeres sanchezi, Tailspot wrasse, San Benedicto, Revillagigedos

Halichoeres sanchezi: A New Fish Species from Mexico’s Revillagigedos Islands

How a team of marine scientists netted a fish species new to science with three dives off a far-flung island

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
Statement on Climate Change
Recent NAGRPA Regulations on the Display of Native American Objects

Our Research Departments

Our Research Departments

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