You can think of the museum as like a library, but it’s full of biological diversity instead of books.

Chris Feldman

Associate Museum Director and Curator of Vertebrates

Dried dead bats labeled in a drawer.

Explore Nevada's natural heritage at the Museum of Natural History

Located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno, the Museum of Natural History holds irreplaceable specimens of plants and animals used in research, teaching, and outreach. Collections date back as far as the 1850s, and represent unique snapshots of the flora and fauna of the Great Basin and beyond. As the only museum of its kind in the state, the Museum of Natural History is a unique and important resource for understanding Nevada's natural heritage.

Hours

Our lobby is open for self-guided tours on Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. during the spring and fall semesters.

Guided virtual and in-person tours must be scheduled in advance.

Schedule your in-person tour

Want to know more about who we are and what we do?

From leading scientific research to community outreach and events, our museum encompasses a lot! Watch to learn more about what we do!

Museum news and updates

See what's been happening at the Museum of Natural History!

Three women stand smiling behind tables with bee-related activities on them.

Pollinator scientists share with local schoolchildren how to 'bee' good environmental stewards

The outreach visit was part of a beekeeping conference

A woman leans over a table with bee activities and talks to a young person and an adult.

When outreach changes minds

Doctoral student Jessica Braun shares a moving experience of the potential outreach has to change minds and lives

A person holds a lizard in their hands while a child strokes the lizard's back with their finger.

Museum of Natural History preserves Nevada's flora and fauna for future generations

'We are small but mighty'

Read more news and learn about upcoming events at the Museum of Natural History