When you think about natural history museums, you probably imagine displays filled with cool stuff like dinosaur bones, meteorites, and shiny gemstones. But did you know that there’s a lot more happening behind the scenes? In fact, only about 1% of a museum’s collection is on display. The rest is tucked away in secret labs where scientists make amazing discoveries.
Behind unmarked doors and in places that elevators don’t reach, you’ll find a maze of halls and labs. These areas are like a scientific wonderland, filled with all sorts of specimens. Researchers work here to solve mysteries about evolution, the universe, and the history of our planet.
Some museums have millions of specimens. For example, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City has over 32 million items! Scientists carefully record where and when each specimen was found and use special techniques to figure out how old they are. By doing this over and over, they can learn about different times and places from all over the world, covering billions of years of history.
When scientists face tough questions, they turn to these specimens for answers. Take the 1950s, for example. Back then, birds like peregrine falcons and bald eagles started disappearing, and no one knew why. Luckily, scientists at The Field Museum in Chicago had been collecting bird eggs for years. They discovered that the eggshells used to be thicker but started thinning when a chemical called DDT was introduced.
DDT was great at killing insects, but when birds ate those insects, the chemical built up in their bodies. This affected the birds at the top of the food chain, causing their eggshells to become too thin to support the weight of nesting birds. Thanks to the scientists’ work, they figured out the problem, and conservation efforts were put in place to help the birds recover.
Natural history museums have helped solve many scientific puzzles. Scientists have used museum collections to sequence the Neanderthal genome, find genes that gave mammoths their red fur, and even figure out where ancient giant sharks gave birth.
There are about 900 natural history museums around the world, and every year they make new discoveries about Earth’s past, present, and future. These collections also help us understand modern issues like climate change. For instance, naturalists have been collecting samples from Walden Pond for over a century. Thanks to their work, we know that plants around the pond are blooming more than three weeks earlier than they did 150 years ago.
Changes like these might be hard to notice over a few decades, but museum collections provide a continuous record of how our world is changing. So, the next time you visit a natural history museum, remember that what you see is just a tiny part of a huge scientific treasure. Behind those walls and beneath your feet are windows into forgotten worlds. And who knows? One day, a future scientist might look through one of those windows and discover something amazing about you!
Imagine you’re a scientist exploring the hidden labs of a natural history museum. Create a virtual tour using online resources or videos that showcase these secret areas. Share your tour with classmates and discuss the types of specimens and research happening behind the scenes.
Become a detective and solve a mystery using museum specimens. Create a scenario where a species is disappearing, and use clues from different specimens to figure out why. Work in groups to present your findings and propose solutions to the problem.
Research and create a timeline of significant discoveries made using museum collections. Include events like the sequencing of the Neanderthal genome or the discovery of DDT’s effects on birds. Present your timeline to the class and discuss the impact of these discoveries.
Investigate how museum collections help us understand climate change. Choose a specific collection, such as samples from Walden Pond, and analyze how the data shows changes over time. Present your findings and discuss how this information can be used to address modern environmental issues.
Design a mini-exhibit that highlights the hidden worlds within natural history museums. Include information about the secret labs, the types of research conducted, and the importance of museum collections. Display your exhibit in the classroom and give a guided tour to your peers.
When you think of natural history museums, you might picture exhibits filled with ancient artifacts, like dinosaurs, meteorites, and gemstones. However, behind that educational exterior, which only showcases about 1% of a museum’s collection, there are hidden laboratories where scientific breakthroughs occur. Beyond unmarked doors and on floors that elevators won’t access, you’ll find windows into fascinating worlds. This maze of halls and laboratories serves as a scientific sanctuary that houses a vast variety of specimens. Here, researchers work to unravel mysteries of evolution, cosmic origins, and the history of our planet.
One museum alone may have millions of specimens. For example, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City has over 32 million items in its collection. Scientists meticulously log the exact locations and times of specimen discoveries and employ various dating techniques to determine their origins. When this process is repeated countless times, these plants, animals, minerals, fossils, and artifacts provide insights into different times and places around the world, spanning billions of years of history.
When research challenges arise, scientists examine these specimens to test hypotheses about the past. For instance, in the 1950s, populations of predatory birds, such as peregrine falcons, owls, and eagles, began to decline mysteriously, leading to several species, including the bald eagle, being declared endangered. Fortunately, scientists at The Field Museum in Chicago had been collecting eggs from these birds for decades. They discovered that the eggshells had once been thicker but began to thin around the time an insecticide called DDT was introduced. While DDT effectively killed insects, birds that consumed the dead insects accumulated the chemical in their bodies. This accumulation worked its way up the food chain, affecting apex predator birds and leading to thinner eggs that could not support the weight of nesting birds.
Thanks to the efforts of scientists from The Field Museum and other institutions, the mystery was solved, and conservation efforts were implemented. Natural history museums have played a crucial role in solving many scientific mysteries. Museum scientists have utilized their collections to sequence the Neanderthal genome, discover genes responsible for mammoths’ red fur, and even identify where ancient giant sharks gave birth.
There are approximately 900 natural history museums worldwide, and each year they contribute new discoveries and insights into the Earth’s past, present, and future. Museum collections also help us understand how modern challenges, such as climate change, are affecting our world. For example, naturalists have been collecting samples from Walden Pond for over a century. Thanks to these efforts, we know that the plants around Walden Pond are blooming over three weeks earlier than they did 150 years ago.
These gradual changes might go unnoticed by individuals over a few decades, but museum collections provide an uninterrupted record of how our world is evolving. So, the next time you visit a natural history museum, remember that what you’re seeing is just a small part of a vast scientific treasure trove. Behind those walls and beneath your feet are windows into forgotten worlds. And who knows? One day, a future scientist may look through one of those windows and discover something about you.
Museums – Buildings or institutions that collect, preserve, and display objects of scientific, artistic, or historical importance. – The natural history museum had a fascinating exhibit on the evolution of dinosaurs.
Specimens – Samples or examples of something, especially when used for scientific study. – The biologist collected plant specimens from the rainforest to study their medicinal properties.
Scientists – People who conduct research to advance knowledge in an area of science. – Scientists are working hard to find new ways to combat climate change.
Evolution – The process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth. – Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution explains how species adapt over time through natural selection.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs, or the whole series of past events connected with someone or something. – The history of life on Earth is recorded in the fossil record.
Collections – Groups of objects or specimens gathered for study, comparison, or exhibition. – The university’s collection of minerals is used by students to learn about geology.
Climate – The weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period. – Scientists study climate patterns to understand how global warming affects the planet.
Birds – Warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings. – The ornithologist observed the migration patterns of birds to learn more about their behavior.
Discoveries – Acts of finding or learning something for the first time. – The discovery of a new species of frog in the Amazon rainforest excited the scientific community.
Conservation – The protection and preservation of natural resources and the environment. – Conservation efforts are crucial to protect endangered species from extinction.
