At Naturalis Biodiversity Center we want to describe, understand and explore biodiversity for human wellbeing and the future of our planet.

Collection

We have already been doing this day in, day out for hundreds of years. We collect, conserve and study animals, plants and rocks. Our collection now contains 37 million objects and that makes it one of the largest in the world. And it is still growing each day thanks to the worldwide fieldwork of our researchers and many amateur scientists.

Research

Using the collection, our researchers can carry out groundbreaking work. They do that on-site throughout the world and in our laboratories in Leiden. Thanks to their research, our understanding of how nature works and how we can use it is increasing.

Education

We pass on our knowledge and expertise to tomorrow's researchers. We do that by giving lectures at, and doing joint research projects with, the University of Amsterdam, Leiden University and Wageningen University.

Museum

In our museum young and old are awed by life on earth. By looking and, most important, doing. A visit to Naturalis gives a unique glimpse into the world of biodiversity!