Research and Collections

Cryogenic-Collection Facility

This liquid-nitrogen facility is able to store natural-history collections at −170°C.
Arctic Centre

Knowledge and Exploration

Expanding our capacity to meet Arctic environmental challenges and inspire future Arctic scientists.

Collections-Based Research to Understand the Natural World

The Canadian Museum of Nature is a scientific leader in species discovery and Arctic research.

Our multidisciplinary team of scientists conduct leading-edge research in the natural sciences.

Animals, fossils, minerals, plants and algae—more than 14.6 million specimens are preserved in Canada's natural-history collection.

Access data from the museum's collections: search, map results, and download data and images. Search our collections.

Let us use our natural-history and collection-care expertise to help you with your needs.

The museum is a national leader and an important international contributor in the field of collection-based scientific research.

The museum's multidisciplinary team specializes in collection-based research in the life sciences and Earth sciences.

Check out this view on Arctic-related activities, events, research, etc. at the museum.

The library and archives are open by appointment. Search our catalogue online.

The museum's science experts regularly publish their work in scientific journals.

Science in Isolation: Online Resources Keep Palaeobiologists Busy
Evolutionary family trees are often constructed based on observations of the specimens in museum collections. But without current access to these collections, how are palaeobiologists and evolutionary biologists able to continue working? Join the museum’s Danielle Fraser as she explores the wide range of resources available online to help keep researchers busy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Science in Isolation: Palaeontology in My Basement
Join Jordan Mallon, the museum’s dinosaur palaeontologist, as he describes how he is able to continue working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.