For more than a century, Carnegie Museum of Natural History has provided visitors with the opportunity to explore the history of life on Earth—from the tiniest insect to the grandest human civilization. And, for more than a century, the museum’s irreplaceable collection of scientific specimens and its world-renowned researchers have been a crucial part of understanding the history of life.
Today, those roles are more important than ever, as we struggle to understand the unprecedented effects of changes to the global climate and to habitats and the impact of human population growth. Our mission is clear: to continue to excel as a research- and collection-based institution while providing top-notch public programming and exhibitions. Our plan is to accomplish our mission by aligning its two facets into one.
In 2010, the museum began transforming its public face so that visitors discover science in innovative new ways, using knowledge generated right here at Carnegie Museum of Natural History by our own scientific staff. You can see this transformation in exhibitions such as Population Impact, exploring the effects of the population explosion on the natural world through groundbreaking research by Carnegie botanists, entomologists, and other scientists studying biodiversity and ecosystems. And you’ll see this transformation continue in the months and years to come, as we open up the museum’s research and collection for our visitors to discover the science being done in their museum—and how they can help us fulfill our mission.