The Museum maintains a complete natural history reference library, with greatest strengths in the historic research interests of the institution -- botany, entomology, geology, herpetology, ornithology, mammalogy, marine invertebrates, and paleontology. The 56,000 volume collection includes both standard and obscure references, journals, rare books and maps. For more information go to our Research Library web area at http://www.sdnhm.org/research/library/index.html

The Museum scientists do indeed advise on the scientific accuracy and content of exhibit material, as well as content for educational programming. However, in addition, each one of the departments in the Biodiversity Research Center for the Californias (BRCC) is involved in its own active research program. For details about some of these programs, see the pages describing the Plant Atlas project, the Mammal Atlas project, the Bird Atlas project, and the research focus of Entomology Curator Michael Wall  and Herpetology Curator Brad Hollingsworth.

Our scientists regularly publish their scientific findings in professional journals and books, participate in international scientific meetings, and collaborate with other scientists on research projects. Their research also enables them to give expert advice as requested by local conservation stakeholders, government agencies, and interested citizens.

We maintain approximately 8.5 million research specimens of plants, fossils, insects, spiders, marine invertebrates, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and minerals. For more details see our webpages at http://www.sdnhm.org/research/collections/trivia.html or within each individual science department, such as birds and mammals, entomology, or paleontology.

Herpetology

Birds and Mammals

Botany

Entomology

Paleontology

Biodiversity Research Center of the Californias

Dr. Exequiel Ezcurra is director of the Museum’s scientific research division, the Biodiversity Research Center of the Californias (BRCC). Dr. Ezcurra will simultaneously serve as Provost of the Museum, the Museum’s highest ranking academic office, in tandem with his director position, which he previously held from 1998–2001.