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Berlin Natural History Museum

The Berlin Natural History Museum (Museum für Naturkunde) displays more than 30 million zoological, palaeontological and mineralogical specimens, of which only a fraction is shown to the public. Its centrepiece is the mounted skeleton of Giraffatitan brancai, the largest mounted dinosaur in the world, standing 13.27 m tall and 15.5 m long, recovered during the Tendaguru expeditions (1909-1913). In the same room is the 'Berlin specimen' of Archaeopteryx lithographica, the most complete fossil of this species and a key piece of evidence for the link between reptiles and birds. The mineral collection includes around 4,500 pieces on display, representing 75% of the world's minerals, together with a large meteorite collection and the world's largest piece of amber. Specimens of extinct species such as the quagga, the huia and the thylacine are also on show, as is 'Bobby', a famous gorilla from Berlin Zoo in the 1920s and 30s. The wet collection, with 12.6 km of shelving and 276,000 jars, holds a million specimens preserved in ethanol. The museum houses one of the best-preserved Tyrannosaurus skeletons in the world, 'Tristan'. The visit is complemented by exhibitions on the evolution of the Earth and life, and educational activities such as the Humboldt-Exploratorium.

Things to do at Berlin Natural History Museum: 17 missions

• Wet CollectionA glass-walled wing with 12.6 km of shelving displaying a million specimens preserved in ethanol in 276,000 jars.
• Explore the meteorite collectionDiscover a large meteorite collection at the museum.
• Explore The Evolution of the Earth and Life on ItDiscover one of the research topics presented to the public on the evolution of the Earth and life on it.
• View the Archaeopteryx lithographicaSee the "Berlin specimen" of Archaeopteryx lithographica in the central exhibition hall.
• See the Diplodocus carnegieiView the mounted Diplodocus carnegiei, a cast of the original at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
• See the complete Giraffatitan brancai specimenView a complete Giraffatitan brancai specimen at the museum.
• Explore the Wet Collection WingWalk through the glass-walled Wet Collection Wing, with 12.6 km of shelving displaying a million specimens preserved in ethanol in 276,000 jars.
• See the ArchaeopteryxView a well-preserved specimen of the earliest known bird, Archaeopteryx.
• View the largest piece of amber in the worldSee the largest piece of amber in the world, on display at the museum.
• See the Giraffatitan skeletonView the largest mounted Giraffatitan skeleton in the world.
• Explore the mineral collectionDiscover a mineral collection representing 75% of the world's minerals.
• Explore the exhibits on the now-extinct quagga, huia and Tasmanian tigerDiscover the exhibits dedicated to the quagga, huia and Tasmanian tiger, now extinct.
• Explore the Mineral HallDiscover around 4,500 minerals on display in the Mineral Hall.
• Discover "Bobby" the gorillaMeet "Bobby" the gorilla, a celebrity of Berlin Zoo in the 1920s and 1930s.
• Explore the Humboldt-ExploratoriumVisit the Humboldt-Exploratorium, which marks a new step forward in improving public understanding of science.
• See the fish and amphibian and reptile collectionsTake a look at the museum's fish and amphibian and reptile collections.
• Visit the Natural History Museum BerlinVisit the Natural History Museum Berlin in Berlin and get to know the place in person.

Near Berlin Natural History Museum