Alpine systems & changing biosphere

SNSB have an excellent infrastructure to document and interpret the changing biosphere. Alpine systems represent a special model region. SNSB research focuses on the understanding of alpine systems, changes and interactions of bio- and geodiversity dynamics in this natural area, but also on its settlement history and anthropogenic influence.

Bavarian State Collections of Natural History

The Bavarian State Collections of Natural History (Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns, SNSB) archive around 33 million specimens  – one of the largest and oldest natural history collection in Germany. The state collections are very broadly positioned with anthropology, paleoanatomy, botany, mineralogy, paleontology, geology and zoology. The scientific collections are used in many ways by research, but they also provide a basis for academic education and numerous exhibitions in the SNSB museums.

News

OSIRIS – Collecting for Our future

31. March 2025 | News , Research
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Ancient DNA analyses bring to life the 11,000-year intertwined genomic history of sheep and humans

31. January 2025 | Press Releases
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NDFI4Biodiversity: remarkable treasure trove of historical biodiversity data mobilized

27. January 2025 | News
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Numbers, data and facts

7 Natural History Collections

covering

zoology, botany,

geology and paleontology,

mineralogy, anthropology und paleoanatomy

archive

33 million specimens

 

Exhibitions

Glanzlichter – Inseln der Welt

18.04.2025 - 22.06.2025 - Exhibition
Urwelt-Museum Oberfranken

Die Sonderausstellung präsentiert die Siegerbilder des Internationalen Naturfoto-Wettbewerbs Glanzl [...]

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Mikrometeoriten: Staub aus dem All – überall!

03.04.2025 - 05.10.2025 - Exhibition
Jura-Museum Eichstätt

Mikrometeoriten sind kosmische Staubteilchen, die für uns meist unbemerkt tagtäglich auf die Erde [...]

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„Lucid Recollections / Transparente Erscheinungen“ – Fotografien von Anne Mason-Hoerter

29.03.2025 - 11.05.2025 - Exhibition
Botanischer Garten München-Nymphenburg

Fotoausstellung im Grünen Saal der Schaugewächshäuser Die Fotoausstellung „Lucid Recollections [...]

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Why collections matter

Where do we feel changes?

Why collections matter

Everyone talks about climate change – the biological response to climate change is visible in large collections.

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Evolutionary research

Why collections matter

Life on Earth is changing constantly – collections help to reveal and understand the changes.

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Discovering new species

Why collections matter

So far, only about 10% of all multicellular living organisms on Earth have been discovered – new species can only be reliably recognized by comparison with already known species.

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