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.

SNSB research

New Flora of Bavaria published

The new Flora of Bavaria contains the complete botanical species list and the current state of plants in Bavaria from the Rhön to the Allgäu. The book contains almost 6,000 Bavarian plant species. A total of almost 16 million observation data were collected.

Flora of Bavaria

Our mission

The loss of biodiversity and the transformation of biosphere in the wake of the human-induced global change are among the greatest challenges of the future, in Bavaria and worldwide. Natural history collections make a crucial contribution to finding answers to the related questions.

why collections matter

Prehistoric elefant & more

The Munich Paleontological Museum displays impressive fossils - including the first herbivorous prehistoric reptiles, viviparous Ichthyosaurs with embryos, giant flying dinosaurs, the largest Bavarian dinosaur, mammals of the Ice Age such as the mammoth, giant deer and saber-toothed cat, and the impressive skeleton of the Mühldorf prehistoric elephant.

all SNSB museums

DNA barcoding

Among natural history collections and museums, the Munich State Zoological Collection is the world's largest sample provider for global DNA barcoding of animal species. In the overall statistics, the ZSM ranks second, just behind the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics in Guelph, Canada, the center for global DNA barcoding and the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD).

Barcoding ZSM
Research
Calendar
Publications

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.

Two Men in the Mountains

News

31 03

OSIRIS – Collecting for Our future

31. March 2025 | News , Research
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31 01

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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27 01

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

 

10 Natural History Museums

in Munich, Eichstätt, Bamberg,

Bayreuth, Nördlingen and Nürnberg and the

Botanical Garden München-Nymphenburg

800.000 visitors

30-40 temporary exhibitions

per year

Exhibitions

18 04

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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03 04

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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29 03

„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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why collections matter