Natural History Museums Worldwide
Natural history and marine museums with collections on animals, plants, minerals and the history of the Earth.
Natural History Museums Worldwide: Overview & Tips
Our guide lists 270 natural history museums worldwide, spread across 3 countries and 225 towns and cities. Of these, 225 are in Germany, 30 in Denmark, and 15 in the Netherlands.
Among regions, Bavaria (48), North Rhine-Westphalia (30), and Lower Saxony (22) have the most; among cities, Munich (6), Amsterdam (4), and Berlin (4) lead the way.
40 museums are free to visit. For the others with a published price, a regular adult ticket costs €7 at the median, and the middle half charge between €5 and €10.50.
96 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, 236 offer dedicated programs for families, and 109 have a café or restaurant. These figures come from our ongoing research – museums whose details we haven’t verified yet aren’t included in the counts.
Top 10 natural history museums worldwide
The best-known natural history museums worldwide
Museum für Naturkunde BerlinNature · Berlin
Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum BerlinNature · Berlin
NEMO Science MuseumTechnology · Amsterdam
Naturalis Biodiversity CenterNature · Leiden
Senckenberg-NaturmuseumNature · Frankfurt am Main
Teylers MuseumNature · Haarlem
Hortus Botanicus AmsterdamNature · Amsterdam
Ozeaneum StralsundNature · Stralsund
Neanderthal MuseumArchaeology · Mettmann
Hortus botanicus LeidenNature · Leiden
Natural history museums worldwide with free admission
Naturkundemuseum LeipzigNature · Leipzig
Paläontologisches Museum MünchenNature · Munich
MauritianumNature · Altenburg- Museum der Natur Hamburg – ZoologieNature · Hamburg
Quadrat BottropArt · Bottrop
Geologisches Museum MünchenNature · Munich
Mineralogisches Museum WürzburgNature · Würzburg
ESO Supernova Planetarium & BesucherzentrumNature · Garching bei München
Forum WissenHistory · Göttingen
Geowissenschaftliches Museum der Universität GöttingenNature · Göttingen
Natural history museums worldwide with programs for families
- Museum für Naturkunde BerlinNature · Berlin
- Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum BerlinNature · Berlin
- NEMO Science MuseumTechnology · Amsterdam
- Naturalis Biodiversity CenterNature · Leiden
- Senckenberg-NaturmuseumNature · Frankfurt am Main
- Teylers MuseumNature · Haarlem
- Hortus Botanicus AmsterdamNature · Amsterdam
- Ozeaneum StralsundNature · Stralsund
- Neanderthal MuseumArchaeology · Mettmann
- Hortus botanicus LeidenNature · Leiden
Wheelchair-accessible natural history museums worldwide
- Museum für Naturkunde BerlinNature · Berlin
- NEMO Science MuseumTechnology · Amsterdam
- Naturalis Biodiversity CenterNature · Leiden
- Ozeaneum StralsundNature · Stralsund
- Neanderthal MuseumArchaeology · Mettmann
Museum WiesbadenArt · Wiesbaden
NS-Ordensburg VogelsangMemorial · Schleiden
ARTIS-MicropiaNature · Amsterdam
Museum KoenigNature · Bonn
Natuurhistorisch Museum RotterdamNature · Rotterdam
Natural history museums worldwide with the highest published visitor numbers
- NEMO Science MuseumTechnology · Amsterdam
- Ozeaneum StralsundNature · Stralsund
- Naturalis Biodiversity CenterNature · Leiden
experimentaTechnology · Heilbronn
Klimahaus BremerhavenNature · Bremerhaven- Senckenberg-NaturmuseumNature · Frankfurt am Main
- Hortus botanicus LeidenNature · Leiden
EcomareNature · De Koog
Ruhr MuseumRegional · Essen
CORPUSNature · Oegstgeest
Current special exhibitions at natural history museums worldwide
- DINOSAURIER! – Zeitalter der RiesenechsenMuseum für Naturkunde Berlin · Berlin · until November 30, 2026
- ZUGvögel – Eine Sammlung in BewegungMuseum für Naturkunde Berlin · Berlin · until June 30, 2027
- Game OnNEMO Science Museum · Amsterdam · until October 25, 2026
- Het bos van SurinameNaturalis Biodiversity Center · Leiden · until May 2, 2027
- Sargassum – Fluch und SegenSenckenberg-Naturmuseum · Frankfurt am Main
- Secret Service: Frauen in der NaturforschungSenckenberg-Naturmuseum · Frankfurt am Main · until October 31, 2027
- Zeker weten? Hoe wetenschap werktTeylers Museum · Haarlem · until August 29, 2027
- 2 Millionen Jahre MigrationNeanderthal Museum · Mettmann · until November 1, 2026
- PLAYMOBIL Zeitreise NeandertalNeanderthal Museum · Mettmann · until November 1, 2027
- Planten & PlanetenHortus botanicus Leiden · Leiden · until December 24, 2029
By country
Cities with the most museums
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many natural history museums are there worldwide?
Our directory currently lists 270 natural history museums worldwide across 225 towns and cities.
What are the best-known natural history museums worldwide?
Some of the best known are Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin, NEMO Science Museum, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, and Senckenberg-Naturmuseum.
Which natural history museums worldwide offer free admission?
40 museums are free to visit – for example Naturkundemuseum Leipzig, Paläontologisches Museum München, Mauritianum, and Museum der Natur Hamburg – Zoologie.
Which natural history museums worldwide are open on Mondays?
Many museums are closed on Mondays, but according to their regular hours 84 are open, such as Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, and Senckenberg-Naturmuseum.
Which natural history museums worldwide are wheelchair accessible?
96 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, including Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, NEMO Science Museum, and Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Others are partially accessible – you’ll find the details on each museum’s page.
How much does it cost to visit natural history museums worldwide?
A regular adult ticket costs €7 at the median, with prices ranging from €1 to €26.95. Children, students and families usually pay less.
Other categories: Art & Design · History & Cultural History · Science & Technology · Archaeology & Antiquity · Memorials · Castles, Palaces & Monasteries · Open-Air Museums · City & Regional Museums · World Cultures & Ethnology · People & Literature · Special-Interest Museums