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Open and Integrated

Our Research

The "Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Research" is an integrated research museum within the Leibniz Association. Collections, research, and knowledge transfer are closely interconnected, working together to generate new insights.

New CT at the Museum für Naturkunde. Photo: Pablo Castagnola

Search by people and/or keywords to find the right research activities for you.

Scientists at research work. Photo: Pablo Castagnola

Research at the Museum

Areas of Research & Infrastructure

The teams at our museum research life on earth across a variety of disciplines. Our collection is used as a foundation for globally networked research. We cooperate with actors from civil society, politics and business to develop formats, to teach people about the latest findings, to make discoveries that are relevant for everyone, and to demonstrate the importance of our collection.

A satellite DART_@NASAJohns Hopkins APL.jpg

Research Area 1

The Dynamics of Nature

We are investigating the processes that form the natural world: from evolution and the diversity of species, to the origins of the solar system.

Collection of the Museum für Naturkunde

Research Area 2

The Future of the Collection

We curate an open and networked collection which opens up new avenues for research and knowledge transfer through innovative approaches to data and knowledge management – in partnership with stakeholders from science, society and culture.

Two scientists using the Naturblick App.

Research Area 3

Society and Nature

We are exploring how participation and knowledge-sharing enrich research and practical knowledge for nature.

Three snails (AI generated image)

Collection

The items in our collection date from the very beginnings of the solar system, more than 4.5 billion years ago, to the present day and a large number of them represent the first of their species to be described (type specimens).

Book page (AI generated image)

Archive

Historical documents and findings are valuable resources which are available for use in scientific studies.

Book spines (AI generated image)

Library

Use our collection of works on history and natural sciences to help with your research, teaching and education work.

Camera (AI generated image)

Labs

Employees of the museum, students, doctoral candidates, post-docs and guest researchers can use our labs for their own research projects.

Cover photo of the museum's three Open Access journals

Academic Journals

We publish three academic journals: Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, Zoosystematics and Evolution (formerly Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum Berlin) and Fossil Record.

Working Groups and Teams

Contact

Search and find people working at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. The search provides information about people, projects, contact options, and roles.

Scientists at research work. Photo: Pablo Castagnola

Working Groups and Teams

View of the paleobotany collection. Photo: Carola Radke

Research Area 1

Palaeobotany Working Group

The Palaeobotany Working Group conducts research on the evolution and diversity of fossilised plants. Our focus is on reconstructing extinct plants and their habitats.

Extinct harvestman in Ukrainian Rovno amber

Research Area 1

Dunlop Working Group

The Dunlop Working Group is investigating the evolution and taxonomy of fossilised and living arachnids, with a particular focus on spiders and scorpions.

TheMusemsLab

Research Area 3

TheMusemsLab

In the international cooperation 'TheMuseumsLab' museum professionals from Africa and Europe jointly develop concepts for the future of museums on both continents. This initiative fosters mutual learning, exchange, and professional development.

Close-up of a crab spider (Thomisidae)

Research Area 1

MultiplEye Lab Working Group

The MultiplEye Lab conducts research on the function and evolution of multiple-eye systems in animals, with a focus on spiders and other arthropods.

Chameleon on trunk, blue sky and trees in background

Research Area 1

Amniota Lab

Our research is focused on fossilised and land vertebrates, like lizards and snakes (Müller), and herbivorous mammals (Bibi).

Historical whale model

Research Area 2

Centre for Nature in Cultural and Social Sciences

Our working group is dedicated to the politics, history and culture of nature, conducting independent research and public knowledge transfer activities.

Nature View

Research Area 3

Human-Nature Relationships in the Anthropocene

Inter and trans-disciplinary research on the interactions between humans, nature and digital transformation.

IETI Keyvisual

Research Area 3

Public Engagement and Impact

We promote the strategic anchoring of public engagement in science and scientific institutions. We do this by opening up the culture and processes of science to non-academic stakeholders, using a wide range of formats and methods.

1.MB.DTE.Dia 01, Historisches Foto vom Tendaguru mit Lager, ca. 1910 ©Archiv MfN

Research Area 2

AG Digital Tendaguru

Our team is developing a contextualised digital research platform on the fossils and archival materials of the colonial German Tendaguru expedition undertaken by the Museum für Naturkunde between 1909 and 1913 in present-day Tanzania.

public policy research photo

Research Area 3

Public Policy Research Group

The Public Policy Research Group analyzes the interplay between science and policy. At the center of its work is the question of the possibilities and limitations of evidence-based policymaking in complex problem situations at the intersection of society and nature.

Publications

Selected Publication 2025

Bats resolve conflicting sensory information for individual recognition

Knörnschild, M., Nagy, M., Russo, D., (2025).Current Biology. Bats resolve conflicting sensory information for individual recognition.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.02.060

Selected Publication 2025

Digitization as a research methodology in colonial natural history collections

Díez Díaz, V., Akhlaq, S., Kaiser, K., Heumann, I. & Schwarz, D. (2025).Nature Reviews Biodiversity.Digitization as a research methodology in colonial natural history collections.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44358-025-00031-2

Selected Publication 2025

Revision of Romanian sauropod dinosaurs reveals high titanosaur diversity and body-size disparity on the latest Cretaceous Haţeg Island, with implications for titanosaurian biogeography

Thörn, F., Soares, A. E. R., Müller, I. A., Päckert, M., Frahnert, S., van Grouw, H., Kamminga, P., Peona, V., Suh, A., Blom, M. P. K., & Irestedt, M. (2024).Revision of Romanian sauropod dinosaurs reveals high titanosaur diversity and body-size disparity on the latest Cretaceous Haţeg Island, with implications for titanosaurian biogeography..Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 23(1)..https://doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2024.2441516

Contact

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