Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Bolivia, Natural history museum in La Paz, Bolivia
The Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Bolivia is a natural history museum in La Paz with extensive collections of animals, plants, and fossils. The holdings are divided into three departments: Zoology featuring preserved specimens and skeletons, Botany with dried plant samples, and Paleontology containing fossils from different geological periods.
The museum originated from a private collection assembled by a priest with fossils, mollusks, reptiles, birds, and insects. The institution was formally established in 1978 and has since grown into a research facility conducting extensive scientific projects.
The museum reflects Bolivia's natural heritage through its collections of local species. Visitors can observe what lives and has lived across different regions of the country.
The museum is located in the Cota Cota neighborhood and opens Monday through Saturday. Plan to spend time walking through the three departments and note that it closes on public holidays.
The museum maintains a digital database of plant specimens collected by researchers across different regions of the country. This systematic recording allows scientists to document and study Bolivia's plant life over time.
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