Puget Sound Museum of Natural History

The museum maintains a collection of over 100,000 specimens, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, plants, insects, and geological samples for research purposes.

Professor James R. Slater established the museum in 1926, starting with a herpetology collection that expanded into the second largest reptile collection in Washington State.

The museum organizes Night at the Museum events, combining displays of preserved specimens with live animals from Point Defiance Zoo to educate local residents.

Visitors need to schedule appointments via email to access the museum's collections, as space and staff availability determine admission times.

The institution holds the second largest bird wing collection worldwide, with digital images available through the University's Wing & Tail Image Collection database.

Location: Pierce County

Inception: 1926

Founders: James R. Slater

Website: https://www.pugetsound.edu/puget-sound-museum-natural-history

Part of: University of Puget Sound

Website: https://pugetsound.edu/puget-sound-museum-natural-history

GPS coordinates: 47.26365,-122.48279

Latest update: April 14, 2025 11:49