Istanbul Zoology Museum, Natural history museum at Istanbul University, Turkey.
Istanbul Zoology Museum is a natural history museum located on Istanbul University's Vezneciler Campus, housing a scientific collection of preserved animal specimens. The collection includes insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and invertebrates gathered from various geographic regions.
The museum was founded in 1933 by Swiss scientist Professor André Naville with zoological specimens that arrived from Germany to Istanbul University. This early collection established the foundation for the institution that continues to support research and teaching today.
The museum serves as a teaching tool for students studying biology and zoology at the university. The preserved specimens help visitors understand animal diversity and the methods scientists use to document nature.
The museum welcomes visitors by appointment only, so planning ahead is necessary before your visit. It sits within a university campus, so you will need to arrange access through the university beforehand.
The museum holds specimens of the extinct Anatolian leopard, a species that once roamed the region. Additionally, the collection includes a lion that was presented as a diplomatic gift to a Turkish president during an official visit to Pakistan.
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