Harvard Museum of Natural History Reviews

This is one of my favorite museums of all time. The astounding rocks and minerals collection is unbelievable. We literally spent over an hour just walking aisle after aisle after aisle viewing the different exhibits - there must be thousands of different rocks and minerals there, many of them large and extremely beautiful.
The taxidermy and skeleton room was also amazing. I consider myself pretty versed in animal species and knowledge, but I kept finding myself stumbling upon creatures I never knew existed.
This is literally an "all day" museum.
My only complaint is the parking - the parking garage is under high security, I felt like I was entering a government bunker parking there with all the clearance we had to get. Save yourself the stress and trouble and Uber in from another location if possible!

Considering I live in DC where the National Natural History, I have to say that I was very impressed with this museum. It is on the third floor of a lovely brick building. It is massive and can be completed in about an hour. The glass flowers exhibit was very interesting and the stuffed animal specimens were almost life like. Also included in the ticket is the Peabody Archaeology Museum.

We specifically wanted to see the Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants and Flowers and we were not disappointed. The online pictures and videos of this unique display cannot do justice to seeing it in person. However, seeing it in person still leaves one saying, "How can these models be made of glass?" The craftmanship and attention to every little detail is mind-boggling. Three generations of my family were mesmerized as we toured the room. The other displays at the museum are equally entrancing, so do try to put aside some time to actually do the museum justice.

We were visiting Cambridge and walking Harvard's campus when we came across this museum. Didn't know what to expect and we were pleasantly surprised. It has an extensive collection and was very interesting. It is also connected to the Peabody Museum so in essence you're getting 2 museums for the price of 1. People of all ages will enjoy this experience.

I loved this museum. However, my preteens did not share my enthusiasm as they prefer the more hands-on experiences (like at the science museum).

Using mounted animals and fossils, the exhibits provide great information on the variety within species and evolution in general.

We all enjoyed the mineralogical gallery with gemstones and meteorites. Here as in other parts of the museum, helpful docents were on hand to offer more detailed descriptions.

Admission includes the connected Peabody Museum which had an interesting Mayan exhibit.

A rainy day sent me to the Harvard Museum of Natural History. I had NO idea that so many amazing exhibits were this close to home. Be prepared to spend a long time. Dinosaur skeletons in glass cases and hanging from the ceiling, a live beehive displayed similar to an ant farm with glass sides. Even, no thank you, a friendly scorpion to hold in your hand. Everything imaginable!!!

A small but unique collection. Glass flowers were really amazing. Great gemstone collection and some nice fossils. If you are into museums and natural history this is a must-see when in Boston. Our teens were impressed (and that's hard to do LOL). Kudos to the curators and staff.

The most unique exhibits that sets this museum apart from any other natural history museum is the glass flowers and plants. They were made long ago in Germany and purchased by Harvard to teach botany to its students. So the plants are flowers are very detailed and extremely life-like. The leaves, fruits, flowers and minute parts of flowers are all realistically made. Even if you miss seeing the rest of the museum, don't miss this!

Imagine seeing stones those are a couple of million year old !! sound exciting ? now imagine a complete time travel through numerous types of stones from across the world in a timelined detail. Now add hundreds of variety of glass flower collected from various parts of the world + add lots of evolutionary details of almost all Phylum (class of species) and lots of scientific stuff telling you about global warming, galleries of animals, dinosaurs, Marine Life.

I think this all is worthy enough to make time and visit the place - at least I felt time well spent. And kids above 6-7 years of age will definitely enjoy it.

I cannot say enough good things about the Harvard Museum of Natural History. My family and I were blown away be our recent visit and got so much out of this brilliant little museum. It may not be as sprawling and massive as other natural history museums we’ve visited in NYC, London, or Washington, but it makes up for that in terms of quality.

We got there about 11am on Saturday and it wasn’t at all crowded (an advantage over the Natural History museums mentioned above, which are usually packed).

We had the marvelous glass flowers collection basically to ourselves and then marveled at the incredible mineral collection which included an Apollo 12 moon sample. There is also a thoughtful and informative climate change exhibit. Then we went into the attached Peabody Museum (included in the ticket price) before going back to see the rest of the Natural History Museum.

The fossil and bone collections were breathtaking. We especially loved seeing the whale skeletons up close. Only days before we had seen a live sperm whale off the coast of Bar Harbor, ME, so to see a skeleton of the same species up close was amazing. My daughter was flabbergasted.

Other highlights include the Giant Moa skeleton from New Zealand, the Mastodon from New Jersey, the triceratops skull, and, most of all, the 42 foot long kronosaurus. And so much more. Our heads were spinning with wondrous delight.

This is a real gem of a place that is very worth visiting. I highly recommend it.

Spent a few hours there and very much enjoyed the exhibits. There were so many cool skeletons and there were a ton of cool displays.

We went as a family of 4 on a Sunday. It’s free for Massachusetts residents on Sundays before noon so we to advantage of the free admission.

This is a smaller museum, but packed with lots of cool stuff. There’s a room with all sorts of rocks, geodes, meteorite fragments, etc. The kids had fun looking.

Our kids liked the section with all the animal skeletons, and of course the big sea creature.

It is a nice activity for a rainy or snowy day.

Note: They don’t sell food, and no food/drinks are allowed. You are within walking distance of Harvard Square so you can have a nice snack or lunch there afterwards.

We think this is a great museum, they have a little bit of everything and a lot a bit of some things. My kids call it the "dead animal museum" as it has stuffed everything. Geologists will be amazed at their rock collection. Great way to spend an afternoon

From so many versions of agate to dinosaurs to animals and more. This museum is small but very well done & a great size for kids to explore. Really kind staff, somewhat easy access to the subway if you walk through campus. Available on the CityPass!

For only 15$ US you'll see a lot.
The glass flowers exhibition is suppose to be the main attraction but it wasn't the case for us.
There's a pretty cool section about native american (they dont't talk about indians though) and now-a-days american.
There's a pretty interesting exposition about global warning with some easy explanation.
But what i liked the most was the fossils and the stuffed animals! They have a triceratop fossil and animal like a giraffe, lion, tiger !!!
When we came, you can also talk to some scientist there.

Wonderful museum with lots crowded into a small space. The display of glass flowers is unique and well worth a visit, as are the few sea creatures. Such workmanship! Made me wonder if the collection at the Dresden museum survived WW2.

The room full of rocks and minerals is exactly that: full. Go at your own pace, lingering if you're a rock hound, skimming through in awe at the pretty specimens if you're not. Cool bug collections.

The stuffed animal collection is similar to the rock room: stuffed to the gills! The animals are really old, and some are literally bursting at the seams, but it's an education to see them as they are (were) rather than in a picture book. This was my kids favorite display. "Look how big the aardvark is!"

The museum is on the 3rd floor, so there are lots of stairs to climb. There's a spot to hang coats next to the admissions desk which we took advantage of. People of all ages were there; not much for little ones to "do" but enough stuff to look at to keep them interested.

Too many highlights to name them all, but here we go:
*Glass Flowers
*Mineral collection
*Great mammal room - whales
Plus the adjoining Peabody Museum had a terrific special display featuring Chicago world’s fair of 1893 (aka World’s Columbian Exposition)
Located on campus in Cambridge, these museums are well worth a few hours (or more).

This was everything my kids imagined it to be. We had a wonderful day exploring the museum, including the only mounted Kronosaurus in N. America- one of my 10 year olds favorite dinosaurs! The following day both my kids were asking to go again. Do not miss this place if you are in Boston!

Having just arrived in Boston after a long flight from Australia, ready to do a months work in Harvard - I settled in and checked out the grounds and was delighted to find these museums. Such amazing exhibits and well presented. Very cool dinosaurs section.

While visiting the Harvard Campus we decided to go down Logan Street the the museum. We had heard about the glass flower display so wanted to check it out. It was awesome! There is a whole room with many different kinds of flowers and plants that look like the real thing! I've never seen anything like it. There is also a glass sea creatures area and they also have all kinds of lifesize animals. One room there was a whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling. I thought it was well worth the $10 it cost to get in.

I came here decades ago on the advice of my father who had seen them when he was in his 30's. It's been 40 years. Glass artistry and realism. Yes, even rotten apples. The colors aren't as vibrant as in reallife but the skill is incredible. It is a small room but worth the visit. The dinosaur bones are displayed so you can see them closely.

The mounted animals and specimens were really interesting as, surprisingly, was the gemstone collection. Our four year old also enjoyed the Native American exhibition. The glass flowers were a bit lost on us. The Painting the Deep art was great.

Have to say the Science Museum had a lot more to keep our four year old entertained so if I had to choose between the two it would be that but HMNH is still worth a visit.

Visiting the glass flower collection was a walk into the past, realizing this was the best way for late 19th century botanists to see in exquisite detail plants from around the world and at great magnification. We take for granted the ease and convenience of travel today, as well as the funding required for globetrotting for science. The mineral collection is nothing short of stunning. The evolution exhibit enthralled my 10-year-old son and me for hours.

Even if your kids don’t love museums, this is a great spot. Lots of different exhibitions with everything you want to see and tons of stuff you don’t expect. I would highly recommend this and see everything. Lots of floors that change in theme and focus.

A very good natural history museum. Glass flowers look completely real. Interesting beehive. Extensive Crystal and mineral collection. Also gives access to the Peabody collection.

3 stars because I’ve seen some of the United States most amazing Natural History museums...Smithsonian, Denver, Royal Museum if Natural History in BC...but If you have a couple of hours in Cambridge, don’t miss this, great geology area and beautiful glass botanical display.

A person could spend 6 hours in this museum. They have lots of great exhibits and explanations. We combined it with the Peabody Essex Musuem which is attached. Be aware that the museum is not handicapped friendly. They have tried to provide a handicapped entrance, but the route takes you way out of the way, and you end up walking a lot more just to get into the musuem. There is no elevator at the front door.

I visited the museum during a Solstice Festival which was great fun. I walked through the exhibits quickly to get to the exhibits of the Blaschka Models that someone recommended as a must see. I would agree. It was hard to believe the models were glass. Not to be missed. Made me wish I had more time.

Our family just really liked this museum. They had dinosaurs, an exhibit on sea monsters, whale skeletons, weird crystals and unusual mammals from...uh... some era I can't remember the name of.

Anyway, it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but we were really impressed. The ticket is relatively inexpensive ($15), and it gets you into three other museums on campus as well, so I'd say good value.

Only downside: no parking and potentially a long ride by public transportation.

This place is amazing. The selection is great and the kids (and adults) will have a great educational experience.

We visited the museum while at Cambridge and it was a well laid out museum and the addition of the Peabody museum was a nice bonus.

The glass flowers! The gems! And we didnt get a chance to see the rest. Next time we get to Cambridge we will go again.

A great couple of hours spent on a hot summer day. The variety of examples are well labeled and there was plenty of room to walk around as it was not too crowded.

I'm in my sixties and have been to DC's Smithsonian and New York City's Museum of Natural History more time than I can count -- but the Harvard Museum of Natural History really blew me away.

It is vast, comprehensive, and somehow very personal. The (stuffed) creatures in their glass cages could be looked at up close -- unlike the dioramas I'm used to -- and then, in another room, to see them next to their skeletons -- wow. The collections of insects, one after the other, for comparison, were brilliant; ditto the minerals.

This museum is entirely without flash or glitz. It is somewhat old-fashioned in conception -- a compliment! -- for it's a true, staggering collection of the wonders of nature.

It killed me that I couldn't stay longer. I was so bowled over that I neglected even to take photographs.

I kept thinking that my eight-year-old great-nephew would love it.

The museum presents an impressive and complete geological history, with examples from all phases and very enlightening groups. The same can be said of comparative zoology that groups specimens from the same families and explains the evolution of species. Very good.

What a great place to visit!! More than I expected to be honest. I was under the impression that it was going to be a quick visit but was wrong, The collection of glass plants is extraordinary. Great museum for all ages.Follow the map, its easy to get lost and miss an exhibit... Worth the visit 100%

We visited the Harvard Natural History Museum based on a recommendation about the glass flowers exhibit. I admittedly wasn’t fully sold on the idea, but went anyway. The glass flowers are quite interesting, as are the animals and the glass sea life, but the mineral collection is the real gem (pun intended). The museum has a large, diverse and incredible collection of stunning minerals big and small that we spent most of our visit oohing and ahhing over. Highly recommend. You can go through the most interesting parts of the museum in about an hour and a half.

Went to the museum on a last minute curiosity. Relatively inexpensive. Nicely set up. Lots of interesting exhibits. Fun for kids as well. Everything was well explained on the tags. Interesting way to spend a hot summer afternoon in a “cool” place!

The museum is full of wonders. it does not try to wow you with quantity, but rather with amazing quality. Incredible halls of mounted animals and the famous collection of glass flowers are just part of this great museum.
Don't miss this.

This is a museum in the best tradition of natural history museums. The cost of admission is minimal and you get to see one of a kind unique exhibits from a historical collection. Unlike many other museums, this one utilizes some of the best specimens in the exhibits. It is a unique experience that I recommend.

This is better then the museum of natural science in New York. I you like this sort of museum you will love this one. So clean, so well organized. A great place to take the kids they will love it.

It is a hidden gem!
Hard to describe because it holds so much!
Do take your children (or grandchildren) late morning. Plan on 90 min. to 2 hours maximum. Then stroll onto Harvard Square cutting through Harvard Yard for ice cream and or lunch.
Or perhaps the Harvard Bookstore for a book on plants and animals ...

I was pleasantly surprised that this was a short walk from Harvard square. The teenagers enjoyed the area.

I loved the Glass flowers exhibit, so much details and so many things to look at. they also have a large collection on taxidermy on display with so many different speicies on animals. some of these things seemed to be very dated, but thats the nature of this museum.

Lots of stuffed animals and other unique exhibits. A little dated but worth a visit. No food on site so you need to go elsewhere for lunch,

I was blown out of the water by this museum. If you feel disappointed by the M*seum of S*ience because they market their exhibits to children, you'll love the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Their exhibits are definitely more adult-friendly, although I'm sure kids would have fun as well. A remarkable collection of taxidermied animals, a GIANT room filled with beautiful rocks, and, of course, the impressive glass flowers. I saw many taxidermied/ preserved animals that I had never seen before, and could have stayed for hours more. I will definitely be back. A note on interpretation: although there were no roaming Visitor Education staff there when I went, I was delighted by the plaques, interactive signs, and movies throughout the museum. Plenty of opportunities to learn, and not a whole lot of boring-paragraphs-on-the-wall like in some museums.

In trying to determine which of Harvard's fine art museums to visit, we were directed, instead to the Museum of Natural History. The extraordinary glass flower collection was a particular treat for my wife, who is an accomplished botanic illustrator. The mineral and fossil collection capped a compact and approachable tour.

What a great display - This place reminded me the museum of natural history in new york. Lots to see here, well laid out. Expected to spend 2-3 hours to see everything. Then stroll around campus when your done.

The Harvard Natural History Museum is great fun. Fossils will delight the young and old, extraordinary geological specimens and a one-of-a-kind collection of stunning glass plant specimens created in the 19th century. The collection is large enough to make the visit memorable, but all doable in 1-2 hours. Visitors range from college students/classes to families with young children. Decent gift shop.

We visited the Museum of Natural History (NHM) as part of a double with the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, though we were glad to take a coffee and cake break in-between as both are somewhat overwhelming with their content. In an word, the NHM is superb!

We entered directly into the museum via the Peabody, and stayed longer than planned, and why did we think it was superb?

- The section of Earth and Planetary Sciences is fascinating. Have always had a passing interest in rocks and minerals since looking for fluorspar as a child, but the collection here is unlike anything I have ever seen.

- We didn't think the collection of glass flowers would interest us, and that we would be in and out in two minutes. Wrong! Such finesse and craftwork, a lifetime's work in one collection.

We thought we'd seen enough dinosaurs and fossils having been to London's Natural History Museum on several occasions. Wrong! Now convinced you can never see too many dinosaurs and fossils.

The rooms of Asia, Africa, Marine Life and New England Forests are just packed with wildlife. Yes, it's always better to see wildlife in the wild, but few of us will ever honestly get the chance and we're not huge fans of zoos, so this is a terrific way to educate and enthral.

The museum has something for all ages. You can spend anywhere from a quick hour here (really?) to the best part of a day. I would recommend between two to three as a starter, including a bit of time to look around the lovely gift shop.

A VAST collection of natural history exhibits: everything from dinosaurs to glass flowers. Relatively inexpensive, but the parking is absolutely terrible, if you can even find any. Be aware, all the exhibits are not handicap accessible.

Nice small museum. Loads of animal taxidermy. The whales bones were great as well. Lovely glass flower exhibit.

This was an amazing visit to an amazing museum! The exhibit of glass flowers was truly spectacular! Will definitely come again, so much to see!

The visit at Harvard Museum of Natural History is an eye opener. First the glass selection of glassmakers Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka. So realistic that you don’t believe the flowers are made of glass. Also the sea sculptures.
The other parts of the museum are well displayed. The science of our natural world.
The stones and gems. Take your time to see all details.

What a treat. The glass flower exhibit was amazing. The talent is impossible to describe. The entire museum has a very old feel to it but I enjoyed the entire experience. I would have never thought that I would enjoy a geology exhibit.

This wasn’t the easiest place to find, but once we did it was worth it. There are some really interesting exhibits, the glass flowers were especially beautiful.

One should not miss this extraordinary collection of handmade glass flowers. It is unique and a world class exhibit. The rest of the museum is also very good. Great alone and with families.

Walked around campus and took a tour of the museum compliments of the GoCity Pass. Tons to see, and the time you can spend within is unlimited. Very impressive displays on every floor. We particularly enjoyed the gems/rocks exhibits having a couple of geological type engineers in the party.

My first impression when entering the building was not a positive one. Upon entering, we were faced with a steep staircase that we had to climb to buy our tickets. To get to the exhibits, which were on the third floor, required climbing an additional flight of stairs. My wife and I chose the alternate elevator option, which required that we take the stairs back down to the first floor, walk outside and around to the back of the building, and then back inside to find an elevator. However, after finally arriving on the third floor my opinion really changed. The exhibit areas were crammed full of interesting things to see. There were exhibits on glass plants, rocks & minerals and sea life. But what blew me away were the exhibits of mounted mammals from all parts of the world. Of course I would rather be looking at living animals, but standing inches away from a full sized bengal tiger or mountain gorilla is quite amazing. Definitely worth a visit.

The glass flower exhibit is why we came to the museum. The glass flowers were interesting. What we really liked were the minerals. There are lots of different types. I'm not a geologist but they're beautiful to look at. There are also meteorites you can touch. The taxidermy collection is varied. There are dinosaur bones to look at. This museum is a great way to spend some time. Parking is the drawback and why I didn't give the higher rating. We found a spot eventually but it wasn't easy. Make sure you read the signs.

Harvard Museum of Natural History was one of my best experience in USA. Very compact and easy to tour while including priceless glass flowers. I was there actually in April 2014 but TA has only May 19 in its visit-time!

Lovely building for a small Natural History Museum. Knowing that a lot of the discoveries were made by Harvard alumni added to the place. The evolutional exhibit and the stones were highlights for me.

We have been to a lot of museums of Natural History but this is one of the best. Very compact space as compared to museum buildings but it is very well done. Some great exhibits on fish, animals, minerals, and Glass Plants that is truly amazing. Very well done. This could be an all day tour in itself

Yes, I believe it's the best natural history museum in the USA. The expositions are unique, beautiful and everything is well explained. The big mammales room is incredible. Also, the paleontology room is breathtaking. You can admire the Harvard Mastodon, a unique specimen.

Spread over 2 levels, the museum is a ticketed entry. Split into several sections like Zoology, Biology, Geology, etc, the museum has special sections for Arachnids, Naturally forming crystals and stones, Bees, Mammals, and even skeleton of a whale hanging from the ceiling! It would be of great interest to research scholars from the scientific field. It also sponsored section detailing the impact of climate change.

The venue also is the place for free public lectures on interesting science topics.

Special sections include plants, flowers preserved in glass, Blaschka Botanical models of 1890’s!

The museum also has a collection of 150;000 beetles, in the section detailing the evolution of anthropods.

This museum will have something for everyone, from kids to parents to nature and science enthusiasts. Entrance fee is reasonable and you have the chance to walk the Harvard Campus as a bonus. However, keep in mind that parking is very tricky in that area.

Harvard grad recommended and very interesting 2 hour visit. Wonderful museum in ancient building. Beetle, butterfly, insect collection (sounds boring, but isn’t) amazing. Rocks/mineral collection world class. We all learned.
Great for smart, curious kids.
Highest recommendation.

I visited before Covid and had such a great time. The museum isn't huge, but there is a lot to see. When we went there were even staff members doing demonstrations and holding some animals. Whenever the museum reopens I can't wait to go back.

- of course Harvard could throw the glass cases, galleries, and exhibits out and build some new museum pedagogy stuff, but why should they, as this is way better. Too many museums were ruined by "relevance" or whatever and the leftover ones, well maintained and with some suitable updating, are now Gesamtkunstwerke. As this one! It's an overall experience, but you still get something out of it scientifically, especially kids (dinosaurs!). And for a gallery experience of a scientific bent, the glass flowers are just spectacular (five points for those). I didn't pay (Harvard ID means you have free access) but I am sure the ticket can't be much, and it's an interesting place especially if viewed together with the Peabody.

My kids had a great time exploring the museum. They love animals and dinosaurs and were thrilled running from exhibit to exhibit, yelling out the names of all the creatures. So much was at eye level, making it easy for them. Staff was helpful.

A hidden gem. A great size and scope for kids 3-6 --my grandkids love tjiscplace. Precious dtones,dinosaurs,glass flowrrs,and more. Fun gor all.

If you have an afternoon or morning free, you may be interested in this university Museum. It is not just for university students, nor is it for kids only. It is a fabulous collection of the most up-to-date stuff and commentary on a variety of topics, from climate change to evolution to outer space.

I highly recommend a visit to the world renowned glass flowers. This is an amazing collection of artwork Originally designed to help Botany students with out of season plants, They have become a famous go to Destiination when in Cambridge. Take the red line to Harvard Square and ask anybody how to walk for five minutes to the museum.

I was here as a teenager in 1964 and have wanted to return to see the glass flowers and the glass sea life. I was impressed then and even more so this visit. It is amazing to believe the specimens are glass, so realistic. I also want to send a shout out to Shawna who works in the gift shop. I lost an earring, she found it outside the museum and mailed it back to me. Super customer service.

Enjoyed my visit to the Natural History Museum at Harvard University. Very educational and well put together. It’s good for all ages and has a wide arrange of displays to view. If you like natural history you will be amazed at the displays.

It has some cool stuff, but it’s not as entertaining as other museums. No interactive movie, ride, or exhibits. You need to have a sincere interest in natural history otherwise you’re not missing much.

For the same admission ticket you can also access the anthropology museum connected to the natural history museum. Highlights include the extensive collection of glass models of flowers, and the collection of rocks and minerals. Kids would enjoy the taxidermied animal exhibits. Worthwhile coming to Harvard just for this!

The glass flowers on displayed were absolutely incredible and showed exceptional craftsmanship. In the sections on microbes and arthropods there were staff doing show-and-tell to the visitors: I talked to one staff who had a tiny scorpion on his wrist and he seemed very knowledgable and could answer all my questions.

Easy to spend 2-3 hours or more here. In this smaller building it is packed to the ceiling with exhibits and they are great. From glass flowers to fossils to animal exhibits to mineral displays, the quality is fabulous. Loved the museum.

We had a couple of hours to kill and it was raining so we decided to give the HMNH a try. My son is 11 and convinced he will be a paleontologist (we'll see) so he wanted to see this museum. We ended up only having about an hour and that was not near enough time! Lots to see! There was a volunteer with sketching materials so my son stopped and had some fun drawing one of the animals. As others have said there is a focus on evolution and lots of cases of "stuffed" actual animals. We didn't get to any of the other sections except animals.

My son enjoyed the trip and it did spark some curiosity in him. He is 7. He is more into sports but enjoys dinosaurs and other items they had. It was nice but not as modern as I expected and technological interaction was lacking.

We loved this museum. I’m surprised we’ve been to Boston so many times and never went here until now. I loved the rock and mineral section, and also the amazing glass flowers!

An amazing and unique museum. You could easily spend your whole day there. The Glass Flowers exhibition is particularly impressive.

Superb collection and display of nearly any artifact you could imagine. Nine year old could have spent weeks here...me too!
Elevator if you cannot do stairs makes halls accessible to all. Be sure to buy entry to connected Peabody Museum as well.

It is huge and you need to have passion, perseverance and energy to explore the fullest. we liked many portions including the ancient history, mummies, egyptian part. The most educating was their quartz section having many stones, their origin and science behind it. It takes almost a whole fan, hence be prepare for it.

My main interest was the Peabody Museum, but since I got to visit this museum for free, and was pleasantly surprised. There were the usual stuff ( fossils etc) which was good but not great, but what set this museum apart was the collection of flower flowers and planets. There was also a superb collection of minerals, and these two by themselves were sufficient to make the visit a memorable one.

Visited with a 20 month old boy and had lots of fun. He enjoyed and it was a very pleasant day. The museum has a good collection.
Recommend it to families who are visiting the Boston Area.

It was an academically oriented museum, with more of a focus on the academic and research process of Harvard and natural history than fun, engaging information. I realize it's an academic institution, and not a profit driven museum for kids, but it was a so-so museum to visit and learn things from.
It's not bad, just not to the standard of typical natural history museums I've visited. If you're really into the detailed history of Harvard research and natural history, go for it, otherwise maybe find a museum more suited to your interests.

Went early on a weekday so it wasn't crowded which was just exactly what I was expecting. The glass flowers are amazing as was also the large collection of minerals and rocks. Large variety of fossils and taxidermy specimens. I was a little disappointed that some exhibits of the Peabody Anthropological Museum wing were missing items because of cultural sensitivities. Still giving it a five stars though.

This is a must see if you are in Cambridge or the Boston area.
The "glass flowers" exhibit is one of the most unusual things I have ever seen at a museum.
The mineral and rock exhibits are top-notch. Interesting for geologists as well as the lay-person.

Incredible collection of life-like glass models of Plants - the foresight to think that material characteristics of glass were perfect match to permanently preserve the forms of plants was impressive - but even more so, the ability to control glass by the artists, to such detail, is breath-taking, and the realism achieved to an unbelievable degree...!!!

Amazing how artists (Leopold & Rudolph Blaschka), financiers (Ware family) & Harvard Prof (George L. Goodale) came together to create this unique and fascinating collection of knowledge, art & nature.

Highly recommended to visit!

Scholars probably love this place. People who work for museum programs probably find it really interesting. It may be fascinating to adults not accompanied by children. But...

Our experience was that this wasn't a very enjoyable place for youngsters.

There were no docents available to answer questions. Explanations were often in technical scientific language that was hard for some of the adults to understand. Although the exhibits were usually extensive there was little indication of why the specific exhibits/objects were being exhibited. If I wasn't already fairly knowledgeable about geology (which I am not) there was nothing to help me understand why those pretty rocks were in the display case or why I should be interested in them.

The lack of actually interactive opportunities, other than an occasional button to push, was also unhelpful.

This is an academic, old-fashioned museum that was a poor choice by my family. I'm sure it's great for some folks, but it was a flop for us.

I went with my family for Fathers Day and we had a nice time. It’s certainly not like the Museum of Natural History in NYC but we found it rather entertaining. This museum is slightly on the small side but it touched on many different aspects of our natural history. I have a 18 & 13 year old and they had a nice time as well. Parking wasn’t an issue because it was a Sunday, if you go during the week you will not find street parking, though I’m not sure of a parking garage in the area. We spent a few hours here and I recommend this activity for families with small children.

We visited this based on reviews and tourist guidebooks. I felt a little let down by the core exhibitions which felt a little cramped. Maybe it because I come from the UK and much of the content is replicated in the big London museums that I grew up with.
What was new and fascinating was the glass flowers exhibition. It's incredible to think how many hours went into producing each item.

So happy my wife and I chose this of all the potential museums to look at first at Harvard. I was awestruck several times in our journey through this fascinating labyrinth. Amongst the most striking artifacts is the black meteor which we were free to paw as non earth material on our hands. The various crystals were beautiful and fascinating. Skeletons of humongous prehistoric sea creatures were awesome. Don’t miss the connected Peabody museum either which focuses on human society and culture. Great gift shop we picked up a number of holiday presents. One of the best museums in this great land of ours. Have fun on your quest.

Visited as part of the 'City Pass' ticket. Thought the exhibits, although traditionally set out, were excellent. The animals and birds section is amazing. Although I suspect some of the taxidermy is obviously very old they are fascinating. To actually see a Snow Leopard and a huge male Siberian Tiger amongst other things was something else - don't get me wrong I would rather these animals hadn't been collected but times and attitudes were very different a long time ago.
Another personal favourite was the Rocks and Minerals section. Got a lovely surprise to see some of the pieces were from back in England near where I am from. Finally the 'Glass flower' room is unique and the pieces are stunningly beautiful.

After our tour of Harvard, we went to the Harvard Museum of Natural History. It's not the biggest natural history museum we have been to, but it is big enough and has plenty to see, including a very large geological collection that my wife and son really enjoyed. There is also a large collection of animals.

Rocks and flora are plentiful but if you want something less academic and more fun go to the Museum of Natural History in Manhatta.

We went to see the famous glass flowers and I was blown away by the mammals, minerals, and skeletons on display. Insect display was good too. Parking is a challenge in Cambridge and expensive. The entrance fee for two seniors was $20.00.

Looking for something to do for just 2-3 hours? Look no further than the Harvard Museum of Natural History! Such a gem in a bustling city!

Thinking we would spend an hour looking around turned into 4 hours. It's an interesting place with great displays. The glass flowers are amazing for anyone interested in botany. Younger kids were running around and could probably see everything in an hour or two. The exhibits are an interest to just about everyone. We skipped the section of animals and still spent 4 hours.

I first visited this museum when a friend recommended it. It was almost as impressive as the Natural History Museum in New York but less crowded and less confusing which was a bonus. It offers unique exhibits unlike anywhere else in the world such as the glass sea life, unfortunately the glass flowers exhibit was under renovations but still had a wonderful time. The area around Harvard is very beautiful.

Incredible collection of natural history items. Amazing that so many items are all in one place. Fun way to spend an afternoon.

The real draw here are the biologically correct glass models of flowers and plants made in the late 1800 to early 1900's it really is amazing how realistic they are

Super excellent museum! My family and I had a great time visiting this museum and were impressed with it's exhibits. It was nice to also visit the Harvard campus while we were there. Great fun.

I really love natural history museums and they are mostly the same - either grandiose or small.
So, this case is something in between. While it is not too big, it contains a lot of sections, wings and special exhibits. It did feel a bit underwhelming in times but you can't expect every museum to have a mammoth or a full sized blue whale reproduction.
Nice, easy for roaming and suitable for all ages.

Great museum. I only got to spend a couple of hours here, needed at least twice that. Great mineral collection, and the glass flowers collection was amazing.

I love ancient fossils and the museum can satisfy me. It has some unique specimen like dinosaurs, mines and others

This museum had some interesting items for our teenage sons as well as us parents! The glass flowers exhibit was my favorite part but not the teenagers! They enjoyed the dinosaurs and the information provided by the staff there. The staff was friendly from beginning to end.

Fascinating museum of Natural History. Don't miss David Rockefeller's beetle collection, or the incredible glass models of undersea creatures and plants.

A good afternoon looking round the exhibits and the Peabody Museum. Informative, interactive and enjoyable. Well worth a visit and good value for 12 dollars.

This is our 5 y/o granddaughter's favorite attraction. Lots of very impressive fossils presented in a casual but educational way. We were surprised by how much we liked it and it was a good way to kill a few rainy hours,

Great museum, excellent value. Spent a couple of hours and saw probably half of the museum. Amazing life size replicas of African animals. Wide variety of birds that thrilled my Audubon member mother . Well laid out and easy too see the names of all the exhibits. Loved the gigantic whale bones gaming from the ceiling. Too ginormous to describe. Very family friendly.

My kids love this place - it is fun to see the dinosaurs and all the animals. Adults really like the glass flowers (which are amazing) and the minerals. It’s a relatively small museum, which keeps it from getting overwhelming for kids, though it can get pretty crowded. Although I really like this museum as a Boston-area resident, I probably wouldn’t recommend it to tourists (at least not those with kids), as the MOS, MFA, Children’s Museum, Aquarium all put this one to shame. But for those with a little more time, or who plan on going to the Harvard Art Museum as well, it is definitely worth a visit.

We LOVE taking our young child to the Natural History museum. Everything is behind glass and each room is contained in size so he can roam free and get exposed to many animals he wouldn't see naturally in the area. Then, there are little gems like the live bees/honeycomb, the dinosaur bones and wall of beetles that go beyond. Even though you can spend your whole time with the animals and have a great visit, the rock and gem collection is spectacular too and should not be missed.

Glass flowers is a must see. Rich geological collection. Exotic animals. With the ticket, you can also visit antropology museum, middle east history museum, museum of old scientific instruments... all very interesting.

While the glass botanical specimens are clearly the star of the museum, the geological collection is also extensive, well lit, and interesting. It made me wish, once again, that I had found a chance to study petrology at some point.

Surprising natural history collection in the heart of Harvard campus. Fossils of dinosaurs, skeletons of whales... in a beautiful building

The collections are remarkable. Students are very lucky to have such a material available. For lovers of geology, botany and zoology, it is a must. Children of all ages find their way into the animal sections which are quite spectacular.
Don’t miss out if you visit Harvard University.

Interested in anything about the natural world we live in? Visit this place. Flora, fauna, you get the picture. Glass flowers, crazy-looking rocks, amazing examples of scary- looking animals, little fishies and birdies, this museum has it all. And it's in a great old building where you might just find Indiana Jones around any corner!

Very interesting museum. Lots of stuffed animals and other various exhibits. A little dated but worth seeing.

I like to study animals and this museum is one of my favorite in the country, following field museum in Chicago. It's not very big but has so much to see. The 3 giant whale skeleton hung on the ceiling of the mammal hall and the giant dinosaur are must sees.

They have an amazing collection of taxidermy animals, glass flowers, old dinosaur bones, day of the dead stuff, and so much more.

I went to see the glass exhibition, but I enjoyed all the exhibitions very much. Small museum, lovely time

Very interesting museum with amazing collection of animal displays. Was especially impressed with the botanical glass exhibit. Great for families with children and teens.

Adults and kids alike were mesmerized. The museum was beautiful and densely packed with so many things to see. The displays were amazing. Larger than life fossils suspended from the ceiling and animals and creatures of every variety. Geology and botany sections were also done really well. Had a great scavenger hunt for kids to keep them even more engaged.

Wonderfully accessible natural history museum, especially for young children. Bonus - amazing glass flower display for adults!

One half the museum deals with natural history such as animals & fish from the earliest fossils to present day. Also a fabulous geological section with gems and geodes of all types and sizes. The other half deals with anthropology or various peoples of the world. From the American Indian tribes to the Maya and Aztec tribes of South America. The modes of living and their arts and crafts as well as models and replicas of their dwellings. An excellent choice for a family full day activity.

As expected from one of the best universities in the world, the museum on campus is also world class. The glass flowers collection was especially stunning, a perfect example of blending art with science.

The museum was worth the visit. The glass flower exhibit was amazing. They look so real. Their creator was definitely a very talents glass blower. They also have a great mineral exhibition with very interesting items and the animal exhibit was very interesting. I will be taking my out of town friends there.

The Natural History Museum was an amazing place from the Glass Flowers which are certainly one of the more amazing things I've seen. The minerals and gemstones section are not to be missed. It's worth the visit and we will return.

I grew up visiting this museum. It was free back then (the fifties). Feels like a step back in time; a real old fashioned museum because it is really old, from the days when animals were collected and stuffed to help people see things they never would be able to see in real life. It is old, expect it, and enjoy it. The whales hang over your head and the minerals are world class. Hard to park, but figure out a way to make it happen.

This museum has the most impressive collection of glass model of plants ever seen. It is the jewel of this museum. With a combined ticket you can also visit the Peabody Museum of archeology and ethnology. Here two collections are really remarkable: the Native American's and the Precolombian's.

I really enjoy this museum. Staff is really great and the collection really nice. I specially love the microbiology section with lots of fun things to explore about the microbial world. But the the museum also has an awesome collection of precious stones and glass work on different plants which always amazes people by the detailed and careful work.

I must confess that the subject matter in the museum is not of great interest to me. However, this said, if you are interested in American history, botany, geology or weaponry, this is the museum for you. There are many artefacts, plants, rock samples and weapons on display with both their descriptions and provenance. It is possible to buy a combined ticket for entrance here and a Harvard University tour.

Truly impressed and specifically excited about the glass plant collection. This is a true miracle and could as well serve next door in the Arts museum. My fear is that most people don’t have a clue what wonder they are viewing especially the enlargements. The rest of the museum certainly also merits a visit with some unique dinosaurs and other displays like on native Americans.

I read about the glass flowers and wanted to check them out. It was an easy T ride from Boston to Harvard Square and a short walk to the museum. The flowers are UNBELIEVABLE. I mean, you really can't believe they are made of glass! The artistry is technical and lovely. Furthermore, the docent who explained the work did a great job and was very knowledgeable. The museum also had some lovely rock specimens, and the whale skeletons suspended from the ceiling were very dramatic. A great little museum.

It might not be as sprawling as the Smithsonian or natural history museum in New York, but I really love the Harvard Natural History museum. It's much more quiet than those other museums. And the glass flowers pay such an attention to detail - it's quite extraordinary.

I feel terrible after all the great reviews. But this was honestly a bit of a disappointment. The experience is a lot of what we are experiencing on our first day in Boston - disappointing. While there are certainly some wonderful things to see at this museum, it is lacking in finesse and good s for the areas to see. We almost missed the best part which was the dinosaur section which tho there were great skeletal remains, just eh in overall aesthetics and grandeur. The museum is dated in many areas. Not the best for children either as one reviewer wrote. We spent 30 on parking at the closest spot we could find. Walked 15 min. The first clue was the ticket counter which is hyper casual. Not at all the presentation I would expect.

Looking at a bunch of stuffed dead creatures which have definitely seen better days is not really my idea of a good time.

We visited this museum and it has great exhibits. The glass flowers were amazing!
Kids liked the animal exhibits, it is a place for all ages.

My son had a blast in this museum. He’s obsessed with dinosaurs and he was able to see some real fossils and other exhibits that he had never seen before. Just walking around the campuses felt an inspiring life achievement! Definitely a must visit museum!!!

This fabulous museum is a MUST SEE! The geology exhibit alone was worth the price of admission! If you go on Sunday street parking and Harvard lots are free! We also loved the entomology and bird exhibits!

My son loves natural history. So when visiting Harvard, this was a must see. The price is reasonable ($12 for adults and $8 for kids). It is a decent size. They do have a decent amount about evolution which is interesting and not surprising from Harvard. My son especially enjoyed the paleontology exhibit. They have a fantastic space with bones of large whales and many other animals. It is a beautiful space. They have a very large room of rocks and minerals. While they are described it would have been helpful to have more context on them. Overall, worth a visit for sure!

We went to the museum for the glass flower exhibit. It is amazing! Well worth a visit if you are into glass, botany, art- it is amazing what the Blaschka’s were able to do with glass. We also walked through the rest of the museum and would certainly come back to see more of it!

We were looking for something to do on a rainy day and happened into this. We weren't sure what it was going to be like and were pleasantly surprised! There is literally something for everyone here. New surprises and discoveries are around every corner! Young and old and everything in between are going to find something they enjoy looking at here in this Museum. Frank even let us hold dinosaur poop and a fossilized egg! Truly a remarkable place to visit.

To begin with, the building itself was very impressive. The staff was very friendly and helpful. All the exhibits were great!

We enjoyed our time at this museum more than we first though that we would. We found the animal and mineral rooms to be very interesting. The glass flowers were impressive, but we didn’t find them as engaging to look at as some of the other exhibits. It was only $12, since it’s on the smaller side, but I thought that it was worth it.

The glass flower exhibition was much more than we expected. It is a must to see. The museum guide helped us to understand the exhibit.
We also enjoyed walking around through the other exhibitions.

This museum is one of the treasures of Cambridge. The glass flowers are just amazing (originally used by biology students) — it alone is worth the visit. But browse and see the dinosaurs fossils and all the animals.

I'm a lifelong Bostonian but still haven't seen all its museums had to offer. My family and I now live on Cape Cod, and traveling into the city is a haul, but the trip is always well worth it. My younger daughter (15) has been fascinated by rocks, minerals, and gems since she was little, so we decided a trip to Harvard's Museum of Natural History and its geology exhibit was long overdue. We had a great time exploring all the museum's offerings yesterday, and left some time to check out the adjoining Peabody (archaeological/cultural) Museum (admission to one gains you access to both) -- she fell in love with the El Dia de los Muertos display there as well. The geological collection at the Natural History Museum was fascinating, but we were really blown away and surprised by the skeletons (whales, sabre toothed tiger, etc., and, of course, the Harvard mastodon) that we were unaware were part of the collection. Older kids who like science will love this place, and nerdy adults like my husband and me will be surprised at every corner by something new. Loved it.

Nice museum. Family visit d1h30-2h. Everyone is taking a look at these beautiful specimens of animals and dinosaurs. Very good for interested parties and raise awareness about the
Preservation of flora and fauna.

Like everything at Harvard done with a mixture of patrician quirkiness and world class content. Old buildings. Strange halls. But great content. Glass flowers unique. Includes Peabody American Indian museum. Learned how to peel a birch tree bark in one sheet to make a canoe.

This museum had a sort of old fashioned feel to it and it was nice that it was a smaller venue. Vast collections of different genres, worth a visit.

Not the best museum. I think it's a good stop if you're just in the Boston area, but nothing to go out of the way for. A lot of the figure and points of interests didn't really have any information. When they did, it was on a clear plastic sticker, which wasn't always easy to see, find, or read. I think it's more suited as a little area of interest within Harvard, but not as it's own museum. If you have a student ID there's a discount, which is good. It's not worth a full adult price ticket. However, it does give you access to the Peabody museum attached, so maybe that's how the prices balance out. Not worth it, but not as bad if you do both museums.

Created in 1998 and located at Oxford street in Cambridge within the campus of the University, displaying samples from Herbaria, Zoology and Minerologica research Museums of Harvard. With the same admission one can also visit the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and ethnolgy . Approximately 250000 visitor see it yearly.

Are used to go all the time with my three boys and every Sunday from ASQ residence. Always had a great time looking at all the stuffed animal collections etc. Just went on a school trip with one of my teenage boys now and he thought it was pretty cool but the best part was the rock collection

It seems like every creature in creation got stuffed ! Or it's bones were preserved as in the case of dinosaurs. Lots of families with young children who were having a good time. student volunteers handed out sketching materials to who ever was interested and they all had nice personalities and warm welcomes. There's more than thousands of creatures to enjoy with anthropology and historical depictions we enjoyed. Three stories worth. Elevators for those who could use them places to sit and rest. All very pleasant.

This is an amazing collection of natural history exhibits. I personally went to see the glass flowers (see photos). These were flowers and botanical specimens made entirely out of glass, they were used as teaching aids at Harvard University. One of the great things is that entry to the Natural History museum also allows you to have access to the Peabody museum for the day, well worth a look.

This is a museum that I used to love as a child. I still like it! Great collections of stuffed animals, dinosaur bones, glass flowers and sea creatures as well as dazzling gem stone samples. You will need a couple of hours to enjoy this hidden gem. Pun intended.

We visited after our Harvard tour. Admission was included in our City Pass, so we decided to check it out. There are many mounted wildlife specimens that elementary school aged children would enjoy.

First of all this little museum is on Harvard's beautiful campus, and the exhibits a very nice. Don't miss the glass flowers and the birds. Only issue was handicap accessibility was limited.

What an extraordinary thing -- hundreds of flowers and their parts all painstakingly crafted of glass. You have to see this to believe it!

We visited this museum because my son love the natural history. We visited many natural history museums over the world. This one is the best in my son's eyes.

The most spectacular glass reproductions of all the flora on the continent! As well there are whale Skelton’s from the ceiling in the main room. The kids loved it.

This is just as good as the big NY Museum of Natural History so well worth a visit. Lots to see and many unique items.

This was a really good visit, we spent a few hours here and if I wasn’t hungry we could have spent more time. Natural history Smithsonian is the only other Nat His that tops this museum.

Very interesting museum. It’s accessible and had many exhibits that we were interested in. It would be good for young children’s to seniors.

We went on a wet morning and had a really great experience. Small museum. Fascinating display of replica glass flowers, enjoyed the dinosaurs and had a one to one with a shark expert who told us about and showed us shark teeth. History of the native Americans was really interesting. Was worth the entrance fee and respite from the rain.

Overall this was a pleasant experience but I felt that there was not a great deal to be seen as I wandered from room to room. Yes there are a lot of exhibits but they were presented in a fairy bland way, perhaps an audio guide would have named the experience more enjoyable.

This is a cool museum. It has a lot of interesting things but the best by far is the glass flower exhibit. They are beautifully intricate and interesting!

This museum is great for families. It has a great collection of taxidermed animals great and small, as well as a room of gigantic gemstones and a glass flower exhibit.
I think what I like most about this museum ( besides the gift shop) is the ‘old world ‘ feel . It is on the campus of Harvard University so one could make a day out of strolling, picnicking, and visit the museums collections.
Remember to bring money for the gift shop, they have one for children and another for adults. Unique gifts and lovely jewelry

It´s an amazing place to visit in Harvard, besides the University buildings, the Museum od Natural History is very interesting and with many species to see and know. It is a very interesting place and with penmanent and temporal expositions.

Came here to see the Blaschka sea creatures and they are stunning. Perfect recreations of sea creatures out of glass. The craftsmanship is just incredible. It was very special to see this collection.

My department had a holiday party there. Once we were done socializing and eating, we wandered through the different exhibitions. It is not a huge museum (somewhat a good thing), but each section has a rich inventory. It is also very well organized and displayed. Everyone in the family should find something fascinating to learn and discuss. Aside from all things "natural" (earth, plants, and animals), one should not miss the Blaschka glass models of animals and plants. It's really one-of-a-kind attraction and will leave you with lasting memories of your visit.

Love this museum. There’s so much to see. Lots to interest all ages. Don’t miss the glass flowers or rock collections. Lots of taxidermy mammals & birds. Whale bones etc. takes a couple of hours.

This museum was outstanding! Starts with the sculpted glass flowers - so amazing! We enjoyed all the dinosaur exhibits and especially the mammals. I was very impressed with the geologic displays as well. Would definitely recommend for a fun educational way to spend a few hours, especially with kids.

Completely underrated museum in all of the Boston area. So completely overwhelmed at the extensive collection of animals from all around the world. And you would go through one room and another larger collection would be in the next room. Hall of Mammals is worth the price of admission alone. Just a WOW throughout. All the smaller exhibitions are great. Loved the Earth and Planetary Sciences was breathtaking as well. Would go back a thousand times more! Best kept secret!!!!

Not very expensive and worth the price. A LOT to see and great for all ages and a wide variety of interests. We went mainly for the Blaschka Flower exhibit and we were not disappointed! They look so real and with the tools they had the time period I still cannot believe they were this good. Small gift shop and an area with creepy bugs if anyone doesn't like that sort of thing.

We bought our ticket the day before, and when we try to park the car: mission impossible. No parking avalable. Two hours later, we quit without visiting and lost our money $$$$. We never see a museum without parking. What is that?

Comprehensive collection of animal life that leaves the visitor in awe of the diversity of life on earth - no matter how many times you visit. From the smallest creatures, even yeast cells to spiders and an active bee colony to giants of nature with skeletons of plesiosaurs, baleen whales, and toothed whales. Stunning displays include the coelacanth (previously believed to be extinct, and then discovered in life), a skeleton of the extinct giant moa bird (and very tiny head), stuffed/mounted pangolins and other very unusual creatures, and even “ordinary” animals seen in perspective for their remarkable features or size, etc. (e.g., the massive moose in a natural environment setting, and the large collection of hummingbirds and even their nests). This is a unique and enlightening collection that is old/classic but really never gets old, with new things to notice with every visit.

We enjoyed the exhibits at the museum! We didn’t have too much time but we were able to see the whole museum. Wonderful collection!!

I haven't been to this museum in years and was really excited to have the chance to come back here. This museum is jam-packed with just about everything from dinosaurs to rare rocks and minerals, and everything is so fascinating that it could take hours to look at everything properly. The glass sea creature exhibit was fantastic, as were the glass flowers (which were gorgeous to boot). The exhibit on Thoreau’s flowers was also nice. All of the exhibits were curated very thoroughly and clearly. There's a non-jingoistic focus on American history here that still doesn't exclude international contributions.

There was a lot on display here and something interesting for everyone. I was surprised by the amount of exhibits. Wasn't terribly expensive for entry - $12/pp

I visited the museum to see the Blaschka Glass Flower exhibition. They were absolutely gorgeous and spectacular, the craftsmanship is stunning and difficult to comprehend at times (how did they do it!? And over one hundred years ago!? Amazing!) I could have spent longer in the museum but I didn't have time. Very good value, would recommend, but maybe not if flowers aren't your thing. My partner was less interested than I, he said once you'd seen one flower you'd seen them all!

First visit to the Harvard campus and the museum. Really enjoyed the campus and the old architecture of some of the buildings. The museum is great and very educational. It was not very busy when we went and was able to move through at our own pace.

If you’re in Harvard Square with an hour or two to spare, head straight over to this wonderful museum. Great collections and there’s something for everyone. Love it!

An excellent museum with some really interesting exhibits - the Glass flowers are stunning and the Skeletons have kids in wonderment.
Just the right size of Museum to spark interest and keep it.
Would recommend to anyone when in Boston

On a visit to our grandson in Boston, my wife,grandson and myself visited the Harvard museum of natural history. It is packed with four floors of extremely interesting items from minerals from around the world to North American fish,mammals etc. It will stimulate your awareness of our history and evolution. Don't miss it!!

Go in with modest expectations and you'll be satisfied. It's small, a bit run down and the collections are modest. If you like flowers and rocks, you'll be excited. I don't and I wasn't. However, I liked the Kronosaurus skeleton (the only complete one in the world) and that was the highlight for me. Admission was cheap so I really can't complain.
All the kids there seemed to enjoy it though.

This museum is a really nice finding. I personally underestimated it before going because I thought it would be a small exhibition since it's part of the university. I was so wrong. The level of knowledge presented here is incredible. Many sections about different aspects of history, including culture exhibitions.

I naively thought this would be a small museum at the university. I was so wrong. It is HUGE! Every time I thought it was ending there was another section. I spent 3 hours here and that was just looking at everything and skipping the vast majority of the reading. My favorite section was the taxidermy section. Life sized taxidermy. By the time I got to the Peabody section I was so tired I barely skimmed it. Best $15 I’ve spent on my whole trip.

This was a great museum! It covers paleontology, sea life, bacteria/microbes, dinosaurs, mammals, fish. They have a whole section of fossils covering very rare animals! Some of which don’t even have specific names and we don’t know what they looked like—we just have their bones! Isn’t that intriguing and wonderful! There is one they just call Morphus—some type of hoofed animal. There is also a display of animals that existed in South America when it still functioned like an island—a giant sloth, a giant armadillo ancestor, another creature I never imagined existed. Terrifying, freaky, and cool!

They also have an amazing, beautiful two-tiered room that contains whale skeletons and taxidermy mammal specimens. Fascinating, beautiful—it filled me with awe to see the giant wales and all the species collected in Harvard’s collection. Great photo ops too! Specimens are from all around the world.

This museum also has an expansive collection of birds.

Another cool thing is their glass sea-life and glass flower collections. Decades ago, people used to make specimens (such as plants, flowers, sea animals) out of glass to serve as educational models. These are so amazingly detailed and lifelike and wonderful to see.

They also have a great rock/mineral exhibit!

So much to see here! And the staff was super nice too. Please note timed reservations are in effect.

15 dollars gets you all this AND the Peabody museum that’s connected. Fantastic deal.

What a treat to visit this museum on a rainy day! The glass flowers are incredibly beautiful and so detailed. Wonderful! So worth the visit

My family enjoyed this museum. Lots to see and learn about. We saw the whole museum in about 2 hours.

A friend recommended the museum without knowing I come from a family of rockhounds.

While all the exhibits were great and extensive, the mineral room would have easily taken up my whole day if we hadn't been on a schedule. The variety of colors and locations the samples have been collected from is dizzying. It was neat to see some that I also have found at the same locales.

The fossils were also a favorite. I never realized that flying dinosaurs could be so tiny!

The price was great for the time we spent. $15 per adult. They also have some free admission hours on Sunday morning, so check their website for those.

Great evening at the museum hosted by the Harvard Senior Executive Fellowship. Dinner and drinks followed by a scavenger hunt through the museum. Fascinating displays and well laid out.

Amazing, world class museum of natural history. Old style museum with wooden cabinets. Great geology collection. Fantastic explanation and display of meteorites. Glass flowers are worth the trip all by themselves. The location of this museum makes it perfect for every reason. Smack dab in the middle of the Harvard campus.

Great taxidermy and rock collections. Very nicely laid out. Went to visit the Glass Flowers--Beautiful! A bit pricey.

We came here primarily to see the collection of glass flowers which were commissioned as teaching aids at the end of the 19th century. They are amazing and we marvelled at how detailed they are. It’s such a pity they were made before the process could be captured on film.
We also visited other areas of the museums but found the collection of stuffed animals and birds disturbing. However, it’s an excellent place to spend an afternoon particularly when it’s raining!

This is one of the best and diverse museums I have ever been in. Totally impressed with the layout and composition of the 16 different galleries. The glass flowers are amazing as is the display in the Earth & Planetary Sciences gallery. We only spent 3 hours in here but could have spent the entire day. This is a must see for everyone young and old!

Comparable to the Smithsonian one, or the Paris one. Marvelous collections, lots of comparative exhibits. This treasure was the highlight of the trip.

Incredible unless you see by your own eyes. Well preserved Humming Birds to Dinosaurs Fossils, unique Natural Stones from the depth of the earth to Rocks From Outer Space to Unbelievable Glasswork -- all these things you will find here. Have atleast four hours to go around the museum.

If you appreciate an educational tour, that is it. The animals and minerals areas are amazing to appreciate details... Great tour for everyone. I just think it could be even special for kids, to rose up their curiosity and appreciation of nature...

Definitely like a mini Smithsonian. Dinosaurs, geodes, taxidermy animals. Something for everyone. But Harvard really needs to step up their game with the parking. No cash or credit allowed. And no app.

Stopped in to pass a few hours between other activities. Ran out of time - many things to see. Didn't even get to the glass flowers, which I remember as excellent. Don't expect a lot of explanation here; just lots of fascinating collected items - dinos & other prehistoric creatures; stuffed bird & animal specimens. They had a special, more modern and colorful exhibit on microbes. - This could be how they are trying to keep the museum more current.

The buildings are labyrinthine, like Hogwarts. The best collections are glass flowers, minerals, and original Americans.

It is not super huge museum but they have many different exhibitions so our kids never bored to explore the place.
Specially, they have live bee nest which we can see their life.
Glass flower exhibition is good for adults. Amazingly, those glass flowers have details of each parts of the flower. Color also looks like real! You must enjoy if you love flowers. I purchased souvenirs from gift shop which related with flower.
Senior, military, and students discount available.
Location is part of Harvard campus 10 minutes from Harvard square by walk. Please enjoy!

Highlight of our Cambridge visit, esp since Harvard Yard was closed. Interesting exhibits, presented well, little gift shop and right on the beautiful campus. Teen kids enjoyed as well.

Checked out this beautiful gem of a museum early on a Sunday morning.
We had the fortune of wandering through the museum by ourselves for the first hour. The anthropological displays are fantastic.
Fascinating history of North and Central America.
The absolute must see is the incredible Ware glass flowers and botanicals.
Can’t wait to go back as its captivating to view and I want more time there.
Lovely lovely small gift shop that has a great collection of items at all price points.

This is actually a review for two museums. When you pay to enter the Harvard Museum of Natural History, you also get free same-day admission to the Peabody Museum which is on the same site. Both museums are interesting but I would say that they are best suited to older children or teens and adults. You need a whole day to see both museums which is fine because you get free re-entry with your receipt. There is something for everyone in both the museums. We really enjoyed the exhibit of gems / geodes. The craftsmanship in the glass flowers exhibit is incredible. My 13 year old really enjoyed the detail of the exhibits in the Peabody museum. Aside from the quality of the exhibits, we also enjoyed the atmosphere. You have the opportunity to take in all the exhibits in a calm environment. There are no hordes of screaming children running amok unlike at other (more expensive) museums which shall remain unnamed.

This museum was fantastic! The glass sea creatures and glass botany specimens were wonderful. The museum of natural history and the Peabody museum have something for everyone. Everything from rocks and minerals to dinosaur fossils and a narwhal skeleton.

This museum was better than our Houston Science & History Museum!!! Tons of exhibits and vast collection. Totally worth the vist!

A good museum especially for kids but I felt like many of the things were "replicas" and things I have seen at other museums. The minerals were a highlight as well as the sharks teeth. On the cold days it felt very crowded. For me, for the cost I would skip it.

Nice informative museum open to public, but nice that I could visit free of charge with my son who is a student there. Usually very crowded on Sunday afternoons.

Put aside time for all the Harvard museums, but be SURE to see the glass flowers and sea creatures - amazing!

We had planned a one-day stop in Boston on a family trip, and the day we visited was cold and rainy. We were staying near Harvard, so we went to the natural history museum. It was a great day! We have 4 kids (ages 7-14) and we all enjoyed the museum.

If you are visiting Boston, Harvard is easy to get to on the red line. We walked all over the sprawling campus and then went to the museum. This is a large museum spread over 4 floors. The section on plants specimens reproduced in glass is spectacular.

While I was not amazed by the actual exhibitions, the price is extremely fair which makes it a very nice attraction. The ticket includes also the Peabody museum that is adjacent so definitely to do at least once.

We went to see the Glass Flowers exhibit, which was incredible, but there is so much more to see here as well. Definitely worth an hour or two of your time when you are in the area.

Well curated. Interesting content and well documented. A good visit and not an overly overwhelming museum. Gives you the opportunity to enjoy it!

Do not miss the glass flower exhibit, or Nabakov's butterfly collection. Good natural history exhibits. On a nice area of Harvard's campus.

It was a great experience for a 5 year old. Just enough to keep them entertained for an hour or so. My favorite part was the staff. So very helpful and informative. I really appreciated the staff taking the time out to explain the water bear to my daughter and I. Having a person explain a concept is way better than reading about it.

Since my grandkids (ages 5 & 8) had been to this museum a few years back, they focused on items of special interest to them in each of the various areas. Their favorite overall this time was the mineral collection, but they much enjoyed watching the glassed in working beehive, examining the dinosaur skeletons, participating in the animal story presentation, and looking at the colorful mounted beetles. In all we spent roughly 90 minutes there.

Over 30 years ago I became familiar with the Glass Flowers at Harvard's Museum of Natural History, and they were one of my favorite memories of Boston and Cambridge. It was time to see them again. I dutifully researched them on the internet, and was delighted to see several YouTube videos about their history and their recent repairs and cleaning. I was very excited to see them again.

My anticipation quickly changed to disappointment. They have been removed to a much, much smaller room, and fewer specimens out--not even half of what used to be shown. There is no sunlight, but worst of all, they're barely lit. Their color and glory, detail and if I can say, the vicissitudes in shading/tints in the pieces are barely perceptible. I tried to take pictures. My efforts were futile. This experience was, frankly, crushing. I think the Blaschkas, who created them, would be very sad, as would Elizabeth and Mary Lee Ware, whose generous support of the Blaschkas made the collection possible. Frankly, it is impossible today for students or casual visitors to learn from the models; they are obscured in lack of light. What a vast difference from when I visited decades ago. They were so memorable. Now, in comparison, there is virtually nothing to remember. Even the few pictures of the Blaschkas and I guess, of the Wares, hang there without labels. What a travesty. Not only are the specimens un-seeable, but their creators and sponsors (?) remain nameless, on the wall. Harvard, you should do better than this.

On the other hand, in the room next door to the "burial chamber" for the glass flowers is a magnificent collection of Gems and Minerals, some specimens of which are better than the Smithsonian's. What blue topaz approaches the spectacular blue and size of this one? What slice of watermelon tourmaline competes with this? I could see JAR making a few million dollars' brooch from it. The scolecite was just breathtaking. And if you think you've seen all there is to see of amethyst geodes, you haven't seen the one with several V-shaped chambers/internal "cathedrals," cut in half, at Harvard. The tourmalines and topazes were just mouth-watering. The sulfur specimens were enormous and exquisite.

Thank heaven for the gems and minerals next door to the glass flowers. These two galleries were all I had time for. If I hadn't been so disappointed by the glass flowers, I might have made it over to the mammals and other treasures.

The gift shop had a lot of fun items, especially for kids. But a plush little "e. coli"? That was a little creepy. Ew. Fun nonetheless.

P.S. It was very disappointing to see the fake "chrysanthemum stones" for sale . One would have thought Harvard buyers would have known better than that.

Powerful people and organizations donated excellent stuff to this museum, located right on the Harvard campus. The mineral collection and display is the best I have ever seen. The quality of individual mineral specimens will knock your socks off. The climate change exhibits are very informative. The glass flowers and sea creatures exhibit by the Blaschka father and son team is out of this world good. How did they do that? Everything is very kid friendly, especially the New England Forests display and the live beehive. Plenty of parents, grandparents, and kids taking advantage. Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for youth (3-18). Free to Massachusetts residents on Sunday. Go -- you will emerge enriched.

came here on free museum day, it's ok. a bit boring and not all that much stuff to see.. a lot of cool rocks though.

Great collection of taxidermied animals, especially the birds. The rock/mineral collection was also very impressive.

This museum is primarily set up for kids to see themed displays of the natural world. But one separate gallery, housing the glass flowers exhibit, must be seen to be believed. I first visited the glass flowers over 50 years ago as a kid. I never forgot what I saw then. While visiting Boston this summer, I went back to see both the Harvard campus and this museum. And if anything, I am even more amazed at what I saw in that exhibit. There is nothing else like it. Two glass artists created hundreds of perfectly scaled glass flowers, plus cross sections and even glass bees pollinating some of them, nearly 100 years ago for Harvard. Even up close, you cannot believe what you are seeing. For both an education and artistic beauty, this exhibit is a wonder.

Unbelievable gem of a museum. The glass flower/plant exhibit is something that is mind blowing. Each plant made in glass with attention to every detail. Gems and taxidermy is great too.

This is a rather small museum yet spread on several floors and our entrance was part of the City pass, thus saving lots of money.

We accessed the floors checking their exhibits and info and then accessed a different wing that lead to Peabody museum.

Fantastic. Never seen so much of interest in such a compact space. Our 4 and 7 yr old grandchildren loved it. Not to miss
Especially the glass flowers. Nothing like it.

It was an extremely cold day and we thought it would be worth visiting to keep indoors and warm. Well, we really enjoyed it. The collections were far more extensive than we thought and well organized. Today there was a geologist on hand that made a presentation & answered questions; he was fantastic. The children found it interesting and enjoyed the visit. We will definitely be back.

A friend of mine from Everett suggested I should see Harvard's Ware Collection of Ware Collection of Blaschka's Glass Flowers at the Harvard Museum of Natural History.

This week I had the opportunity to finally see the "Glass Flower Exhibit". As someone who is fond of the visual arts and a friend of mine happened to have a friend visiting from India, I thought this would be a nice way to spend a rainy afternoon.

I know of someone who used to do glass blowing at Boston's Diablo Glass and would hear about the glass making process. It requires skill, patience, and a delicate hand and tremendous amount of control to do some of the most intricate parts of a flower.

This exhibit is over a 100 years old and the exhibit is very fragile and the flowers is kept in cases in a climate control environment.

This exhibit's origins started as a pastime for the elder Blaschka and word got around about his exceptional glassblowing work and Harvard used his artistry to create physical pieces for teaching botany through benefactors Elizabeth C. Ware and her daughter Mary Lee Ware.

When visiting the exhibit, visitors are not just seeing the final product of a crafted flower but the dissected parts as well. The attention to detail is amazing considering the pistil, anther, filament and roots systems can be very thin and delicate and can break. There is some evidence of damage control on some leaves; which considering the glass is over a century old time and environmental factors like campus construction can inadvertently cause even the most thickest leaves to crack.

In addition to the glass flowers, this exhibit also has examples of wax casting of fruit, mainly apples to show the various types of blight that affects apple production.

Due to the fragile nature of the exhibit, I recommend discretion when bringing younger children into the exhibit.

For a small museum, Harvard really has a lot to offer considering it is a university and not a city or state run museum. I also highly recommend the gem and mineral exhibits. If you have a background in geology and/or chemistry you can understand that the minerals and gemstones are organized by elemental contents. Carbon-based are one section, for example. Because Harvard is an ivy league school with connections around the world, Harvard's exhibits come from all corners of the globe.

I only had a short time at the museum due to my friend's time constraints. Harvard's Museum of Natural History has so much to see that you can literally spend a whole day and not see everything because the entrance fee also covers the Peabody Museum which has artifacts from Nazca that I would have loved to see and the exhibits are easily accessible through one of the corridors that connect to the Peabody building.

Some details about this museum
1. Accessibility Issues - From first glance it is hard to tell if there is handicap entrance/stroller entrance from the Oxford Street side. I didn't see ramps or elevators from the main entrance on Oxford Street because the building was built during the turn of the century. I would call ahead to find out if handicap accessibility is through the Peabody building or if it is offered in the side or back of the building.

2. For those taking public transportation, this museum is NOT in close walking distance from the Church Street exit from Harvard Station or the main entrance at the square. Allow yourself at least a 10-15 minute walk because you have to follow Massachusetts Avenue away from the square on the campus sidewalk and follow it to you get to where Massachusetts Avenue and Kirkland merge where the traffic tunnel is. If you ask someone to direct you to Sanders Theatre, you will be in close walking distance to the museum and you can cut across the campus quad to Oxford Street. Harvard University does have campus maps to help you find your way.

3. This museum does not have a cafe on the premises. If you plan on making a day at the museum, I would suggest planning your day accordingly considering most restaurants are at the square or further down Massachusetts Avenue heading toward north Cambridge/Arlington. Or, I suggest bringing a bag lunch to keep near the "coat closet" near the main desk on the first floor in the cubbie holes (the museum has storage bins for schoolchildren to keep their lunches but only for visiting students).

4. Are photos allowed to be taken in any of the exhibits? I didn't bother taking photos in the Glass Flower exhibit. I have been to the Louvre in Paris and photos with flashes are discouraged there. I would suggest you ask front desk about what their policy is on flash photography of any of the exhibits.

This museum is on the Harvard campus and offers a lovely grassy area outside with seating for warm weather breaks. The glass flower exhibit is not to be missed. The flowers look so real that it is difficult to believe that they are actually glass.

An absolutely amazing display of glass flowers made by the father and son, Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka in the 1890s. They were commissioned to make them for Harvard Museum. I couldn’t believe they were made of glass. They were exquisite. Some of the flowers are from around the world, but others are found in my neighborhood and garden. The fact that they were made in current day Czech Republic and shipped here without damage is even more miraculous. There were many other exhibits there, including sea creatures done by the Blaschkas.

Harvard Museum of Natural History was one of my best experience in USA. Very compact and easy to tour while including priceless glass flowers. I was there actually in April 2014 but TA has only May 19 in its visit-time!

Considering the size of the museum I am very impressed by the quantity & quality of contents in there. Glass gallery rocks!! It is unique and fascinating!

This is a very well curated and carefully presented journey through American history….particularly fascinating for overseas visitors looking for a compelling depiction of the timeline from then to now. On a wet and cold day, there’s no better place to be in Boston.

The museum in general is small but well kept and has some quality exhibits.
The most intriguing one is the glass flowers which have an amazing story behind them and are definitely a must for any art and science lover.

If your family likes museums, plan to spend the day, it's worth it to not feel rushed. Amazing experience, lots to take in. Don't miss the Peabody exhibits on the second floor at the rear. We purchased a Boston City Pass, and found that it was worth the pricing to 'see some sights' this way.

It is not a large museum, but it has a lot of variety, and charm. You'll learn new
concepts and enjoy great visual treasures. One of the chief attractions is the Glass Flower exhibit. Amazing is too tame of a term to describe the incredible work done
in the 19th century by a father and son team, who built anatomically correct flowers, plants, and even sea animals, out of blown glass. THEN they added believable colors. Artistic as well as scientific. And, I love their shop-- small, but exceedingly well chosen items and not overly expensive either.

Loved the glass plant collection - it’s absolutely amazing collection … something completely unique. This is the highlight of the exhibition as well as the glass sea creatures.

this was a fantastic afternoon of discovery and very interesting subjucts. we felt the history all around us and also the careof. the folks who research all of the awesome historical items and we were very impressed

My husband and I toured Harvard Museum of natural history after reading the reviews on trip advisor. There are a lot of interesting exhibits especially all of the different species of birds and animals- although some are looking a little aged. I thought the exhibit of a glass made flowers was amazing. They also have a very good gift shop. Would be a great way to spend a rainy afternoon.

The Harvard Museum of Natural History is a wonderful outing for families with children - especially on a rainy day. The exhibits are clearly explained and displays are child-friendly.

If for no other reason, go here to see the one-of-a-kind Ware Collection of Glass Models of Plants meticulously crafted by the Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka father/son team. These beautiful works of art are made entirely of glass. The collection consists of nearly 4,400 specimens (not even a fraction of these are on display, sadly). There are, however, several glass sea creatures made by the same duo just down the hall.

There is also a wonderful collection of thousands of rare minerals and sparkling gemstones on display.

Its free for Harvard ID holders, and discounts apply for students, military and pensioners... spend the day, its worth it!

The ticket was included as part of my tour of Harvard so I wouldn't have gone in if it wasn't already paid for. I must admit I was impressed and particularly taken with the geodes displayed, beating the British Natural History Museums collection hands down. Lso worthy of a look was the climate change display and the armour made from a puffer fish and shark teeth, yes really. Worth a hour of your time.

The general body of this museum is much like many other provincial museums. A mixture of old collections as seen in many locations - stuffed animals, old rocks, fossils, .... -with a few 'modern'galleries thrown in, in this case about human evolution.

But the star, the only thing you really need to see here and which you won't find anywhere else is the absolutely exquisite Ware collection of glass flowers.

You just cannot believe that these were, are possible, all done in glass.

They are beautiful

This is a pretty cool museum on the Harvard campus. If you’re ever near stop by and check out the different exhibits.

Filled with so much history and amazing pieces. Some of the exhibits are breathtaking. This is definitely a hidden gem, a must see.

What a gem of a museum. The variety of its exhibits guarantees that anyone who goes will find something of interest. From the "Glass Flowers" room (a title that greatly understates the breadth of amazing examples of flora therein), to Cenozoic mammals, dinosaurs, and animal models from around the world.
(The adjoining Peabody Museum features mineral displays, a collection of Maya monuments and a wonderful exhibit in its Hall of the North American Indian). (Entrance fee is included in your ticket for the Museum of Natural History).

This museum is perhaps most famous for the glass flowers. This is a collection of replicas of flowers made in glass. The were made between 1865 and 1936 and were used in the education of biologists. An extraordinary effort has gone into this, it’s hard to believe it’s glass and not a real plant. Several hundred plants are on display.

In addition to the Glass Flowers there are other exhibits too, notably a large collection of minerals, several specimens are probably quite unique. Also dinosaur skeletons and other preserved animals and plants.

The museum is situated in the Harvard campus which is well worth a visit in itself.

We started on the Peabody side (anthropology) and discovered that the two museums are physically connected and both included in a single ticket price. Since we started on the other side, we didn’t have enough time before the museum was closing to see hardly anything except the rocks and minerals which were the best I had ever seen—much better even than the Smithsonian in Washington. If you are more into rocks, plants and animals, go to this side first. If you are more interested in people and cultures, go to the other side first.

This museum is very old fashioned in consisting mostly of taxidermied specimens, but nonetheless it's actually really interesting and a demonstration of the extraordinary diversity of life. There are also well-presented, if a little dated, fossil displays that clearly demonstrate evolutionary history and relationships. The geology samples are also fascinating and give you some hands-on opportunities. The glass plant displays are astonishingly lifelike and are art in their own right.

The Harvard Museum of Natural History is attached to the Peobody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology, which is excellent for the archeology of Mexico and good for the Indians of North America.

I went to see glass flowers and entemological display , was very impressed .I cant wait to return with my family.I will go next summer

Our 10 year old kid had a good time. It is a bery traditional museum, tons of stuffed animals. The glass flowers exhibit is amazing.

We took our grandson (8) to this museum to see the dinosaur skeletons and he had a great time. An added attraction was all the other exhibitions that were interesting to both our grandson and us, (73). A good time was had by all.

For our first full day in Boston we went to the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the attached Peabody Museum. They are small museums but have a nice collection of interesting artifacts. Not a bad day to spend a hot and steamy afternoon.

The whole museum was fascinating. However, the glass horticultural exhibit was breathtaking. Amazing fine detail. I would like to know how the pieces were able to survive the trip from Europe intact. Beautiful.

Stopped by for the Microbe exhibit and was totally impressed with the extensive collection of animals and informational exhibits. A first-class collection.

WOW; This museum blew me away. I learned so much and was so intrigued by each room that was filled to the brim with plants, rocks, animals, etc. The glass flowers are unbelievable!

We spent a whole day here! The hall of mammals and birds really blew me away! I definitely want to come here again!

You have to try a little to find it, though more than worth it. I return here every visit to see the geological museum part. Glass flowers, exciting informative, well presented rooms of really interesting minerals and rocks. Staff members were very helpful and even excited to see crowds this day.

Lots of large spaces with interesting stuff in here. The glass flowers exhibit is pretty interesting to see, and I did enjoy the rock room. I can see how people might find this place dull, but it can still be a neat place to pass the afternoon.

We went to see the glass flowers, which, let’s face it, start to blend together after about fifteen minutes. Or, in my case, less. They’re amazing and it was very interesting to learn the history of how they were made, but I can take only so many flowers, longitudinal and cross sections of flower parts, and plant roots. Thankfully, there is a small room of glass sea creatures, with a video, right next door and that was incredible. An amazing room full of gems and minerals, including HUGE geodes, is also on the same floor. I wandered over to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (included with admission) to see the gallery about Penobscot canoe building and got an introduction to Ethnology, which was just amazing. These museums deserve a whole afternoon and return visits. I suppose kids would like to look at the awesome stuff, which would be a good toe-in-the-water, but having the time to look, read, and reflect makes this a wonderful learning opportunity for adults.

We got here when the doors opened and took our time going through everything - we probably spent 2.5 hours or more here. Your entrance fee also gets you into the Far East Museum across the street. Very interesting things to see and not as crowded as other local museums - would def. go back. Our kids - ages 9 & 7 really liked it as well.

True confession: I'm not a museum junkie. I chose to visit here to see the glass flowers which are pretty incredible. I could not believe they were made of glass! If you are a botany fan, you'll go nuts with delight. However, I found the halls full of animals simply amazing. If you don't think about the fact that they are all taxidermy (forget I mentioned it!) it's really quite fascinating to stare into the 'eye's of these fabulous creatures. It's a great place for sketching animals or to take kids who have these sorts of interests. It's a surprisingly large space once you're inside, but not so big that you feel you need a whole day or will get overwhelmed.

I worked in a museum for 3.5 years and am currently a high school biology teacher. I was very impressed with this museum overall. Honestly, the interpretation here was better than it was at several Smithsonians, in my opinion. All the specimens were named and included where they lived, but many specimens had a unique story attached. The stories really made the exhibits! Yes, the birds and insects were beautiful, but the relationship the animals have to humans or their unique adaptive physical traits or behavioral aspects are what make them even more interesting. The gift shop was really nice and it was split into a "kids" section and a more adult-oriented section. The glass flowers were mind-blowing. I couldn't BELIEVE they weren't real specimens! How unique to preserve this important piece of history.

Unfortunately we ran out of time after seeing the animals, glass flowers, and minerals, and weren't able to make it to the anthropological side...although your admission allows you to visit both. Pro-tip: on Sundays, for the most part, the "resident parking" doesn't apply, so you may be able to park for free on the streets near campus.

This museum is a must see !!
It is a large beautiful facility & with a massive collection of amazing exhibits. It’s located on the historic Harvard University Campus. The staff is friendly , very helpful , and informative.
I’d recommend this museum very highly.
My son & I are looking forward to a return trip .

We decided to visit this museum to see the glass flower exhibit. Although there were many intricately constructed flowers and plants, they were not as colorful and flamboyant as I expected, but that was my misconception with the exhibit. What I was impressed with were the multitude of crystals and mineral, which I though were organized and displayed very well. My wife really enjoyed the stuffed animal which included a giraffe and tiger. Since we had our grand children with us, we didn't spend as much time as we should have. I will definitely have to visit again.

My kids loved going here and it was free! We rambled for hours in the dusty, interesting building. I unfortunately could not stay in one of the rooms that was closed off because my asthma kicked up from the smell, but otherwise everything was fascinating! They have a whale skeleton that was great, I have a picture of my kids in front of it with their friends when they were little. Fabulous!

This would have been a five-star review were it not for the age of the building which limits the layout options. The "glass flowers", which I specifically went to see, are not actually flowers but a set of botanical specimens of all types - plants of all kinds and sizes, even rotting fruit! I was fascinated by the animal skeletons, especially the Harvard Mastodon. Quite a good shop too.

I am a plant science major and had heard about the glass flowers for years, but nothing quite prepared me for them.

They are absolutely breathtaking, and need to be seen to be believed. The trip to the museum is worth it for these alone.

Like several other reviewers, I sought this place out because I was interested in the glass flowers (go to the Museum of Glass in Corning, New York if you like glass!) but discovered a whole wonderful world here. I used to visit the Natural History Museum in New York from time to time but it always felt overwhelming and overwhelmed with people. This place is just the opposite. Wander through rooms to discover everything from an up-close view of a baleen to dinosaurs I didn't even know existed to the most remarkable display of minerals I've ever seen. We went first thing on a weekday and ended up spending almost three hours just wandering. What a treasure! The gift shop is absolutely fabulous too.

When I said so, it means so. I have been to many museums in the Europe and USA but this one has its own lance among others. It is small but needs at least 3 hours and this won’t allow you to read every details mentioned in exhibits. Buses are the preferred means of transportation to this museum and City Pass will make save you some money to visit this museum. The gift shop has nice collection especially the authentic ones of natives and lava stones.

I have no idea where you are supposed to park. Was about what you'd expect for a museum like this. I think they had little classes for kids. I'd say an interesting highlight is the two huge whale skeletons that you can go upstairs and view from eye level. Kept the interest of my tween for a good amount of time.

Great place to bring my three boys on Sunday mornings before it got crowded with free parking and free admission for Massachusetts residents. Full of taxidermy animals from all over the world feels like you’re walking into an old hunters lodge but you’re really in a museum. Plus all sorts of other special this place rocks, solar system, etc.

Nice museum in the midst of the Harvard campus. Many cool exhibits including the history of the earth, American Indian exhibit and Aztec exhibit. The only draw back is all the stairs. I recommend that if you have mobility issues using the elevator.

Visited with our 4-year-old grandson. He loved it and so did we. Apart from the remarkably diverse exhibits the icing on the cake is the knowledge which the staff on duty are able to impart to young and old alike. A very enjoyable and edifying afternoon.

What a great museum - excellent exhibits of natural wonders. The "rock" exhibit is excellent - brightly lit, sparkling examples all around. I think I spent almost an hour in this area alone. The other area not to be missed is the exhibit of the flower examples in glass. In looking at these specimens that were created for study, it is hard to believe they are truly made of glass and not the real thing. Each and every one is an unbelievable works of art.

Loved it! There is sooooo much to see that your brain goes on overload. Never seen so much archeologic skeleton, mounted animals, glass flowers and minerals together under a roof. Was so interesting to see what all live in the world. They for instance displayed hummingbirds family… unreal! And then you can go from this museum into the Peabody museum. We just had a quick look, but were getting so tired, that we decide to knock off. Just can say that this is really its money worth

We visited mostly to see the botanical glass flowers which were exquisite. We ended up touring the rest because it was so well done and fascinating. It made me wish I had a young child to bring and share the wonders with.

A favorite way to spend an afternoon….there is so much to see here!!! Glass flowers. Rooms of minerals and semi precious stones dinosaur bones a new shark exhibit all kinds is animal species… lots to take in and enjoy… if ever in the area a worthwhile visit!!!!

The Harvard Natural History Museum is small, but well set out, some good exhibits, I liked the glass flowers and other glass models (e.g. Jellyfish very much). As someone who has a degree in Zoology, the stuffed animals had a peculiar old-fashioned ragged quality that was at once disappointing and full of memories.

The Peabody was an odd one, I thought the stuff upstairs about North American native peoples a bit odd, lots of celebration of native culture, and some acknowledgement of the harm Europeans did to these communities, but only the harm Canadians perpetrated. Downstairs had some good native artefacts and some interesting work on the need to preserve disappearing languages.

The grounds are also interesting, a good place to visit if slightly overrun with tourists (I acknowldge the irony here).

Odorous stuffy air made the visit very uncomfortable. It includes many preserved and taxidermy animals. Be sure to wear a face mask. Reminds me of a museum designed in 1900. Harvard should be ashamed to charge an entrance fee.

At first I thought it was going to be a very basic museum but it turned out to be one of my favourites. Lot's of interesting things to see such as: dinosaurs, fossils, crystals & minerals, animals. Very much worth seeing.

An amazing collection of natural history objects! There is a lot to see but it’s a very manageable visit, you can do it in a couple of hours! There’s something there for everyone. Great deal for only $12.

What a surprise! After so many years of going to the Museum of Science and the Museum of Fine Arts, we never knew this existed!!
Tucked away on the Campus, it's a fantastic Museum! And, at the low price of $12 per adult, it also includes admission to the Peabody museum as well! I don't think you can do better, unless you go to the Smithsonian!

The museum was free the day we were there. Spent several hours exploring their exhibits. Not a huge museum but a good way to spend a rainy afternoon or as a side stop while touring Harvard.

I went here specifically to see the Ware Collection. The idea of all these plants rendered in glass is amazing. I was blown away. Mind you for those with sensitive noses there is a bit of a "old smell' about the place (just a warning that I wish someone had given to me! Nice gift shops too!!!!!

Great museum, with a wide variety of exhibits. Exhibits are well lit, beautifully displayed, and extensive. Loved the interactive media elements. I was very tickled to find the Fiji Mermaid on display!

For nature and science lovers, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a museum for all ages, full of interest and excitement from the first step in.

One of the must-see highlights is the famous collection of glass flowers—worked by two artists Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka—which creates blossoms from glass as unbelievably real as they sometimes seem fresh!

There’s also a variety of beautiful mineral and jewelry zones, showcasing nature’s beauty in geological terms—an animal lover will be amazed by the collection of various types of straw animals—birds, mammals, and marine animals—especially ancient skeletons like the stunning giant Kronosaurus.

There’s an interactive exhibition zone, where kids learn about biology, evolution, and nature conservation in an enjoyable way, and the museum staff is always friendly and informative.

Despite the abundance of exhibits, the space is tidy, so it’s not a hassle to walk—if you’re here, don’t forget to check out the Harvard Museum of Natural History, it’s guaranteed to impress.

Expect to spend may hours diving into this historic collection. Richly diverse , it is sure to satisfy anyone interested in our natural world.

The admission is a bit steep but overall the collection is worthwhile in a historic building directly on the campus of Harvard University. The collection is eclectic and diverse but the feature is the rock collection which is displayed in a brilliantly lit room with high windows and cases of spectacular samples. From minerals to meteorites this is an excellent collection. Where the Rockefeller beetles and other aspects of the museum may appeal to a small subset, the rocks cover everyone's interests from gems to geodes. There are elevators but the central staircases are the easiest access points. The taxidermy hall has many fascinating species including whales hanging from the ceiling. It should not be missed. The Peabody collection is in a remote corner and includes mesoamerica and other interests. Look for it and you won't be disappointed. The historical collectors from Harvard, the faculty and alumni have created a fascinating place to visit. Hours are limited so check before going. Meter parking can be found on the street but it is scarce. Try to go when the University is on Summer holiday and there are fewer students and more parking to be found. This is a good stop if you are enjoying the Harvard Square area. Though there are things for children to do, the collections appeal to me more as a specialized visit but the taxedermy, variety an animals and fossils, rocks and primitive culture weapons may be enough to keep young minds interested.

I went to the Smithsonian in Dec and was DISAPPOINTED. I wasn't with this museum. Even had a coat rack & storage for my backpack for free. Museum had Dino's which I love. The glass flowers blew me away. Loved the animal next to their skeleton. Took lots of picture but to many to post.

This museum seems small, but packs a lot in its winding halls. Dinosaur bones, hundreds of taxidermy animals, the famous glass flowers, crystals, artifacts, and sculptures keep both kids and adults fascinated for hours. Since the rooms are compact, the museum can get busy during midday on weekends.

I was astounded at the Glass Flower exhibit. The artistry and science married in this work is incomparable. I also loved the exhibit in microbes in our lives. Very engaging and informative. Would go back.

The glass flower and minerals/rocks are fascinating. The glass flower exhibit currently has information on the creation of these "specimens" and the subject of repairing broken ones. The giant ammolite specimen acquired for the geology exhibit is really nice! Underrated!

This was a destination for us, the glass flower and sea creatures are truly masterful pieces. To be able to reproduce natural flora in glass, for teaching purposes, is amazing. The Blaschka's produced these replicas in varying degrees of magnification. Amazing.
Parking is not near the museum and expensive.

I visited this with a college friend from yore. Fascinating! We busily snapped photos with our smartphones.