Specimen Spotlight: Discover our collections, object-by-object

Two million objects are ready to be explored

Our museum houses over two million items—from rare rocks to massive throwing spears and dinosaur toe bones—in our collections and exhibits. You've probably seen some of our more prominent specimens, artifacts, and objects, like the Triceratops or two-headed turtle named Emily. But what about the other millions of items?

In Specimen Spotlight, you'll get to learn more about the obscure, wonderful, and storied objects that we take care of alongside the scientists and experts who are most passionate about them. This series, made for science fans of all ages, combs through our exhibits object-by-object in quick, fact-packed videos that shine a light on items you might not have thought about (or even known they existed).

Take a closer look

Ready to discover something new? Visit the Specimen Spotlight playlist and pick an object to get started, or click play below to watch the continuing series from the beginning.