The Florida Museum traces its roots to the 1890s at Florida Agriculture College in Lake City. In 1906, the collections moved to the UF campus in Gainesville.
On May 30, 1917, the Florida State Museum became the state’s official natural history museum and Florida’s first state-legislated cultural institution. To more accurately reflect its mission, in 1988 the name was changed to the Florida Museum of Natural History.
With extensive collections and research in archaeology, biology, ethnography and paleontology, it has become one of the nation’s top museums.
Museum scientists teach, develop exhibits and programs and conduct research focused on many world issues, including biodiversity, climate change, invasive species, water and air quality, cultural heritage and change, and public understanding of science.
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