Over twenty million specimens. Can you imagine that? That’s the staggering number held within the walls of the Zoologische Staatssammlung München. Right here before us stands one of the world’s largest natural history collections a treasure trove of the animal kingdom.
The Zoologische Staatssammlung München isn’t just a museum. It’s a vital research institution. Its history stretches back to 1807. King Maximilian I of Bavaria founded it during a reform of the Royal Academy of Sciences. The original building was completed in 1811. Johann Baptist von Spix the first curator played a pivotal role.
Spix’s expeditions to Brazil from 1817 to 1820 were legendary. He and botanist Martius brought back an astonishing haul. Over 6500 plants 2700 insects 85 mammals 350 birds 150 amphibians and 116 fish all formed the foundation of this incredible collection. It’s a remarkable legacy.
The Second World War sadly interrupted the Zoologische Staatssammlung München’s work. Bombing destroyed the original building. The collections were thankfully safe in different locations. The museum temporarily relocated after the war. It finally found a new home in specially built modern facilities in 1985. This building you see before you is that modern home.
Today the Zoologische Staatssammlung München is divided into sections. Entomology invertebrates and vertebrates each represent a significant part of the collection. The insect collection is particularly noteworthy containing almost seven million specimens including the world’s largest collection of butterflies. Think about that for a moment the sheer scale of it all.
The Zoologische Staatssammlung München remains active. It advises other natural history museums. It lends specimens for exhibitions. Its library holds 120000 volumes and subscribes to a thousand scientific journals. It even publishes its own scientific journals Spixiana being the most well-known. The Zoologische Staatssammlung München isn’t just a museum of the past. It’s a vibrant center of ongoing research. It continues to contribute significantly to our understanding of the animal world. The legacy of Spix and the countless others who contributed to this remarkable institution lives on.