Museo de Zoologica, San Juan PR

The Museum of Zoology’s mission is a commitment to community and science, besides preservation, care and maintenance of various animal specimens that are native to Puerto Rico. A section of the collection also has animal specimen from other parts of the world. The collection is primarily dry and formalin/ethanol-preserved animal specimens, some dating back to the 1930s. Collections from renowned biologists such as Julio García Diaz, MJ Velez, and Richard Thomas are included in the exhibits. The museum has received assistance and guidance from other national organizations like the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Museum of the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey and the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez. 

In addition to museum animal exhibits, the Museum of Zoology also aims to teach zoology to graduate students, school children and the community in general. While it’s a modest museum, all samples have been collected around the world via research programs. Mammals, arachnids, reptiles, as well as birds have multiple groups of representation in this museum.

The museum was founded in 1943-44, where mostly skeletal specimens are exhibited. Some animals are preserved in alcohol/formalin preservative liquid. Many of the specimens are exhibited as they might appear in their natural habitat—which is a great way to access how these animals live, given that live animals in their natural habitat are nearly impossible to view or spot in such great detail otherwise.

As part of the University of Puerto Rico, and close to the museum is the Herbarium as well as the Botanical Garden, covering 289 acres with the herbarium exhibiting over 36,000 specimens.