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Harvard Museum of Natural History

ChildrenNatural HistoryScienceClosed · Opens 11amFrom $20Harvard (MBTA Red Line) - about a 10-minute walk (0.4 miles)

The Harvard Museum of Natural History occupies the university's Cambridge museum building, drawing 12,000 specimens across 16 galleries from three research collections: the Harvard University Herbaria, the Museum of Comparative Zoology and the Mineralogical and Geological Museum. Its signature draw is the Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants, the "Glass Flowers" - 4,300 lifelike models in glass made by a Czech father-and-son team between 1886 and 1936. The Earth and Planetary Sciences Gallery holds thousands of minerals, gemstones and meteorites including a 1,600-pound amethyst geode, while the two-storey Great Mammal Hall suspends whale skeletons above a giraffe, a bison and the extinct Steller's sea cow. One ticket also admits you to the adjoining Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at the same address.

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Permanent Collections

Plan Your Visit

Getting there

26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States

Nearest station: Harvard (MBTA Red Line) - about a 10-minute walk (0.4 miles)

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Hours

Delayed opening at 11:00 am until 10 September, 11:00–17:00

Mon09:00–17:00
Tue09:00–17:00
Wed09:00–17:00
ThuToday09:00–17:00
Fri09:00–17:00
Sat09:00–17:00
Sun09:00–17:00

Admission

From $20

Seniors 65+ $18; non-Harvard students with ID $15; youth 3-18 $15; under 3 free; Harvard ID holders free plus one guest; HMSC and Harvard Art Museums members free. Free for Massachusetts residents (proof required) every Sunday 9:00 am-12:00 pm and Wednesdays 3:00 pm-5:00 pm; also free for Massachusetts K-12 teachers, EBT/WIC cardholders plus up to 5 guests, ASTC Passport members and active-duty US military (Blue Star). US veterans get $3 off. Admission includes the adjoining Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology. Tickets are sold only at the admissions desk and museum shop.

Nearby

Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology

Archaeology1 min walk

Harvard Art Museums

ArtFree6 min walk

Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts

ArtFree7 min walk

MIT Museum

Science36 min walk

Visitor Information

How much does Harvard Museum of Natural History cost?
Standard adult admission to Harvard Museum of Natural History is $20. Seniors 65+ $18; non-Harvard students with ID $15; youth 3-18 $15; under 3 free; Harvard ID holders free plus one guest; HMSC and Harvard Art Museums members free. Free for Massachusetts residents (proof required) every Sunday 9:00 am-12:00 pm and Wednesdays 3:00 pm-5:00 pm; also free for Massachusetts K-12 teachers, EBT/WIC cardholders plus up to 5 guests, ASTC Passport members and active-duty US military (Blue Star). US veterans get $3 off. Admission includes the adjoining Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology. Tickets are sold only at the admissions desk and museum shop.. Prices for special exhibitions and timed-entry slots may differ.
What are the opening hours of Harvard Museum of Natural History?
Harvard Museum of Natural History is open Open daily 9:00 am-5:00 pm. Closed 25-26 November 2026 (Thanksgiving eve and Thanksgiving), 24-27 December 2026 and 1 January 2027. Opens late at 11:00 am on 10 September 2026, 17 November 2026, 25 February 2027 and 25 May 2027; closes early at 3:00 pm on 12 January 2027.. Holiday hours can vary, so check the museum's website before you go.
Where is Harvard Museum of Natural History?
Harvard Museum of Natural History is located at 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States, in the Harvard Square, Cambridge area of Boston. The nearest station is Harvard (MBTA Red Line) - about a 10-minute walk (0.4 miles).
What can I see at Harvard Museum of Natural History?
Glass flowers, glittering minerals and whales overhead: Harvard's 16 galleries of natural wonders, ten minutes from Harvard Square. Current highlights include The Blaschkas at the Microscope: Lessons in Botany, Collecting Wonders: Tomorrow's Discoveries, Earth & Planetary Sciences Gallery.
Do I need to book Harvard Museum of Natural History in advance?
Booking ahead is recommended, especially for weekends, school holidays, and special exhibitions. Tickets are normally on the museum's website, and a pre-booked timed slot helps you avoid queues at the entrance.
When is the best time to visit Harvard Museum of Natural History?
Weekday mornings shortly after opening are typically the quietest, especially mid-week. Late afternoons can also be calmer. Weekends, school holidays, and the lunch rush are the busiest periods.

ajay_suresh via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

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