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Collection Profile for:
Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology (Harvard-MCZ)

The Museum of Comparative Zoology was founded in 1859 on the concept that collections are an integral and fundamental component of zoological research and teaching. This more than 150-year-old commitment remains a strong and proud tradition for the MCZ. The present-day MCZ contains over 21-million specimens in ten research collections which comprise one of the world's richest and most varied resources for studying the diversity of life. The museum serves as the primary repository for zoological specimens collected by past and present Harvard faculty-curators, staff and associates conducting research around the world. As a premier university museum and research institution, the specimens and their related data are available to researchers of the scientific and museum community
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Collection Statistics

  • 468,082 specimen records
  • 376,043 (80%) georeferenced
  • 6,538 (1%) with media (27,041 total media)
  • 300,078 (64%) identified to species
  • 1,831 families
  • 6,859 genera
  • 31,715 species
  • 33,145 total taxa (including subsp. and var.)

Extra Statistics

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Collection Type: Preserved Specimens
Management: Data snapshot of local collection database
Last Update: 1 April 2025
Digital Metadata: EML File
IPT / DwC-A Source: IPT Zoology Import - Malacology; IPT Zoology Import all other taxa
Usage Rights:
Rights Holder: Copyright © 2016 President and Fellows of Harvard College The MCZ does not guarantee the accuracy of these data. Individual researchers should verify individual records by making direct reference to corresponding museum specimens.
Access Rights: http://www.mcz.harvard.edu/privacy/user.html