Field/Online Collection(s):

-Entomology, Herpetology, Malacology, Mammalogy, Meteorites & Planetary Science, Mineralogy, Non-Insect Invertebrates, Vertebrate and Invertebrate Paleontology

 The organizational structure of the Museum, in terms of its collections, is as follows through these online Departments:

• Earth Sciences - The origins of the Earth Science collections of the Natural History Museum of Bern can be traced back to at least 1721, when three (3) large quartz crystals from the Zinggenstock (Grimsel area, Bernese Oberland) were given to the Library of Bern.

   

  • The Mineralogy and Petrography section contains:
    

    --The Systematic Mineral collection (of about 30,000 specimens) is the principal and best documented collection. Notable here are Swiss Alpine minerals, minerals from the Lengenbach quarry, and other Swiss locations (about 2000 Swiss localities represented). Other strongly represented regions and countries are the U.S.A. (766 localitites), Germany (626), Italy (411), France (254), Mexico (190), Austria (165), the Cech Republic and Slovakia (combined 171 localities) and Rwanda (36). There are about 1000 gemstones in the collections. This collection is currently being computer inventarized.

     

    --The Type Minerals collections contain type material (holotypes or cotypes) of the follwing species: Cervandonite-(Ce), Hennomartinite, Imhofite, Kornite, Nchwaningite, Nowackiite, Preiswerkite, Simonite, Sinnerite, Tuzlaite, Wallisite.

     

    --The Meteorites and Impact-Related Materials (300 specimens) contain the main masses of the Swiss meteorites RAFRÜTI (17 kg, find, anomalous iron) and UTZENSTORF (3.8 kg, H5, fall, 16.08.1928) and one of the largest samples of Ulmiz, Switzerland (28g, H5, fall, 25.12.1926). Although the meteorite collection is relatively small, it contains typical specimens from all major classes. Included in the meteorite collection are a suite of thin sections (partly polished) suitable for educational purposes and research. A catalogue is available upon request.

     A serious loss to the meteorite collection occurred in the 18th century when the WALKRINGEN meteorite (stone, fell 18 May 1698) was lost. The collection of meteorite impact products includes ejecta (mostly Malm limestone blocks, shocked quartz grains) most probably from the Miocene Ries Crater in Germany found in fluvioterrestrial marls of equivalent age near St. Gallen in Eastern Switzerland.
    

    --The Ore collection (about 5000 specimens) contains ore samples from Swiss mines and prospects. Well represented areas are the Jura mountains and the Bernese and Valais Alps. Includes a collection of ore samples from the Lengenbach quarry with typical features, incuding phenomena related with the metamorphic formation of a sulfide melt. A collection of ores from worldwide deposits contains mostly didactic samples from many major ore districts.

     

    --The Petrographic collections (about 10,000 specimens) are partly regionally organized, partly they represent spezialized research collections. The most important collections are:

    - Hydrothermally altered rocks from Alpine fissures

    - Swiss rocks (area specific and name specific)

    - Swiss coals

    - Systematic collection of rocks (worldwide)

    - Regional rock collections from worldwide areas

    - Collection of glaciologic objects from Switzerland

    - "Geological phenomena"

    - Diamond-related rocks (Kimberlites, mantle xenoliths, high pressure metamorphics)

     

    --The Collections of Rocks and Minerals from tunnels in the Swiss Alps contain:

    - Minerals from the Gotthard highway tunnel

    - Minerals from the Furka railway tunnel

    - Rocks from the Simplon railway tunnel

    - Rocks from the Lötschberg railway tunnel

    
    

     

  • The Palaeontology collections incorporate a number of rare fossils from the Swiss Alps. The collections comprise about 1680 drawers and many single oversized objects. The invertebrates are dominant with 1405 drawers. Material from the Swiss Alps: 455 drawers, the Swiss Jura mountains: 185, the Swiss Tertiary: 295 and from other countries: 470. Plants: 155, Vertebrates: 120 drawers. The detailed grouping of this paleontological collection is as follows:

    --Regional collections (mainly invertebrates)

    - Swiss Molasse basin: Tertiary

    - Swiss Jura mountains: Mesozoic

    - Swiss Alps: Carboniferous to Tertiary

    - Other countries: all ages, much Tertiary

     

    --Systematic collections

    *Swiss fossils

    - Echinoderms from the Jurassic of the Swiss Jura mountains

    - Teeth of Chondrichthyes from the Swiss Molasse

    - others

     

    *Plants (mainly Cenozoic and Carboniferous, from different countries)

     

    *Vertebrates (mainly mammals, from different countries)

    - Tertiary

    - Ice age

    

    --Research collections

    - Upper Marine Molasse (Burdigalian), near Berne

    - Oligocene corals from southern Europe

    - Collection for teaching, demonstration and lending (in preparation)

     

    --Important single objects

    
    
    
    
    

• The Collection of Vertebrate Animals contain roughly the material listed below.
  
  
  • Mounted animals: 6,000; Skins and Furs: 10,000; Skulls: 11,500; Skeletons: 1,500; Fluid Specimens: 6,000

  The computer inventory of said collections is nearly finished: as of January 1997 over 95% of all specimens have been registered. A searchable database via a gopher server is also available.
  

  • Domestic Dogs -

    --An important research center of the Museum is the Albert Heim Foundation for Canine Research with some 2000 dog skulls (not available to the general public and accessible only on special appointment). One of the undisputed treasures of this Research Center is the nearly complete dog skulls from Neolithic settlements.

    --Of the 320 or so canine breeds recognized by the International Canine Federation (FCI), seven of these breeds have always been attributed to Switzerland and form part of that country's national heritage. These seven national breeds of Switzerland are:

    -four (4) breeds of cattle dogs (Bernese Mountain Dog, Appenzell Mountain Dog, Entlebuch Cattle Dog, and Great Swiss Mountain Dog),
    
    -one (1) breed of large, mastiff-type mountain dog (St. Bernard Dog), and
    
    -two (2) breeds of scent hound Swiss Hounds and Smaller Swiss Hounds)

    and they are presented and detailed in the Swiss Canine Breeds site.

     

    
    
    

• The Invertebrate Collections date from the middle of the 19th century to the present. The most important and largest collections are listed below.
  

  Malacology

  • Molluscs of the world (~124,000, many type specimens)
  • Seashells of the world (~7,500)
  • Seashells from Mozambique (~12,000)
  • Land snails (esp. from Africa, ~6,000)
  • Fresh water snails from Thailand, land snails from Libya (~12,000, many paratypes)
  • Molluscs of Switzerland (~1,000 & type specimens)

   

  Entomology

  • Lepidoptera of the world (~57,000)
  • Lepidoptera of Switzerland (~125,000; 90 type specimens)
  • Coleoptera of Switzerland (~115,200)
  • Coleoptera of the world (~16,000, paratype specimens)
  • Diptera of Switzerland (~2,000+1,300 samples)
  • Odonata of Switzerland (~3,000+13,000 exuvia)
  • Hymenoptera of Switzerland (~22,500)
  • Hymenoptera of Brazil (1,436, with 100 Adolpho Ducke types and paratypes)
    
    
    
    

  Corals (over 100 year old, ~200)
  
  
  

• Swiss Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Programme (KARCH) represents the official task force in Switzerland to promote, implement and coordinate efforts to conserve the Swiss amphibian and reptile fauna, which is protected by law in Switzerland since 1967.
  
  

Finally it should be noted that the Museum is internationally known for its most important diorama displays in Europe showing Swiss and foreign birds and mammals in their natural surroundings. It also houses an important collection of minerals which include rock crystals from the Swiss Alps as well as an exquisite gemstone cabinet. In addition, there are the modern educational collections on zoological and geological subjects and special exhibitions informing the public of new aspects in natural history.

Adjacent to the Natural History Museum is the Swiss Hunting and Game Museum at the Castle of Landshut. Exhibits there include collections on the biology of game and the history of hunting.

Two permanent exhibits:

• The zoological exhibition "Animals as Master Builders", and
• The earth science exhibition "Rocks from the Earth"

under the collective title "Built by Nature" are currently being presented.

SWITZERLAND: Fribourg (Natural History Museum);