Stories

Welcome to Stories, a place to explore—and be inspired by—the wonder of our natural and cultural worlds.

Assistant Conservator Marina Gibbons

Naturalist

Sewing for the Gold

Conservators really like weird, unique problems. We’re not happy that something deteriorates, but we’re really fascinated to find out how that's happening.

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Great Auk in NHM's collections

Naturalist

One story goes that, in just half an hour, hundreds of auks were herded onto a single ship

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Close up of Painted Lady Butterfly

Follow the Butterflies

Help us count butterflies!

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kid explores nature in backyard

Nature in L.A.

Explore the Wild Outside

When yards and gardens become more wildlife friendly, the experience can be magical

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four icons of horror films, frankenstein, dracula, the mummy, and the creature

Naturalist

Fright Nights: Unrequited Love with Creature from the Black Lagoon

A discussion with filmmakers and authors

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Hart museum herd of bison grazing

Animals at Hart

Hart was devoted to the animals in his life: his pets, co-stars, and neighbors.

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Close-up of a male biting the head of a female.

Nature in L.A.

Love in the Time of Coronavirus: The Alligator Lizard Version

Help us study lizard behavior in your backyard!

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woman in gem vault

Gems of the Americas

Travel back in time with one of NHM's most beloved gems, this video from our vaults.

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Close up of lizard on hand

Nature in L.A.

Mind-Blown Science: The Reptiles in your Backyard

Join the fun!

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A color wheel of bird skins from the collection.

Research and Collections

The How and Why of Colorful Feathers

Equal parts ornithologist and evolutionary biologist, Assistant Ornithology Curator Dr. Allison Shultz has been investigating two questions throughout her research career: how are birds colorful, and why are birds colorful.

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