Every year we travel to places like Borneo, Brazil, Peru, Papua New Guinea and Panama to collect scientific specimens. These specimens are preserved with the intention of serving as a tool for researchers for many years to come. Sometimes we discover species that were previously unknown to mankind. In fact, since 2006, we have discovered over 65 new species and more are described every year! Although discovery is usually not the main goal, it is an exciting part of fieldwork that can make you feel like a modern day explorer.

New species aside, our broader research goals revolve around studying the evolutionary history of life on earth, the factors driving speciation and biodiversity, and how populations change over time. Some current projects include understanding the systematics and diversification of old world shrews, the biogeography of Neotropical birds, and the effect of forest disturbance and plantation development on native birds in Southeast Asia.

The opportunity to combine fieldwork in remote places and specimen-based research with the latest genetic techniques makes the LSU MNS a unique place to work and study. We currently train over 30 graduate students and over 10 undergraduates in museum-based research, and our graduates have gone on to work at places like the Smithsonian Institution, the American Museum of Natural History, the Field Museum and many other museums and universities around the US and the world.

Visit Us!

Although our work is well known in the zoological research realm, we are not so well known among students at LSU. To help broaden this awareness, we have an exciting new program beginning this fall – Night at the Museum! Twice a semester, we will focus on one collection and host behind-the-scenes tours, a short talk by an LSU MNS researcher, and a chance to meet our scientists. The first event happened this week and featured our exceptional bird collection. The next event will be on November 17 starting at 5pm, with a talk at 6pm and behind-the-scenes tours of the fish collections afterwards! More information can be found on our website. If you do attend a Night at the Museum event, share your pictures with us on Instagram with the hashtag #LSUNightattheMuseum!

But you don’t have to wait until these events to visit the museum. In addition to the collections, we also have a free public exhibit area complete with habitat displays, Louisiana animal diversity displays, and even the very first Mike the Tiger (with a recording of his roar)! So if you are a fan of the natural world and are fascinated by the amazing animals that inhabit the earth, stop by the LSU Museum of Natural Science in Foster Hall. You never know what you may find!

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