Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum
We study past and present life on Earth to educate, engage and inspire.
Natural History Museum
Museum Hours & Admission
Tuesday-Saturday: 9am-5pm
Sunday: 12pm-4pm
Closed on Mondays
Admission is a suggested contribution of $7 per adult and $4 per child. KU students and members are free. All proceeds support the museum.
Sunday: 12pm-4pm
Closed on Mondays
Admission is a suggested contribution of $7 per adult and $4 per child. KU students and members are free. All proceeds support the museum.
Location & Contact Info
Dyche Hall
1345 Jayhawk Blvd
Lawrence, KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-4450
Email: biodiversity@ku.edu
1345 Jayhawk Blvd
Lawrence, KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-4450
Email: biodiversity@ku.edu
Membership
Support the KU Natural History Museum with a Museum Membership and enjoy benefits at the museum and at 300+ institutions around the country!
Panorama Newsletter
Keep up with the latest news, events, and more by subscribing to the Panorama Newsletter, a monthly email from the KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum.
Natural History Museum
The KU Natural History Museum is home to four floors of public exhibits including the historic Panorama, live snakes and insects, vertebrate and invertebrate fossils, flora and fauna of the Great Plains and more.
Biodiversity Institute
The KU Biodiversity Institute is an internationally recognized center for research and graduate student education in evolutionary biology, systematics and biodiversity informatics, with curated collections of over 11 million plant, animal and fossil specimens and 2 million cultural artifacts.
Upcoming Events
Help Fund our Future
The KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum relies on your support to fund its programs, research, exhibits and more.
Education & Outreach
K-12 School Programs
KU Student & Faculty Programs
Scout Programs
News
KU Natural History Museum announces spring programming
The KU Natural History Museum has a full lineup of science-themed public events this spring for both youth and adults. Programs will cover a range of topics, including STEM activities related to legendary scientists and their discoveries, as well as public presentations on digitizing natural history collections and paleontology fieldwork in Turkey.
KU Biodiversity Institute names Christina Lutz lead preparator and lab manager in vertebrate paleontology
The KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum at the University of Kansas has named Christina Lutz as the vertebrate paleontology lead preparator and lab manager. In her role, Lutz will support the research and educational mission of the Vertebrate Paleontology division by preparing fossil material collected from the field and creating high-quality molds and casts of vertebrate fossils for use in research, teaching and public exhibits.
Couple’s $1 million gift will add accessible entrance to KU Natural History Museum
A gift from Tom and Jann Rudkin will support the construction of a new accessible entrance from Jayhawk Boulevard to Dyche Hall. Remaining funds after construction will go toward partial restoration of the historic and beloved Panorama exhibit, including taxidermy specimens and other items on display.
Victor Gonzalez Betancourt named curator in bee biodiversity and evolution
The Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum at the University of Kansas has named Victor Gonzalez Betancourt as the inaugural Charles D. Michener Assistant Professor and Assistant Curator in Bee Biodiversity and Evolution. He will begin his role in early January 2026 with a joint faculty appointment in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology.