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All 81 Cambridge Attractions »

Harvard Museum of Natural History

26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
617 495 3045
As featured in 3 days in Boston
Kronosaurus, Photo by Alicia Zampitella
coral
some stones
butterfly collection
67 visitor photos
Ranked #3 of 51 attractions in Cambridge
4.5 of 5 stars 109 Reviews
Type: Natural History Museums
Fee: Yes
Owner description: This is the public museum of Harvard's three research museums. More than 12,000 of the 21 million specimens are on display, including the renowned...... more » Owner description: This is the public museum of Harvard's three research museums. More than 12,000 of the 21 million specimens are on display, including the renowned collection of 3,000 'Glass Flowers,' amazingly realistic flame-worked glass models of flowering plants used to teach botany to students in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Family favorites include the dinosaurs and other prehistoric mammals as well as more than 500 current day mammals, including skeletons of a rhino, hippo, giraffe and three whales. « less
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109 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
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Date Rating
Charlotte, North Carolina
Senior Contributor
38 reviews 38 reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
25 helpful votes 25 helpful votes
“Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 26, 2012 NEW

Imagine floor to ceiling, wall to wall stuffed animals of all shapes and sizes. Add in 100s of glass flowers, a whole room full of rocks and minerals, along with dozens of exhibits of birds, bugs, bats, and more. This place is fascinating, overwelming, enchanting, and definitely worth visiting multiple times. More

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See 3 more reviews by CableCarBelle for Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
“visited many times since childhood”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 25, 2012 NEW

It was free back then! You will feel as if you stepped back it time, it is Harvard after all. More

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Fort Lauderdale, Florida
1 review
“great exhibits”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 22, 2012 NEW

There were so many great exhibits to see in this museum! The great mammal hall and the cenozoic dinosaur remains are a must see. The massive Kronosaurus took my breath away. The glass flowers are also a necessary stop on your visit to the museum. In addition, I really enjoyed the new Mollusk and New England Forest exhibits. More

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Boston, Massachusetts
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
“diverse collection!”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 16, 2012

like everyone else mentioned, the glass flowers were fascinating! all the other places we had ti rush thru' a little bit due to the plans we had later that day. but it was definitely worth the time. i booked passes for that day with the cambridge public library and paid only $4/head for the entrance. it was fun time there... More

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Chandler, AZ
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
“Nice Museum”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 14, 2012

Lots of information, the Glass Flowers were awesome! More

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Norfolk, VA
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
“Outstanding Museum!!!”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 14, 2012

Our middle school class came to the Harvard Museum of Natural History on our trip to Boston, and it was one of the most outstanding events on the trip. The first room you see when you enter the museum is the glass flowers room, and inside are some of the most intricate and realistic pieces of glasswork you will ever... More

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London, United Kingdom
Top Contributor
54 reviews 54 reviews
Reviews in 20 cities Reviews in 20 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
“unique experience with the glass botanics”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 14, 2012

A very unique exhibition. You will not be able to see it anywhere else.Before modern way of teaching- came these father and son who created plants, roots, leaves, flowers all in glass - For the purpose of teaching. More

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See 2 more reviews by DANIELLA107 for Cambridge
Denver, Colorado
2 reviews
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Harvard museums are outstanding”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 9, 2012
1
person found this review helpful

Fantastic displays and admission includes the adjacent Peabody anthropology museum as well. The glass flower and plant collection is one of the most amazing works of artistic craftsmanship in the world More

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Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Nice minerals and dinosaurs exhibit”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 3, 2012

It's not a big museum, but it has a very nice mineral collection. The meteors are the most interesting part of the exhibit. The dinosaurs part was very interesting, especially the Kronosaurus skeleton and the Tryceratop cranium. I don't really like stuffed animals, but the exhibit is arranged very well. The vertebrates skeleton collection is also very good, even if... More

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See 2 more reviews by Raistlinsama for Cambridge
Charlottesville, VA
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
“Glass Flowers and Stuffed Animals”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 1, 2012

This museum is an interesting combination of historic collections (lots of taxidermied animals, in some instances in historic arrangements) and modern exhibits (including a fascinating one on the use of color in the natural world and one on evolution while we were there). The collection of glass flowers is stunning. A great way to spend a few hours. More

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Harvard Museum of Natural History
26 Oxford Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
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