Education and Outreach

Our collections have always been used for teaching organismal biology classes, such as the long-running Vertebrate Natural History course (IB 104) led by our faculty curators. The MVZ often is toured by non-organismal biology courses such as wildlife ecology and conservation biology. Professors around the campus recognize the importance of showing students the collections and their relevance to many aspects of biology. We also host tours by classes from other institutions such as San Francisco State University, various academic outreach groups (e.g., Biology Scholars Program), and a variety of seminars (e.g., Bay Area Biosystematists).We host an annual open house every spring along with the entire university called Cal Day. This is an opportunity to visit the museum, view specimens not normally displayed, talk to people at MVZ, and meet live animals.

The Museum’s Undergraduate Program offers a unique experience for UC Berkeley students. Students can begin by volunteering and move on to many other research and collection related activities. We encourage all applicants. Motivated and dedicated students will find a diverse array of opportunities open to them over time. Read more about our Undergraduate Program and see our Undergraduate Opportunities.