Founded in 1874, the San Diego Natural History Museum is the oldest scientific institution in southern California, and the third oldest west of the Mississippi. Learn more

The Museum's Research Library collections include a complete natural history reference library, with greatest strengths in the historic research interests of the institution -- botany, entomology, geology, herpetology, ornithology, mammalogy, marine invertebrates, and paleontology. The library's 56,000 volume collection includes both standard and obscure references, journals, rare books, maps, photographs, and works of art on natural history subjects. The archival collections document the Museum's history of scientific exploration and research. Learn more

The San Diego Natural History Museum Research Library's images are made available on Flickr for non-profit educational uses, excluding printed publication. For image reproduction permission and copy purchase, please contact the Library Director. Learn more

Research Library

San Diego Natural History Museum

1788 El Prado, Balboa Park

San Diego, CA 92101

library@sdnhm.org