Welcome to the Zoology and Marine Biology Museum

The newly refurbished Zoology and Marine Biology Museum is housed in the Ryan Institute and officially opened its doors in September 2009. Since then, the museum has attracted huge numbers of visitors, ranging from the general public to school parties to visiting researchers and academics. The museum currently has over 500 specimens on display from a broad range of animal groups. Specimens include representatives of native animals as well as more exotic creatures from further afield.

One of the highlights of the museum is its possession of four genuine Charles Darwin specimens that were purchased from the Zoological Society of London. These consist of three mammal specimens: a grison, a cavy and an azara’s fox; and one bird specimen, a guira cuckoo. All four specimens are native South American species and were collected on Charles Darwin’s trip aboard HMS Beagle from 1831-1836.

Another special collection housed in the museum consists of over 100 ’Blaschka models’. The father-and-son team of Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka produced beautiful, intricate glass representations of marine animals, originally developed as educational models. They are now considered to be works of art, with a value that makes them irreplaceable.

   Koala  ( Phascolarctos cinereus)             Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascarensis)                   Kiwi (Apteryx sp.)

The Museum collection is used extensively in practical classes for second and third year Zoology students. The material allows the students to examine characteristic features of species and broader taxonomic groupings at first hand. The students’ skills in identifying a variety of specimens are thus enhanced. A form-and-function approach is taken, particularly in the third year, linking in to the comparative ecology and evolution elements of the Zoology course, with students being able to directly compare homologous structures while considering the ecological requirements of the species.

The museum is open to the public from 9.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. from Monday to Friday and admission is free.

Enquiries to: 

Anne Quinn Tel: 091 492323;  Email: anne.quinnnuigalway.ie or Eoin MacLoughlin Tel: 091 493640;  Email: eoin.macloughlinnuigalway.ie  

The location of the museum can be found using the campus map: http://www.nuigalway.ie/campus-map/

History of the Museum

The Charles Darwin Specimens

The Blaschka Models

Photo Gallery

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