Photo by Tira Howard
The Naturalist Center is the hands-on educational room in the museum where visitors of all ages can learn about the natural world of New Mexico. Microscopes, native animals, touch specimens and more wait for your exploration.
The Naturalist Center is located just off the Museum atrium near Bella, the animatronic dinosaur. This hands-on space invites visitors of all ages to engage directly with natural history through touch-friendly fossils, rocks and minerals, antlers, and other biological and geological specimens. Guests can explore microscopic structures using real laboratory microscopes, create wildlife tracks in sand, and interact with curated teaching collections.
The Center is also home to several live animal ambassadors—native species, many of them rescues—including Snaplet, the Common Snapping Turtle; Crunch, the Box Turtle; native salamanders and toads; and arthropods such as millipedes, jumping spiders, katydids, and vinegaroons. Their enclosures reflect natural habitats and offer opportunities for close observation and learning.
Our staff and volunteers are dedicated to helping visitors explore the room, learn something new, and have an engaging, science-rich experience.
Specimen Identification and iNaturalist
If you are seeking help identifying a biological specimen, we encourage you to use the iNaturalist app as a first step. The iNaturalist community provides expert input while contributing observational data that support research on species distributions, population trends, and conservation.
We invite you to share your observations with the Museum’s iNaturalist Project page so our community can follow your findings and offer additional support.
School and Group Visits
We welcome school groups, homeschool groups, and informal education groups accompanied by chaperones. The room can comfortably accommodate up to 30 visitors (adults and children combined) at one time.
For large groups or specific teaching goals, we encourage scheduling in advance.
Education Collection
The Naturalist Center houses the Museum’s Education Collection, a teaching and loan collection of paleontological, biological, and geological specimens available to educators, students, and the public. Visitors may request to see particular specimens or ask questions about items they are studying.
Please note that we cannot accept live animals or freshly collected specimens for identification. If you have a natural object that you would like help with identifying, please bring clear photographs rather than the specimen itself.
To make a request or ask a question, contact the Naturalist Center staff using the information below.
Found a Fossil?
If you encounter a fossil in the field, please do not disturb or remove it. Instead, take clear photographs showing the specimen and its surrounding rock or sediment, and record the precise location. Context is essential for scientific evaluation.
Share your photos and location information with us at NMMNHS.info@dca.nm.gov, and our paleontologists can advise you on next steps and whether additional documentation or site visitation is appropriate.
Donating Specimens
We welcome inquiries about donating specimens to the Education Collection. These contributions strengthen our ability to support hands-on science education statewide. If you are interested in making a donation, please call or email the Naturalist Center for guidance regarding what types of specimens we can accept.
Injured or Orphaned Wildlife
If you find a wild animal that appears injured or orphaned, resist the urge to pick it up or take it home. Possession of wildlife is illegal in New Mexico without a rehabilitation permit. Instead, observe the situation without touching the animal and contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for guidance.
First, review the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s recommendations:
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Recommendations
Primary contact recommended by New Mexico Department of Game & Fish:
New Mexico Wildlife Center (Española)
(505) 753-9505
Helping Injured Wildlife – New Mexico Wildlife Center
Additional Albuquerque-area rehabilitators:
Wildlife Rescue Inc. of New Mexico: (505) 344-2500wildliferescuenm.org
Hawks Aloft: (505) 999-7740hawksaloft.org
If you have questions or cannot reach a rehabilitator, the Naturalist Center staff can help advise you.
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