Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden

The Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden is a prominent national museum of natural history and a leading research institution dedicated to biodiversity. Its history dates back to the early 19th century, though the current organization and name are of more recent origin. Today, it houses one of the world’s largest natural history collections, with an impressive array of approximately 42 million specimens. This includes zoological, geological, and botanical treasures, a number that expanded significantly after the 2010–12 merger with the Zoologisch Museum Amsterdam and the National Herbarium of the Netherlands.

The museum underwent major renovations from September 2018 to mid-2019, during which temporary exhibitions were hosted in the Pesthuis, a historical building that once served as a plague hospital and formerly functioned as the museum's entrance.

A key architectural feature of Naturalis is its 60-meter-high tower, opened in April 1998. This landmark in Leiden serves as the primary storage facility for the majority of the collections, safeguarding millions of specimens. Additional items are stored in a depot located in the former museum building on Raamsteeg in Leiden's city center.

For botanists and researchers, Naturalis is recognized internationally by its Index Herbariorum code, L, used for citing herbarium specimens in scientific works. The museum not only preserves a vast natural heritage but also serves as a hub for groundbreaking biodiversity research, making it a cornerstone of scientific and cultural importance in the Netherlands and beyond.