Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ)

The Museum of Comparative Zoology was founded in 1859 on the concept that collections are an integral and fundamental component of zoological research and teaching. This more than 150-year-old commitment remains a strong and proud tradition for the MCZ. The present-day MCZ contains over 21-million specimens in ten research collections which comprise one of the world's richest and most varied resources for studying the diversity of life. The museum serves as the primary repository for zoological specimens collected by past and present Harvard faculty-curators, staff and associates conducting research around the world. As a premier university museum and research institution, the specimens and their related data are available to researchers of the scientific and museum community
Contacts: Linda S. Ford, lford@oeb.harvard.edu
Collection Type: Preserved Specimens
Management: Data snapshot of local collection database
Last Update: 13 March 2020
IPT / DwC-A Source:
IPT Zoology Import
Digital Metadata: EML File
Rights Holder: Copyright © 2016 President and Fellows of Harvard College The MCZ does not guarantee the accuracy of these data. Individual researchers should verify individual records by making direct reference to corresponding museum specimens.
Access Rights: http://www.mcz.harvard.edu/privacy/user.html
Collection Statistics
  • 56,634 specimen records
  • 45,563 (80%) georeferenced
  • 1,149 (2%) with images (3,833 total images)
  • 60,481 (107%) identified to species
  • 1,028 families
  • 2,468 genera
  • 4,680 species
  • 5,597 total taxa (including subsp. and var.)
Extra Statistics
Show Geographic Distribution
Show Family Distribution