With more than 4 million specimens, the Bell's scientific collections have provided opportunities for research and teaching since the museum's inception in 1872.
The museum recently launched the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas, an online, searchable interface integrating over 5 terabytes of data from the Bell Museum on birds, mammals, fishes, plants, and fungi to enhance research capacity to perform a range of activities from biological surveys to conservation planning. (
bellatlas.umn.edu) This database contains over 400,000 scientific records and as many as 175,000 high-resolution images with plans to expand entries and specimen photographs.

Amphibian and Reptile Collection 

The Amphibian and Reptile Collection is a diverse collection that has a heavy focus on the upper Midwest region and represents one of the best collections of herpetological material for this region.

Bird Collection 

The Bird Collection Collection specimens come from the upper midwest and the majority of these are from Minnesota.
In addition to this research collection, the Bell Museum maintains a dedicated teaching collection that is actively used in courses at the University.

Fish Collection 

The Fish Collection contain specimens from the Menage expedition to the Philippines in the 1890s; fish from Hawaii collected in the early 1900s; and many other specimens from across the continental United States.

Fungi Collection 

The Fungi Collection comprise about 10% of Minnesota fungi, and the remainder are from North America and elsewhere.

Lichen Collection 

The Lichen Collection is one of the largest lichen herbaria in the US, and one of the few fully digitalized in the world.
It houses collections of lichens worldwide.

Invertebrate Collection 

The Mollusks and Crustaceans Invertebrate Collection house freshwater mollusks collected in Minnesota, and represent an important Upper Midwest Collection.
The invertebrate collection holds the old Minneapolis Library collection of Indo-Pacific mollusks.

Mammal Collection 

The majority of the Mammal Collection  are standard, dry skin and skull preparations, but the Bell has a reasonably large collection of full skeletons and a growing collection of fluid preserved specimens.

Vascular Plant Collection 

The Vascular Plant Collection contains samples of vegetative parts, cones, fruit, and seeds.
With more than 4 million specimens, the Bell's scientific collections have provided opportunities for research and teaching since the museum's inception in 1872. The museum recently launched the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas, an online, searchable interface integrating over 5 terabytes of data from the Bell Museum on birds, mammals, fishes, plants, and fungi to enhance research capacity to perform a range of activities from biological surveys to conservation planning. (bellatlas.umn.edu) This database contains over 400,000 scientific records and as many as 175,000 high-resolution images with plans to expand entries and specimen photographs.
Amphibian and Reptile Collection 

The Amphibian and Reptile Collection is a diverse collection that has a heavy focus on the upper Midwest region and represents one of the best collections of herpetological material for this region.
Bird Collection 

The Bird Collection Collection specimens come from the upper midwest and the majority of these are from Minnesota. In addition to this research collection, the Bell Museum maintains a dedicated teaching collection that is actively used in courses at the University.
Fish Collection 

The Fish Collection contain specimens from the Menage expedition to the Philippines in the 1890s; fish from Hawaii collected in the early 1900s; and many other specimens from across the continental United States.
Fungi Collection 

The Fungi Collection comprise about 10% of Minnesota fungi, and the remainder are from North America and elsewhere.
Lichen Collection 

The Lichen Collection is one of the largest lichen herbaria in the US, and one of the few fully digitalized in the world. It houses collections of lichens worldwide.
Invertebrate Collection 

The Mollusks and Crustaceans Invertebrate Collection house freshwater mollusks collected in Minnesota, and represent an important Upper Midwest Collection. The invertebrate collection holds the old Minneapolis Library collection of Indo-Pacific mollusks.
Mammal Collection 

The majority of the Mammal Collection  are standard, dry skin and skull preparations, but the Bell has a reasonably large collection of full skeletons and a growing collection of fluid preserved specimens.
Vascular Plant Collection 

The Vascular Plant Collection contains samples of vegetative parts, cones, fruit, and seeds.
Bell Museum of Natural History