The Museum of Natural Sciences, or Natural History, belongs to the University of Oslo and is located in Norway's oldest Botanical Garden, which opened back in 1812.
In fact, the history of the Museum of Natural Sciences began with the founding of the Botanical Garden - samples of unique plants and insects studied by students laid the foundation for the museum's botanical exhibition. Later, the zoological and geological museums joined it.
More than 200 years of the museum complex's history have made it possible to assemble an impressive collection of exhibits telling the natural history of the world in general and Norway in particular. Vast collections of representatives of the plant and animal kingdoms, geological specimens and unique minerals, as well as the oldest fossils, are displayed in the museum halls.
In the zoological section, visitors can see detailed dioramas depicting the fauna of different parts of the world and habitats. The animal world of forests, deserts and mountains, as well as underwater inhabitants, is shown here.
A unique fossil also deserves special attention - Darwinius masillae, affectionately called Ida by scientists. Ida is about 47 million years old, and she is the only specimen of her kind known to humanity. This species is considered a link in primate evolution, a transitional stage from prosimians to higher primates. The Museum of Natural Sciences bought Ida in 2006; she is the subject of much scientific research and heated debate among the world's leading scientists.
