Science and research
Museums Victoria preserves, develops, records and researches the natural history of the state’s vertebrate and invertebrate fauna. We have been collecting natural history specimens for more than 160 years, curating the state collection of more than 16 million items that together form an invaluable record of Victorian and Australian biodiversity.
The museum’s large faunal collections provide a detailed record of the biodiversity of Victoria across all major groups: birds, mammals, frogs, reptiles, amphibians, fish and terrestrial invertebrates such as insects. Our scientists and volunteers research our region’s biodiversity, creating knowledge that is critical to understanding how we can best conserve and protect our environment and its diverse fauna.
These projects include intensive biological surveys in targeted regions—such as the Otways Bioscan—that record the breadth of biodiversity including mammals, reptiles, birds, insects and invertebrates. Other programs include participation in the national Bush Blitz program and research projects such as Listening to Nature.
Our staff also contribute their expertise to important citizen science projects including Atlas of Living Australia, RedMaps and FrogID, which are crucial to understanding species distribution.
See more: Under fire: The animals threatened by Australia’s bushfire crisis