We have a collection of about 9 million specimens including fossils, plants, insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, and more. Most of our collections are from southern California and the Baja California peninsula, and they helps us better understand life--past and present--in this unique region.
In the Demonstration Lab, you can see some of the ways our scientists prepare, preserve, and study specimens. Just beyond the Research Demonstration Lab is the Paleontology Fossil Preparation Lab where volunteers and scientists work diligently to prepare fossils collected in San Diego to go into the collection or on display.
The schedule of scientists working in the lab varies. The Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Hazard Research Demonstration Lab is located on Level 3 of the Museum.
Check out this timelapse vdeo of our paleontology team preparing a whale fossil:
Funding for the Hazard Demonstration Lab digital imaging equipment generously provided by the County of San Diego and Las Patronas.