The Natural History Museum in Belgrade | Museums of Serbia

The Natural History Museum in Belgrade represents the only Serbian museum dedicated to preserving rare and precious examples of national natural heritage. Its formal headquarters are located in a representative building on Njegoševa Street, but the exhibition space is located in Kalemegdan, in a recognizable building that dates back to the Turkish period.

This cultural institution is one of the oldest museums in Serbia, as it was opened over a century ago, precisely in 1895. Initially known as the Natural History Museum, today the Natural History Museum contains one of the most important collections not only in this area but also in Southeast Europe as a whole.

Over 1.6 million specimens of minerals, fossils, animals, plants, rocks, mushrooms, hunting weapons, and trophies are preserved in 125 museum collections. They also include around 22,000 titles of manuscripts, books, scientific journals, as well as geological and geographical maps.

The museum collections preserve natural treasures from our country, the Balkans, and the whole world. Among the most significant ones are:

• petrological;
• mineralogical;
• insect collection;
• bird and mammal collection;
• Balkan herbarium.

The specialized museum library was established over a century ago and stands out as the most important, also ranking among the oldest libraries in the Balkans. Due to the lack of adequate space, the museum does not have a permanent exhibition, but temporary thematic exhibitions are organized, presenting visitors with various thematic units.

Unique specimens of zoological and botanical objects, minerals, and rocks are preserved in geological and biological collections, many of which are unique holotypes. The Natural History Museum distinguishes itself with several hundred holotypes, and the collections also contain plant and animal species that do not exist not only in the territories of Serbia but in the entire world. Rare minerals and rocks stand out, as well as the historical collection, and the collection of Neogene invertebrates.

The collections also include objects dating back over 4.5 billion years, and the museum also preserves fossils that are hundreds of millions of years old. Pančić's spruce and Serbian ramonda are particularly noteworthy. The largest and most significant natural history collection is located precisely in this cultural institution.

In Jelovik near Aranđelovac, the holotype of a fossilized shell was found, estimated to be around 13 million years old.

The building of the Natural History Museum is first mentioned in Turkish scripts from the 1840s. Initially, it was called Karaula and was used by guards who protected the approach to the fortress from the direction of the Stambol Gate.

For all nature and geo heritage lovers, the ticket price is 150 dinars, while retirees can visit the museum for 100 dinars. On Thursdays, from 10 am to 12 pm, admission is free for all visitors, and the working hours of the Natural History Museum are from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm. The museum is closed on Mondays.