UCMP

The University of California Museum of Paleontology (UCMP) is a natural history museum located at the University of California, Berkeley. Established in 1907, it is one of the oldest museums of paleontology in the United States. The UCMP is dedicated to the study and collection of fossils, primarily from the western United States and the Pacific Basin.

The museum's collections comprise over 2 million fossil specimens, representing a wide range of geological time periods and ecosystems. Its collections are particularly rich in fossils from the Cretaceous period, including the famous Kem Kem Beds of Morocco. The UCMP also maintains a large holdings of vertebrate and invertebrate specimens from the Early Cretaceous and Jurassic periods, as well as from more modern geological time.

As a research institution, the UCMP is affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley's Ferdinand Hayden Memorial Laboratory. This laboratory conducts paleontological research on a global scale, with particular emphasis on the fossil record of mammals, including the emergence of modern mammals in the Cretaceous period. The museum's research is supported by its extensive collections and archives, which are used by scientists worldwide.

Public access to the collections is primarily through guided tours and exhibits. Visitors can also explore the museum's website, which includes an online collection database, as well as a variety of educational resources on paleontology. Monographs and other publications are also available through the UCMP's press. The museum engages in public outreach and education through partnerships with local schools, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and other institutions.