Our newest exhibit gallery is now open!

Free Admission!

Explore the varied ecosystems of land and sea, and discover how the physical and living worlds are connected and shaped by the same fundamental ecological principles. Ecosystems invites you to explore environments that range from the most ordinary and domestic to the most remote and inhospitable. Investigate the gallery’s eight Zones, each of which illustrates a different ecological principle:

Extreme Zone
Discover how even in the harshest environments, species adapt to their surroundings.

Forest Zone
Learn about the sources and importance of biodiversity in ecosystems.

River Zone
Investigate the ways flowing fluids carry energy and matter from place to place.

Island Zone
Look at how isolation reveals the processes of evolution.

Rot Room
See how rot and decomposition release nutrients that nourish life.

Global Zone
Focus on the ways living and physical systems interact on a global scale.

L.A. Zone
Learn about the ecological challenges faced by urban ecosystems when it comes to water, waste, energy and wildlife.

Family Discovery Room
Explore how our homes are habitats, providing us—as well as pets and pests—with food, water and shelter.

Exploring Trees Inside and Out
Don't miss this special exhibit, on display through September 26, designed for young children (ages 2-7) to better understand the significant role trees play in the environment.

Conversations with the Curator
Learn about Dr. Chuck Kopczak's recent collection trip to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.