Beaty Biodiversity Museum

Overview

The Beaty Biodiversity Museum at UBC houses over two million natural history specimens and is centred around a spectacular suspended 25-metre blue whale skeleton—the largest in Canada.

Highlights

• Blue Whale Skeleton: A complete 25-metre skeleton suspended from the ceiling in a two-storey glass atrium.
• Cowan Tetrapod Collection: Over 32,000 bird and mammal specimens including extinct and endangered species.
• Fossil Gallery: Fossils spanning 500 million years, including trilobites and a T. rex skull cast.

History

The museum opened in 2010, consolidating UBC's six research collections. The blue whale skeleton was recovered from a whale that washed ashore on Prince Edward Island in 1987 and took over 20 years to prepare.

Visitor Tips

• Self-Guided App: Download the free museum app for an audio tour with researcher commentary.
• UBC Campus: Combine with the nearby Museum of Anthropology and UBC Botanical Garden.
• Duration: 45–90 minutes.