A Natural History Museum in Malaysia

Natural history museums are organizations set up for research on animals, plants, and often of minerals, for the preservation of scientific reference specimens, and for public education through authoritative science-based exhibitions. Malaysia, though one of the top countries in biological diversity, does not yet have a natural history museum. Today a further step was taken to establish one, to be called the Natural History Museum Malaysia (NHM Malaysia).

Nine months ago, the Ministry for Natural Resources and Environment, with financial support from UNDP, appointed a team of consultants to prepare a framework proposal for such a museum. As leader of the team, I presented our report to the Steering Committee for the Museum today. Our report has been accepted, and a small project management team has been set up. The team will be based at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia and will be headed by Dr L.G. Saw.

This will be good news for the scientific community in Malaysia which has been lobbying for a natural history museum for over 20 years.