The KU Natural History Museum offers behind-the-scenes tours to university instructors and their students throughout the academic year. Tours are led by collection managers, curators, and graduate students and are available in the following research divisions: 

-Herpetology (reptiles and amphibians)
-Ichthyology (fish)
-Ornithology (birds)
-Mammals
-Vertebrate Paleontology

To request an academic tour (e.g. behind-the-scenes tour of a museum collection), please fill out and submit the form below. Tours should be requested at least two weeks in advance.

Submission of this form does not guarantee a tour. Administrative Associate Teri Chambers will contact instructors to confirm the successful scheduling of a tour and its date, time, location, and tour guide name and contact information.
Tour Information: Maximum tour group size is 15 participants. Groups larger than 15 can be split and rotated through behind-the-scenes tours. For groups that include minors, 2 adult chaperones are required for each group.
Requested Research Collection: (Note: Please indicate first and second choice. Tours are dependent upon availability of research division guide).
Acknowledgement Of Tour Rules And Expectations
As course instructor, I will notify my students of the following rules and expectations for completing a behind-the-scenes tour at the KU Natural History Museum:

1. Tours are led in restricted spaces, so tour participants must arrive on time, and be ready to stay with the group for the duration of the tour without breaks.

2. With the exception of taking photos, cell phone use is not permitted during tours. Food and drink are not permitted on tours.

3. Firearms are not permitted on tours owing to lab safety.
Acknowledgment