Bournemouth Natural Science Society

The Bournemouth Natural Science Society and Museum is housed in a late Victorian building on the outskirts of Lansdowne. It boasts a fascinating array of collections, a library and garden, and runs an extensive programme of lectures and events.

The home of the BNSS is a grand, late Victorian building located on the outskirts of Bournemouth town centre. It houses a fascinating museum of numerous collections, from Natural History to Egyptology, and two libraries holding over 5000 volumes. In addition, the BNSS boasts a marvellous garden aimed at encouraging wildlife in an urban environment.

Since its formation in 1903, the BNSS has acquired many thousands of items collected from around the world. The museum not only cherishes a large menagerie of preserved natural history specimens, including birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, eggs and shells; but also collections of fossils, rocks and minerals, ancient hand axes and even an Egyptian mummy. The society itself has various interest groups which include Botany, Ornithology, Zoology, Entomology, Science, Astronomy, Geology, History, Egyptology and Archaeology.

The BNSS runs an extensive programme of events, including lectures, study groups, field meetings, cultural visits and social events. Talks are given on Tuesday evenings, Wednesday afternoons and Saturday afternoons.