The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History

What The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History does

The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History is an academic natural history museum and research institution affiliated with Tel Aviv University, located on the university's campus at Klausner 12, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. It houses the National Natural History Collections of Israel, formally recognized by the State of Israel as a national research infrastructure. The collections contain 5.5 to 6.2 million specimens documenting the flora, fauna, and human history of Israel and the Middle East over thousands of years, with over 600,000 specimens digitized and accessible through a public online database.

The museum operates a physical visitor facility with permanent and rotating exhibitions, a 195-seat auditorium, study galleries, screening rooms, café, museum shop, and 620-space underground parking. Its product surface includes the physical museum experience, the Israeli Citizen Science Center (ICCS) platform with iNaturalist Israel integration for biodiversity monitoring, and the Online Natural History Collections Database. Supporting programs include K-12 school science activities booked through the Ministry of Education's Gufan system, group guided tours, seasonal summer programs, Night at the Museum events, Museum Inside behind-the-scenes experiences, and the Museum Nature Plus adult enrichment course subscription.

The business model is a nonprofit academic museum funded through a combination of ticket sales (52 NIS adult admission, 168 NIS family ticket), event revenue, Museum Nature Plus annual subscriptions, facility rentals, school group fees, and tax-deductible donations channeled via Tel Aviv University Friends Association with infrastructure for donors in Israel, USA, Australia, Canada, and the UK. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through the museum's website for tickets and self-serve event bookings, supplemented by event-driven attendance through seasonal exhibitions and special programs. Customer segments span general public and families, K-12 school groups, citizen science volunteers, and corporate/event clients.

Name

The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History

Legal name

The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel Aviv University

Website

https://smnh.tau.ac.il

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History is an academic natural history museum at Tel Aviv University that houses Israel's National Natural History Collections (5.5M+ specimens) and serves the general public, K-12 schools, citizen scientists, and event clients through exhibitions, educational programs, and a citizen science platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Museum

NAICS

Museums (71211), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Historic Preservation & Conservation Planning (BPAHAKAH), National Park & Protected Area Tours (THAJAIAA)

Keywords

• Natural history museum
• Biodiversity research
• Citizen science
• Science education
• Museum exhibitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Tel Aviv

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission Tickets: The museum charges admission fees for individual visitors, families, and groups. Tickets are sold exclusively through the museum website with timed entry slots.
2. School Science Programs: Guided tours and hands-on science sessions for school groups from kindergarten through high school, aligned with curriculum requirements. Additional fees apply for group bookings with professional guides.
3. Special Events and Night Programs: Special evening events such as Night at the Museum, summer activities, and weekend programs for families with additional ticket prices.
4. Museum Plus Subscriptions: Annual membership program offering discounted advance registration and access to enrichment courses and programs for the general public.
5. Facility Rentals: The museum's auditorium and halls are available for rental for conferences, screenings, lectures, and private functions.
6. Donations and Support: Tax-deductible donations accepted through Tel Aviv University Friends Association, with support channels for Israel, USA, Australia, Canada, and UK donors. Major gifts and legacy giving programs available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum and research institution at Tel Aviv University that houses Israel's National Natural History Collections with over 6 million specimens. It operates permanent and temporary exhibitions, delivers curriculum-aligned school programs and group guided tours, runs seasonal programs including summer activities, Night at the Museum events, and enrichment courses (Museum Nature Plus), and offers facility rentals and citizen science research initiatives. The museum also maintains online platforms for digitized specimen access and public biodiversity monitoring.

Product overview

The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum and research institution at Tel Aviv University. Its core offering is the physical museum with permanent and rotating exhibitions displaying over 6 million natural history specimens. Supporting this are two digital platforms: the Israeli Citizen Science Center (מרכז הישראלי למדע אזרחי) providing online biodiversity observation tools and citizen science project management, and the Online Collections Database offering digitized specimen access. Educational services include guided tours for schools and groups, science workshops aligned with curriculum standards, and seasonal programs such as summer activities, night events, and the Museum Nature Plus enrichment courses. The museum also houses research facilities and supports conservation efforts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Steinhardt Museum of Natural History (Museum Admission and Permanent Exhibitions)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 600,000 digitized specimens publicly accessible online
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Israel Center for Citizen Science (ICCS) Partners NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2026The ICCS coordinates a network of citizen science projects including biodiversity monitoring, stream restoration, and environmental conservation. Partners include academic institutions, environmental organizations, local authorities, and community groups.
• Tel Aviv UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe museum is an integral part of Tel Aviv University, housing the National Natural History Collections and serving as a research and educational facility for the university community. The museum's scientific team conducts research in collaboration with university faculty.
• Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPNI partners with the Israel Center for Citizen Science on biodiversity monitoring projects including stream restoration monitoring, bird counting programs, and citizen science initiatives. SPNI provides operational support and community engagement for conservation projects.
• KKL-JNF (Jewish National Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Knowledge Center for Ecological Restoration and Nature-Based Solutions, established to bridge the gap between the growing need for natural system restoration and available knowledge, skills, and resources. The center promotes quality and effective restoration based on current knowledge and international standards adapted to local conditions.
• Nature and Parks AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on specimen collection and conservation; animals that cannot be saved are received from the authority; research activities conducted with appropriate permits.
• Safari Ramat GanminorOthersSpecimens of animals that die at the Safari are donated to the museum's collections, contributing to scientific documentation and education.
• Jerusalem Biblical ZoominorOthersSpecimens of animals that die at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo are donated to the museum's collections.
• Wildlife HospitalminorOthersAnimals that cannot be rescued are received from the Wildlife Hospital for inclusion in the museum's collections.
• Achuzot HachofminorOthersParking operator for the museum's 620-space underground parking facility.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Natural History Museum, London: Global flagship natural history museum with 80M+ specimens and major research collections. Directly comparable as a national-scale natural history institution combining exhibitions, scientific collections, and public education.
• American Museum of Natural History: Major New York-based natural history museum with 30M+ specimens and active research divisions. Closely comparable in combining permanent collections, exhibition programming, and educational outreach at national scale.
• Museum für Naturkunde Berlin: Germany's largest natural history museum with 30M+ specimens and integrated research. Comparable as a European national-scale natural history collection with university-affiliated research operations.
• California Academy of Sciences: San Francisco-based institution combining natural history museum, aquarium, and research academy. Directly comparable for combining public exhibitions with active research collections and digital citizen science engagement (iNaturalist).
• Field Museum: Chicago-based natural history museum with 40M+ specimens and active research programs. Highly comparable mid-sized natural history institution with collections, exhibitions, and citizen-science-adjacent programming.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: U.S. national natural history museum with 148M+ specimens and a much broader federal portfolio. Comparable as a federally recognized natural history research and exhibition institution, though operating at dramatically larger scale.

Emerging players

• iNaturalist: Global citizen science platform for biodiversity observations, jointly run by California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic Society. Comparable as the digital biodiversity observation backbone that the museum's ICCS integrates with.

Regional players

• Hecht Museum (University of Haifa): Israeli university museum at the University of Haifa covering regional archaeology and art. Comparable as an Israeli academic museum affiliated with a major university, though narrower in scope than Steinhardt's natural history focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-steinhardt-museum-of-natural-history

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History