Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns

What Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns does

Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns (SNSB) is a state-owned research and education institution of the Free State of Bavaria, operating as one of the oldest and largest natural history research collections in the world. With approximately 300 employees, the institution archives and researches approximately 33 million collection specimens across seven natural science state collections (zoology, botany, geology, paleontology, mineralogy, anthropology, and palaeoanatomy), and operates ten natural history museums plus the Botanical Garden München-Nymphenburg across six Bavarian cities. Primary research focus is geo- and biosphere change, with particular attention to mountain systems over time.

SNSB serves four primary stakeholder groups: the general public and families through museum visits (approximately 800,000 visitors annually), schools and educational institutions through guided tours and MINT-aligned workshops (including the GeoMUC-Kids and GeoMUC-Teens programs), citizen scientists through volunteer-driven biodiversity monitoring projects (Dawn Chorus, Flora of Bavaria, fossil excavations, hymenoptera image gallery), and academic researchers worldwide through collection access, specimen loans, and joint publications. Technology infrastructure includes DNA barcoding facilities (Barcoding Fauna Bavarica and German Barcode of Life projects covering over 50% of native fauna in the genetic reference library), digital and Raman microscopy, photogrammetry-based 3D specimen documentation, and AI-supported bird song recognition within the Dawn Chorus smartphone application.

Revenue is derived primarily from state funding allocated by the Bavarian state government (subscription/recurring), supplemented by museum admission fees (e.g., Museum Mineralogia München at EUR 5 adults, EUR 1 children), third-party research grants (Horizon Europe, DFG), corporate and foundation sponsorship (Carl Zeiss, DBU, VDI Technologiezentrum), and revenue from workshops and educational programs at BIOTOPIA Lab. The institution is led by General Director Prof. Dr. Jörg Overmann and is governed by a supervisory board (Beirat) under Bavarian public law, with recent strategic priorities including construction of the new Naturkundemuseum Bayern, opening of BIOTOPIA Lab (October 2025), and adoption of governance frameworks including the Gender Equality Plan (December 2023) and Good Scientific Practice Guidelines (October 2024).

Name

Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns

Legal name

Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns

Website

https://snsb.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1759

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns (SNSB) is a Bavarian state-owned natural history research institution operating seven scientific collections with approximately 33 million specimens and ten public museums, serving the general public, schools, citizen scientists, and academic researchers across Bavaria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Museums and Research Collections

NAICS

Museums (712110), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

akta.pro primary industry

Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

Keywords

• Natural history collections
• Biodiversity research services
• Museum education programs
• Taxonomic research services
• Citizen science platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

München

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: State-funded research institution under the Free State of Bavaria, receiving public funding for research, collection maintenance, and museum operations
2. Museum Admissions: Entry fees for museums including Museum Mineralogia München (5 EUR adults, 3 EUR reduced, 6 EUR family, 1 EUR children)
3. Third-party Research Grants: Research funding through third-party projects including Horizon Europe, DFG, and other scientific funding bodies
4. BIOTOPIA Lab Programs: Revenue from workshops, school programs, and educational activities at BIOTOPIA Lab and Zukunftslabor

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SNSB is a state-owned research and education institution that maintains 7 natural science state collections (zoology, botany, geology, paleontology, mineralogy, anthropology, palaeoanatomy) archiving approximately 33 million specimens, and operates 10 natural history museums plus the Botanical Garden München-Nymphenburg. It conducts research on geo- and biosphere change, DNA barcoding, and biodiversity, while delivering public education through exhibitions, school programs, the BIOTOPIA Lab, and citizen science initiatives such as Dawn Chorus and Flora of Bavaria.

Product overview

Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns (SNSB) is a research and education institution comprising 7 natural science state collections and 10 natural history museums across Bavaria. The portfolio includes 7 research collections (zoology, botany, geology, paleontology, mineralogy, anthropology, palaeoanatomy) with approximately 33 million specimens, museums (Museum Mensch und Natur, Paläontologisches Museum München, Geologisches Museum München, Museum Mineralogia München, Jura-Museum Eichstätt, RiesKraterMuseum Nördlingen, Urwelt-Museum Oberfranken, Bionicum Nürnberg, Naturkundemuseum Bamberg), the Botanical Garden München-Nymphenburg, the BIOTOPIA Lab science engagement facility, and the upcoming Naturkundemuseum Bayern. Citizen science initiatives like Dawn Chorus and the Flora of Bavaria engage the public in research. The institution focuses on geo- and biosphere change research with particular attention to mountain systems over time.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BIOTOPIA Lab: Science education and outreach laboratory located in the Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg, offering free experimental workshops for all ages, interactive school programs, and pop-up exhibitions on life-related topics.
• Dawn Chorus
• Flora of Bavaria

Products and services

• Museum Mensch und Natur Natural history museum located in Schloss Nymphenburg, Munich, presenting exhibitions on natural sciences and life sciences for the general public.
• Paläontologisches Museum München Paleontological museum showcasing fossils including the first herbivorous prehistoric reptiles, live-bearing ichthyosaurs with embryos, giant pterosaurs, and the largest Bavarian dinosaur skeleton.
• Geologisches Museum München Geological museum presenting exhibits on geology and Earth sciences for the general public.
• Museum Mineralogia München Museum presenting a didactically structured exhibition on minerals, crystals, and gemstones, serving as the public face of the Mineralogische Staatssammlung München. Admission: Adults 5 EUR, Reduced 3 EUR, Family 6 EUR, Children 1 EUR.
• Naturkundemuseum Bamberg Natural history museum with exhibits on geology, mineralogy, paleontology, and indigenous mammals, featuring a neoclassical 'museum within the museum' dating to 1791.
• Jura-Museum Eichstätt Natural history museum at Willibaldsburg Castle showcasing fossils from Solnhofen plate limestones, including the world's only specimen of the predatory dinosaur Juravenator and an original Archaeopteryx.
• RiesKraterMuseum Nördlingen Natural science museum focused on impact craters, particularly the Nördlinger Ries crater, featuring exhibits on meteorites and the geological history of the 25km impact structure (IUGS Geoheritage site 2024).
• Urwelt-Museum Oberfranken Museum in Bayreuth focused on the past and present natural history of Upper Franconia, featuring fossils, minerals, dinosaur models, and interactive computer games.
• Bionicum Nürnberg Interactive exhibition 'Ideenreich Natur' located within the Nuremberg Zoo, exploring what humans can learn from nature, covering nature conservation, biodiversity, sustainable resource use, and bionic innovations.
• Botanischer Garten München-Nymphenburg Botanical garden containing living collections, offering visitors the opportunity to explore diverse plant species in natural settings and hosting the BIOTOPIA Lab.
• BIOTOPIA Lab Interactive science lab in the Botanical Garden offering free experiment workshops for all ages, interactive school programs, and pop-up exhibitions on life science topics.
• Dawn Chorus Global citizen science and art project inviting people to collect bird songs using smartphones, with AI-supported bird song recognition for biodiversity monitoring.
• Flora of Bavaria Four-volume comprehensive work documenting Bavaria's flora, compiled over 50 years with contributions from more than 200 volunteer citizen scientists, featuring nearly 6,000 plant species.
• SNSB State Collections (7 collections) Seven natural history collections covering zoology, botany, geology, paleontology, mineralogy, anthropology, and palaeoanatomy, archiving approximately 33 million collection specimens and supporting research, specimen loans, and academic collaboration.
• Zukunftslabor Future Lab preview space within Museum Mensch und Natur in Munich showcasing plans and concepts for the new Bavarian Natural History Museum (Naturkundemuseum Bayern).

Quantifiable outcome

• 800,000 visitors annually across 10 museums
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Landesbund für Vogel- und Naturschutz (LBV)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Close partner in Dawn Chorus citizen science project, providing expertise in bird conservation and volunteer coordination for acoustic biomonitoring of bird diversity
• Max Planck Institute for Biological IntelligencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific collaboration partner in Dawn Chorus project, contributing research expertise in biological intelligence and bioacoustics
• BIOTOPIA Lab / Foundation Arts and Nature (Nantesbuch)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-initiator of Dawn Chorus project, contributing to interdisciplinary approach combining science and art for biodiversity monitoring
• Bavarian Botanical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-editor of Flora of Bavaria 2024, coordinating volunteer citizen scientists across Bavaria for comprehensive floristic documentation
• Bavarian State Office for the Environment (LfU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Flora of Bavaria project with Marcel Ruff contributing to the four-volume publication
• Carl Zeiss AGmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerZEISS supported BIOTOPIA Lab with 16 microscopes, enabling advanced scientific exploration experiences for visitors
• Ornithological Society of BavariamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks closely with SNSB-ZSM on monitoring Bavarian bird fauna and biodiversity research through citizen science
• Munich Entomological SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with SNSB-ZSM on butterfly and beetle monitoring projects and expert amateur entomologist network
• Friedrich-Held Society for MolluscologymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with SNSB-ZSM for mollusk research and citizen science contributions to biodiversity documentation
• Stuttgart Natural History MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Günter Schweigert provides scientific direction for fossil excavations at Brunn site in consultation with SNSB-BSPG
• Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of special exhibition 'Jetzt geht's rund' (Circular Economy) with VDI Technologiezentrum at Museum Mensch und Natur
• VDI TechnologiezentrummajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of circular economy exhibition with DBU and SNSB at Museum Mensch und Natur
• Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität MünchencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with university on geochemical and geological research, co-located research facilities in Munich
• Deutsche Mineralogische GesellschaftmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association for mineralogists with working groups on mineralogical museums and collections, ore research, and education
• Förderkreis BIOTOPIAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSupport association founded in 2012 under Dr. Auguste Prinzessin von Bayern's chairmanship, fostering partnerships with politics, business, and media

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Dutch natural history research institute and museum operating major collections (~42 million specimens), public exhibitions, and active DNA barcoding/taxonomic research. Closely mirrors SNSB's combined research-collection-public model in Europe.
• Naturhistorisches Museum Wien: Austrian natural history museum operating one of the world's largest natural history collections with extensive public exhibitions and research departments. Closely comparable to SNSB in collection scope (geology, paleontology, zoology, botany) and DACH-region operating context.
• Museum für Naturkunde Berlin: Germany's largest natural history museum with research collections of over 30 million specimens, public exhibitions, and active citizen science. Most directly comparable to SNSB given shared national-scale mission, German geographic context, and integrated research-museum structure.
• Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (Paris): French national natural history museum combining research, collections (over 68 million specimens), public exhibitions, and botanical gardens (Jardin des Plantes). Highly comparable in integrated research-museum-public structure to SNSB.
• Natural History Museum, London: One of the world's leading natural history museums with ~80 million specimens, active research institutes, and DNA barcoding leadership. Directly comparable as a research-driven natural history museum combining public engagement, citizen science, and taxonomic research.
• Naturhistoriska riksmuseet (Stockholm): Swedish national natural history museum with research collections, public exhibitions, and DNA barcoding activity. Comparable state-funded European institution operating integrated research and public museum functions similar to SNSB.

Regional players

• Australian Museum: Australia's oldest natural history museum with major research collections, public exhibitions, and citizen science programs including biodiversity monitoring. Operates a comparable combined research-museum-public mandate but serves the Asia-Pacific region rather than competing in Europe.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: The largest natural history museum in the world, with ~148 million specimens and a major global research program. Functions as a broader incumbent with overlapping capabilities but vastly larger scale, brand reach, and funding base than SNSB.
• Field Museum (Chicago): Major US natural history institution combining ~40 million specimens, public exhibitions, and global research programs. Comparable to SNSB in integrated collections-research-public mandate but with a much larger operating budget and international footprint.
• American Museum of Natural History: One of the largest natural history museums globally, with extensive collections, public exhibitions, and active research divisions. Overlaps with SNSB's combined collections-research-public engagement mandate at much larger scale and US-based audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BiotopiaMuseum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns