While museums strive to create collections that inspire visitors and keep them coming back for more – many have a wealth of treasures hidden away from public view.

However, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) in Washington has provided a rare glimpse behind the scenes at its vast and spectacular backroom collections

.Boasting over 126million natural science specimens and cultural artefacts, NMNH is part of the Smithsonian Institution representing over 90 per cent of their collections. These include 30million insects; 4.5million plants; 7million fish; and 400,000 photographs housed in the National Anthropological Archives

.Fascinating images reveal the large quantities of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, and artefacts displayed with their researchers, including drawers of arranged mice and warehouses of whale bones.

The artefacts are meticulously organised and preserved by the team at the musuem.

‘The collections play a vital role in advancing scientific knowledge, addressing societal issues, and increasing the scientific literacy of our nation,’ the website reads. ‘They help us to interpret our biological origins, our cultural heritage, and what the future may hold.’

more at Source: Inside the secret collections of the US National Museum of Natural History | Daily Mail Online