The natural history collection includes zoological (animal) and botanical (plant) material. The zoological collection is small and consists mainly of vertebrates (animals with backbones), in particular British mammals and birds. The majority of the botanical material dates from 1850-1900. Natural history represents 6% of the North Somerset Council museum collection.
Highlights from the Natural History Collection:
There is a small but significant collection of exotic mammals, including an elephant skull. There is also a significant group of herbarium (preserved plant) specimens of tracheophytes (plants with roots, stems and leaves).