Zoological Museum of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv is one of the oldest university museums in Europe. It was founded, as the Cabinet of Natural History, in 1784. The status of the Zoological Museum was acquired on February 25, 1885 by order of the Rector.

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The scientific collections of the museum include more than 180 thousand exhibits, of which about 10 thousand form the exposition. The museum's funds represent the animal world of all continents and all the waters of the globe. Today, the museum has four halls, a gallery corridor, a stock store and a working room, with a total area of 469.4 m2.

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Museum collections are of exceptional importance to science and are practically not subject to reproduction in the event of their loss or destruction. They are important sources of research on the problems of environmental change, conservation and restoration of biodiversity as the basis for the functioning of the biosphere. It is practically the only form of scientifically documented material confirmation of species diversity and changes in animal ranges that can be subjected to critical revision according to modern taxonomy.

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In 2003, the reference information about the Zoological Museum was included in the 9th edition of the Catalogue of Museums of the World (Leipzig, Germany) and has since been published annually in subsequent editions.

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In the same year, the description of the museum's ornithological collection was included in an inventory of major European bird collections, 2003. In addition, descriptions and photographs of Kamchatka collections by B. Dybowski as well as information about the museum are published in Maria Dybowska's book “Kamczatka i ludy autochtoniczne: w fotografiach, tеkstach i exposatach Benedykta Dybowskiego” (Warszawa, 2003).

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On February 11, 2004, according to the order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 73-R, “Scientific funds and museum exposition of the Zoological Museum of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv” were included in the register of objects constituting national heritage. The exposition of the Museum is formed according to a systematic principle and has a cyclic form.

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As a public (with the code ZOOP/G), the museum was registered with the Lviv Regional Department of Culture and Tourism on September 7, 2007.

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In March 2012, the Museum's insect and arachnid collections were registered in the special international database of insects and spiders of the world (The Insect and Spider Collections of the World).

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In the same year 2012, the Museum's collections were included in the Biodiversity Collections Index database.

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Due to significant contribution to the development of Ukrainian museology, merit in the formation and preservation of the museum fund of Ukraine, popularization of national and cultural heritage, Order No. 189 of December 27, 2012, Department of Culture of Lviv Regional State Administration, Zoological Museum of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv was awarded the honorary title “PEOPLE'S MUSEUM”.

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In March 2013, the Zoological Museum of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv was included in the Global Register of Biological Repositories (Repositories), and now the Global Register of Scientific Collections.

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The Zoological Museum operates according to the internal regulations of Lviv University. The museum conducts excursions for students and staff of the university, as well as visitors from the city and guests of our state. Over the past few years, the museum staff conducts excursions, on average, for 7 thousand people annually.

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The exposition and individual exhibits of the Museum are used in conducting small workshops on invertebrate and vertebrate zoology, a large workshop on zoology, special practice and special courses: ornithology, teriology, ethology, zoogeography, ecology (course 1-5). In addition, the entire museum exposition is used for conducting classes and thematic excursions of schoolchildren of secondary schools and other educational institutions from all over the state. The youngest visitors are children from the kindergartens of the city. On the basis of the museum collections, students of Lviv and the region prepare for the Olympiads in biology and ecology of all levels, and the educational practice of Lviv College of Decorative and Applied Arts is held annually in the halls of the Museum. AND. Trusha.

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