The Museum of Natural Sciences "Sabiha Kasimati" (MNS) was established in 1948, as part of the former Institute of Sciences. When the University of Tirana was established in 1957, the Museum was separated from this institute and became part of the Faculty of Natural Sciences (FNS), within the Department of Zoology. In 2010, together with the National Herbarium and the Botanical Garden, it became part of the Research Center of Flora and Fauna in the Faculty of Natural Sciences.

MNS is an important scientific center specialized in the field of assessment of diversity, monitoring and inventory of Albanian fauna: Entomofauna (Insects), Herpetofauna (Amphibians and Reptiles), Ornitofauna (Birds), Mammalofauna (Mammals), Macrobentofauna (Molluscs, Crustaceans) etc.

Over 3,000 specimens (exponents) are exhibited at the Museum of Natural Sciences and there is a scientific fund with over 100,000 specimens of Albanian fauna.

Insects represent the largest number of exhibited specimens in the Museum, with 217 species, as well as a scientifically organized fund. In this way, in addition to the species exhibited for the interested public, pupils and students, it is found also a scientific fund, which is helpful for various local and foreign researchers, for students of Master's and PhD studies, to consult their research with the species found in the museum. This fund is enriched every year with new collections during field research, and master's and PhD topics that are carried out by students of the Biology Department at the Faculty of Natural Sciences.

The exhibition contains species of Lepidoptera, Odonata, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Neuroptera, Orthoptera, Hymenoptera, etc. It also includes a fund with amazing butterflies not of our country, but of exotic countries, which were part of the former fund of the Jesuit College of Shkodra. Pest species of agricultural crops and fruit trees are also exposed, giving not only the species type, but also the agricultural culture. The fund is constantly enriched with types that have not been exposed before, and are accumulated every year, such as Charaxes jasius Sympetrum flavoleum, Palpares libelluloides, etc.

Meanwhile, the enrichment continues with species that are new to science, being discovered for the first time in our country, such as Peripodisma llofizii (Albanian mountain grasshopper), collected on Mount Llofizi in the village of Erind in Gjirokastër, which recently is also included in the Red List (2016 Red List, NT), as an endangered species. In 2017 a new subspecies of butterfly was identified, this butterfly which was previously exhibited in the Museum of Natural Sciences as Melanargia galathea, is now known to science as Melanargia galathea vrenozina Aistleitner, 2017.

Fishes in the Museum of Natural Sciences are represented by 156 species belonging to different families. The list shows that 73 families are completed with specimens with the 156 fish species present in the museum. As it results from the representation of fish types, 45 families belong to only one type. These families are precisely those that present mainly faunistic interest. It is worth mentioning the families Lophiidae (Lophius piscatorius species), Zeidae (Zeus faber species), Triglidae (Trigla lucerna species), etc. 12 families are represented by two species, while 7 families are represented by three species. These two groups include species that have faunal value, but also species with economic value. We can mention the Moronidae family, the most important representative of which is the sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) which is one of the main objects of fishing and an important component of mariculture. Three families are each one represented in the museum with 4 species, another three with 6 species, while one family is represented with 8 species and the two most represented have 14 species each. The families with the largest number of species represented in the Museum are also the families with the richest species in the ichthyofauna of Albania. These are the Sparidae family which includes marine fish and the Cyprinidae (carp) family which consists of freshwater species.

Amphibians and reptiles in the Museum of Natural Sciences are represented by more than  63% of all amphibians and reptiles found in our country. In the collection found in this museum, mainly local researchers, but also foreign ones, have contributed. It is worth mentioning the special contribution of Prof. Dr. Idriz Haxhiu, who with his hard work over the years has enriched the collection of amphibians and reptiles.

During your visit to the museum, in the amphibian and reptile session, among the species you will encounter are: Salamandra salamandra and Ichthyosaura alpestris from the group of tailed amphibians (Order Caudata). While, from the collection of amphibians without a tail you will come across: Bufotes viridis; Rana temporaria; Rana dalmatina; Pelophylax kutmuelleri.

Figure 4: amphibians without a tail: a) Bombina variegata; b) Bufo bufo; c) Rana dalmatina

In our museum you will find representatives from all groups of reptiles. During your visit to the amphibian and reptile session, what will immediately catch your attention is the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelis coriacea), which is considered the largest turtle in the world (with a length of up to 1.8 m and a weight of about 700 kg). The characteristic of this turtle is that unlike other turtles, which have a hard shell covering their body, it has ridges of skin along its entire back (hence it is also known as a leatherback turtle). This turtle is very rare for our waters, because it is an oceanic type and until today only three individuals have been caught in our country (one in 1963 in Shengjin, exhibited in our museum and two others in the Drin Bay caught respectively one in August 2016 and the other after a year in August 2017). In the museum you will also find two other types of sea turtles found in our waters: the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), which is considered the most common species in our waters, and the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), which is much rarer than the first.

Figure 5: Sea turtle: a) leatherback sea turtle (D. coriacea); loggerhead turtle (C. caretta); green turtle (Ch. mydas)

All types of sea turtles have a special conservation interest, because they are considered globally endangered species, whose populations are threatened by many factors such as: uncontrolled fishing activity; marine water pollution; uncontrolled development of infrastructure and tourism in coastal areas (reducing and simultaneously destroying their reproductive space, because they lay their eggs on sandy beaches); climate change, etc.

In addition to the sea turtles species, the land turtle (Testudo hermanni) as well as two types of freshwater turtles: the yellow-spotted turtle (Emys orbicularis) and the striped turtle (Mauremys rivulata) are also exhibited in our museum.

From the group of lizards (Order Squamata - Suborder Sauria) you will find  several individuals: Ablepharus kitaibelii; Mediodactylus kotschyi; Algyroides nigropunctatus; Lacerta viridis; Lacerta trilineata; Lacerta agilis; Podarcis muralis; Anguis graeca; Pseudopus apodus 

Figure 6: Representative of lizards (Sauria): a) M. kotschyi; b) L. viridis; c) P. apodus

The snakes exhibited in the museum (Order Squamata - Suborder Ophidia) are numerous and belong to non-poisonous snake species (arrows, bollards, water snakes), semi-poisonous snakes (cat snake) and poisonous snakes (vipers). Thus, during your visit you will find the following species on display: Xerotyphlops vermicularis; Eryx jaculus; Platyceps najadum; Hierophis gemonensis; Dolichophis caspius; Elaphe quatuorlineata; Zamenis longissimus; Zamenis longissimus; the two types of water snakes (Natrix natrix and Natrix tessellata); Malpolon insignitus; Telescopus fallax (cat snake); Coronella austriaca (black snake); Vipera ammodytes (horned viper), which is considered the species with the strongest venom among all other vipers found in our country; as well as the two species of mountain vipers (Vipera ursinii and Vipera berus).

Figure 7: Snakes representatives (Ofidia): a) Xerotyphlops vermicularis; b) Elaphe quatuorlineata; c) Platyceps najadum; ç) Malpolon insignitus; d) Natrix natrix; e) Vipera ammodytes

Birds, according to the peroid they are seen in our country, are divided into: (i) permanent or present throughout the year; (ii) nesters or birds that come to our country in the spring and leave in autumn; (iii) winterers or birds that come to our country in autumn and leave in spring and (iv) transients or birds that pass through our country in spring, autumn or both seasons. In terms of population size, birds in our country can be broadly divided into: common, rare and extinct.

In the Museum of Natural Sciences there are exhibited specimens from 201 species (57% of the complete list of birds of Albania) which represent all the above-mentioned groups.

This precious wealth is present thanks to the great work of our respected researchers who have built the foundations of the science of ornithology in Albania such as: Fotaq Lamani, Vasil Puzanov, Islam Zeko, etc.

Dear visitors, in the Museum of Natural Sciences you have the opportunity to see specimens embalmed with great care, preserving the real characteristics of the appearance of the species.

Birds of prey

Specimens from a number of 25 species of birds of prey are exhibited, of which 18 species are daytime predators and 7 species are night predators. In the sector of birds of prey there are specimens of jackals, eagles, buzzards, hawks, kestrels, falcons, and owls. Among these types, you have the opportunity to see:

The cuckoo’s horse, a globally rare species that still nests in our country, although the population of this species has suffered a dramatic decline over the past 25 years, being reduced to only 10 pairs.

The vulture, once a common nesting species in the country, has now disappeared as a nesting species and only a stray individual can be found very rarely in our country. 

The sea eagle, once nesting in our country, but for years no individual has been encountered.

The golden eagle or the flag eagle, a species for which the data of the last years show that the population has suffered an extraordinary decline.

The snowy owl, a species of the northern part of the globe, whose individuals in very rare cases can travel deep south, to the borders of our country.

From the 25 species, 23 of them are part of the red list of the fauna of Albania and are strictly protected by law.

Waterfowl

Specimens from a large variety of species (84 species) of waterfowl are exhibited in this museum. In the waterfowl sector, there are specimens of: pelicans, cormorants, swans, storks, herons, geese, ducks, terns, gulls, sea swallows, terns and many kinds of terns. Among these types, you have the opportunity to see:

The dalmatian pelican, the largest bird in Albania, with a wingspan of up to 320 cm. In Albania, it nests only in the Divjakë-Karavasta National Park, in a colony of 50 pairs. The population of this type in our country is critically endangered, while globally it is close to threat.

Branta ruficollis, very beautiful species, globally deteriorating. It has not been encountered in Albania in recent years.

Aythya ferina, species with a globally declining population. In our country, it is often encountered during the winter, mainly in the lakes of Prespa, Ohrid, Shkodra, etc.

Clangula hyemalis, a species with a globally declining population. In Albania, it is rarely found during winter. 

Flamingo, a very beautiful species and of interest to tourists.

Common crane, an interesting species, which in recent years is less and less common in our country.

The stork, one of Albania's rarest nesting birds, with a population of about 5 pairs.

Wild turkeys and pheasants

Specimens from 8 species of the family of wild turkeys and pheasants are exhibited in the museum. Among them:

The wild turkey, a very rare and impressive species, carries the status of critically endangered in our country.

The mountain partridge, a very interesting species, with a small global geographical distribution. The population of this species has been estimated to have a significant decline, for this reason this species carries the status of "almost threatened" at the global level.

The pheasant, an extremely rare species, critically endangered for extinction in Albania. The pheasant is also a very attractive bird because of the color contrast of its plumage.

Songbirds

In the session of songbirds there are specimens of different families of this order, such as: laures, doe, warblers, thrushes, tree creepers, sparrows, etc.

Among the most attractive species we can mention: Turdus iliacus, Merops apiaster, Garrulus glandarius, Upupa epops, etc. All these species are part of the red list of the fauna of Albania. 

Exotic birds

In the Museum of Natural Sciences, in addition to the above-mentioned species, there are also about 42 donated exotic birds and 26 humming birds from South America.

Mammals are represented in our museum by 44 species and 52 individuals, of which three belong to the order of Cetacea (Aquatic Mammals): 1. Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus); 2. Common bottlenose dolphin (Delphinus delphis); 3. The Mediterranean seal (Monachus monachus), which is considered a Critically Endangered (CR) species according to the IUCN.

Other species of mammals in our museum belong to the group of large mammals (order Carnivora), such as the wolf (Canis lupus), the jackal (Canis aureus), the fox (Vulpes vulpes), the Balkan lynx (Lynx lynx balcanicus), the wild cat (Felis sylvestris), brown bear (Ursus arctos), as well as medium-bodied mammals (order Carnivora) such as: badger (Meles meles), beech marten (Martes foina), marten (Martes martes) otter (Lutra lutra), weasel (Mustela nivalis), s European polecat (Mustela putorius), etc. Also, in the museum you will find representatives of the two-toed order (Artiodactyla) such as the Balkan wild goat (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), etc. In the museum there are also representatives from the order of rodents (Rodentia) such as: squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), representatives from the family of long-nosed mice and mice, but also representatives from bats (order Chiroptera). 

Figure 8:  Representatives of mammals in the museum: a) European monk seal; b) Balkan lynx; c) wolf; d) roe deer

During your visit to the mammal pavilion in the museum, what will definitely attract your attention is the skeleton of the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), which is exposed at the entrance of the museum, with a length of 8 m.