Get to Know ULV Collections

Nestled along the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California, the University of La Verne is an independent, non-profit private university providing rich educational opportunities for both the academic and personal development of its students in a friendly, engaged setting. The University’s Cultural and Natural History Collections was established in 1891, when the doors of the first opened at Lordsburg College. The Collections has been supporting the educational mission of the institution ever since as both a teaching collection and museum.

The Cultural and Natural History Collections at University of La Verne houses over 70,000 items that cover more than 65 million years of history. All our materials were donated to the University by alumni, faculty, scientists, naturalists, historians, anthropologists, and community members for use in student-centered, faculty-driven, and community engaged research, teaching, and exhibitions. Our mission is to conserve, preserve, and share objects, artifacts, and specimens from Earth’s cultural and natural history for the benefit of current and future generations.

We are located exactly between the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles and the San Bernardino County Museum, being ideally located in the San Gabriel Valley. The Collections is the only university museum repository where students can gain hands-on experience with authentic fossils from La Brea Tarpits, as well as several personal collections of scientists, naturalists, and anthropologists.