Natural History Museum in South Khorasan Province

Due to its diverse arid and mountainous climate, the South Khorasan province is home to a wide variety of species, including birds, mammals, reptiles, and more. Additionally, this province, thanks to its unique geographical location, possesses rich and diverse resources of fossils and minerals, attracting many enthusiasts and researchers to explore, study, and collect various fossils. Mr. Mohammad Jamhouri, one of the researchers and collectors of fossils in South Khorasan, with the support and collaboration of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization of South Khorasan, established a museum in 2016 to showcase and display a multitude of fossil species, aiming to introduce and educate about the wildlife of South Khorasan. The museum is located in a historic and valuable building in the city of Birjand, which dates back to the Qajar period and has been restored for the purpose of becoming a museum.

The Natural History Museum of South Khorasan is divided into two main sections: "Fossils and Minerals" and "Wildlife." In the Fossils and Minerals section, a collection of various fossils from branches such as sponges, corals, mollusks, echinoderms, brachiopods, and microfossils, as well as a number of plant fossils, are exhibited and introduced. Most of the displayed fossils have been collected within the province and are related to the geology of the region. They are considered some of the most unique and exceptional fossils found in Iran and the world. In the Wildlife section, taxidermy specimens of wildlife species, both native and non-native, are showcased in two categories: mountainous and desert environments, as well as aquatic and wetland habitats. This section presents samples of some of the rarest and most elusive animal species found in the southern part of Khorasan.

The Natural History Museum of South Khorasan offers visitors a glimpse into the rich natural heritage of the region and provides educational opportunities to learn about the diverse flora and fauna, as well as the geological history preserved in its fossils and minerals.