Paleontological Research Institution and its Museum of the Earth

The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) is a natural history museum located in Ithaca, New York. Founded in 1932, PRI has outstanding programs in research, collections, publications, and public outreach. The Institution cares for a collection of 2-3 million specimens (one of the 10 largests in the U.S.), and publishes the oldest paleontological journal in the Western Hemisphere (Bulletins of American Paleontology, begun in 1895). In 2003 PRI opened the Museum of the Earth on its campus on Ithaca's West Hill, overlooking Cayuga Lake. The Museum is an 18,000-square-foot education and exhibit facility whose exhibits and programs cover the entire spectrum of the history of the Earth and its life, with a particular focus on the Northeastern United States. PRI is a national leader in development of informal (i.e., outside the classroom) Earth science education resources for educators and the general public. Affiliated with nearby Cornell University, PRI interacts closely with numerous units of the University in research, teaching, and public outreach.