With the start of Biology department in Government College, Lahore in 1902, a need was felt for the collection of Zoological specimens in order to study biodiversity. At that time King Edward medical college had some zoological collections and they allowed the specimens to be brought for the demonstration to the classes.
Then in 1907-08 Government College established its own Natural History museum. A room was selected in the gallery in upper portion of college hall to house the specimens. The medical college transferred whole of its zoological collection in this museum. There were some larger specimens like skeleton of elephant and camel that could not be accommodated in that gallery and were placed in a room under the college tower and named it as Elephant room. Gallery and Elephant room continued to be the museum for long time.
The museum was well supplied with mammalian skeleton but the number of invertebrates was not enough which were added later on. The museum gradually grew and at presents it possess approximately 6000 specimens housed in a large hall in Zoology department, GC University, Lahore. The museum was named “Stephenson Natural History Museum” in 2004 after the name of the first chairperson of the department of Zoology, Dr.John Stephenson
The natural history museum holds a unique place as it was amongst the first natural history museum to be established in South East Asia. A large number of specimens here provide a good opportunity for the study of biodiversity. In addition, the museum have some special unique specimens like a marvelous collection of butterflies, a toy terrier puppy, double headed calf, double headed chick, three legged hen, flying lizard, vertebrate eggs and much more to see.
Our museum is of particular interest for the scientists, such as taxonomists, ecologists and evolutionary biologists. "Type specimens" of some local fish species have also been submitted here by the scientists.
Comprehensive collection of birds, amphibian, reptiles, fishes and mammals makes our museum a place worth to visit. Also, a separate section has been allocated to invertebrate fauna and also for fossils collected from all over Pakistan.
