GCU’s 100-Year-Old Museum Opened To Public

News Desk

Lahore: A century-old natural history collection at Government College University (GCU) Lahore has opened its doors to the public, offering visitors a rare opportunity to explore thousands of specimens documenting the diversity and evolution of life.

The historic Stephenson Natural History Museum welcomed the public on July 30, drawing families, students and nature enthusiasts to its newly restored galleries.

The museum, regarded as one of Pakistan’s unique natural history institutions, has undergone extensive restoration and renovation using funds from the university’s own savings.

With more than 6,000 vertebrate and invertebrate specimens, the collection gives visitors a glimpse into biodiversity, fossils and evolutionary history. Its origins also add to its significance, as it is considered among the earliest natural history museums in Southeast Asia.

Among the exhibits attracting the most attention were unusual preserved specimens, including a double-headed duckling and a three-legged hen. A three-month-old Toy Terrier puppy also proved popular with younger visitors.

Mammalian trophies and fossilised remains of extinct invertebrates offered another attraction, while the museum’s historic bird collection, dating back to the 18th century, drew particular interest from birdwatchers and history enthusiasts.

GCU Vice Chancellor Dr Asghar Zaidi welcomed the public response and said the university planned to organise more exhibitions and activities aimed at making its heritage and academic resources accessible to the wider community.

The reopening has also been welcomed within the university, where students, faculty and staff have shown renewed interest in the preservation of the museum’s collections.

Beyond its unusual specimens, the restored museum provides an opportunity to connect Lahore’s educational heritage with natural history, allowing a new generation of visitors to explore collections that have survived for decades.