Paleontological Research Institution

PRI has outstanding programs in research, collections, publications, and Earth science education as well as two public venues for education -- Museum of the Earth and Cayuga Nature Center. The Institution cares for a collection of nearly three million specimens and publishes Bulletins of American Paleontology, the oldest paleontological journal in the Western Hemisphere, begun in 1895. PRI is a national leader in the development of informal (i.e., outside the classroom) Earth science education resources for educators and the general public. PRI’s Museum of the Earth takes visitors on a journey through 4.5 billion years of history, from the Earth’s origin to the present day. Through hands-on, visual exhibitions and outreach, the Museum of the Earth encourages critical thinking about life on Earth in the past and today, and how our species is affecting the natural world. In 2013, the Cayuga Nature Center became PRI's newest public venue for education. The goal is to transform the Nature Center into a premier educational center for teaching and learning about the impact of climate change on the fauna and flora of Tompkins County. PRI is separate from, but formally affiliated with Cornell University, and interacts closely with numerous University departments in research, teaching, and public outreach.