Natural History Museum

Museum National museum exhibiting Mongolia's natural and paleontological heritage

Ulaanbaatar’s Natural History Museum displays Mongolian paleontology, fossils and taxidermy specimens; visitors see dinosaur mounts, steppe fauna exhibits and educational displays about Mongolia’s environment.

Main image

The Natural History Museum in Ulaanbaatar is a city museum housing collections of paleontology, zoology, mineralogy and ethnobotany relevant to Mongolia’s natural heritage. It is one of the main public science and natural history repositories in the capital.

Exhibit highlights include mounted dinosaur skeletons and fossil material, taxidermy of regional mammals and birds, and geological collections illustrating Mongolia’s mineral and rock diversity. The displays are arranged across several gallery rooms and are commonly visited by school groups and tourists seeking a compact overview of the country’s natural history.

The institution developed its collections over the 20th century through fieldwork and exchanges and functions today as a center for public education about Mongolia’s fauna, fossils and geology. It supports temporary exhibitions and educational programming alongside its permanent displays.

The museum is located in central Ulaanbaatar and is accessible by city transport, making it an easy stop on a short city itinerary.

  • Collections: Holds public displays of dinosaur fossils, mounted skeletons and regional taxidermy that are useful for a single-hour visit in Ulaanbaatar.

What to See #

  • Paleontology exhibits: Paleontology and dinosaur halls containing mounted skeletons and fossil displays used to illustrate Mongolia's Cretaceous and Mesozoic record.
  • Zoology and geology galleries: Galleries of taxidermy and mineralogy showing regional mammals, birds and geological specimens from across Mongolia.
Natural History Museum
47.9235, 106.9058

Tips for Visiting Natural History Museum #

  • Visit on a weekday morning soon after opening to avoid weekend and afternoon school-group crowds and have quieter access to the main halls.
  • Check the museum's temporary-exhibition schedule before you go - smaller rotating rooms often hold regional paleontology and local biodiversity displays that many visitors skip.
  • If English interpretation is limited, ask staff at the desk about the most important displays to see first so you don't miss key specimens before other visitors arrive.

Best Time to Visit Natural History Museum #

Best visited on weekday mornings or in shoulder/off‑peak months to avoid crowds and enjoy a quieter indoor experience.

Peak (summer)
June-August · N/A (indoor)
Warmer months bring more visitors and school groups-visit on weekday mornings to avoid crowds.
Off‑peak (winter)
November-March · N/A (indoor)
Colder outdoor weather and fewer tourists make for a quieter museum experience; check opening hours on holidays.
Shoulder seasons
April-May, September-October · N/A (indoor)
Moderate visitor levels-good balance of easier travel around Ulaanbaatar and smaller crowds inside the museum.

Weather & Climate near Natural History Museum #

Climate

Natural History Museum's climate is classified as Cold Semi-Arid - Cold Semi-Arid climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -29°C to 25°C. Semi-arid with limited rainfall with a pronounced dry season.

Air Quality: AQI 131 Unhealthy (Sg)
Best Time to Visit
JuneAugustMay
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
35°
Warmest Month
-40°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions

January

January is the coldest month with highs of -16°C and lows of -29°C. The driest month with just 2 mm.

48 Poor

Comfort

-22°
Feels Like Freezing
-22°C
Temperature
-29° -16°
90%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

2 mm
Rainfall
1.7 m/s
Wind
Calm
0.1
UV Index
Low
8.8h daylight

February

February is freezing with highs of -10°C and lows of -26°C. Almost no rain and partly cloudy skies.

46 Poor

Comfort

-18°
Feels Like Freezing
-18°C
Temperature
-26° -10°
85%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

3 mm
Rainfall
2.1 m/s
Wind
Calm
0.3
UV Index
Low
10.1h daylight

March

March is freezing with highs of -1°C and lows of -16°C. Almost no rain and partly cloudy skies.

50 Acceptable

Comfort

-9°
Feels Like Freezing
-9°C
Temperature
-16° -1°
69%
Humidity
Humid

Weather

4 mm
Rainfall
2.8 m/s
Wind
Calm
0.7
UV Index
Moderate
11.8h daylight

April

April is cold with highs of 9°C and lows of -6°C. Light rainfall and partly cloudy skies.

70 Very Good

Comfort

Feels Like Cold
C
Temperature
-6°
53%
Humidity
Humid

Weather

11 mm
Rainfall
3.6 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
1.2
UV Index
High
13.5h daylight

May

May is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 2°C. Light rainfall and partly cloudy skies.

78 Very Good

Comfort

10°
Feels Like Cool
10°C
Temperature
18°
50%
Humidity
Comfortable

Weather

15 mm
Rainfall
3.6 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
1.6
UV Index
Very High
14.9h daylight

June

June is cool with highs of 23°C and lows of 9°C. Moderate rainfall (54 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

80 Excellent

Comfort

16°
Feels Like Cool
16°C
Temperature
23°
53%
Humidity
Humid

Weather

54 mm
Rainfall
3.0 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
1.8
UV Index
Very High
15.7h daylight

July

July is the warmest month with highs of 25°C and lows of 12°C. Moderate rainfall (73 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

77 Very Good

Comfort

18°
Feels Like Mild
18°C
Temperature
12° 25°
59%
Humidity
Humid

Weather

73 mm
Rainfall
2.5 m/s
Wind
Calm
1.8
UV Index
Very High
15.3h daylight

August

August is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 9°C. The wettest month with 77 mm of rain and partly cloudy skies.

79 Very Good

Comfort

16°
Feels Like Cool
16°C
Temperature
23°
62%
Humidity
Humid

Weather

77 mm
Rainfall
2.3 m/s
Wind
Calm
1.5
UV Index
Very High
14.1h daylight

September

September is cold with highs of 16°C and lows of 1°C. Moderate rainfall (35 mm).

75 Very Good

Comfort

Feels Like Cold
C
Temperature
16°
60%
Humidity
Humid

Weather

35 mm
Rainfall
2.6 m/s
Wind
Calm
1.0
UV Index
High
12.4h daylight

October

October is freezing with highs of 7°C and lows of -8°C. Light rainfall.

61 Good

Comfort

Feels Like Freezing
C
Temperature
-8°
66%
Humidity
Humid

Weather

10 mm
Rainfall
2.4 m/s
Wind
Calm
0.5
UV Index
Low
10.7h daylight

November

November is freezing with highs of -5°C and lows of -18°C. Almost no rain.

48 Poor

Comfort

-12°
Feels Like Freezing
-12°C
Temperature
-19° -5°
80%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

5 mm
Rainfall
2.0 m/s
Wind
Calm
0.2
UV Index
Low
9.2h daylight

December

December is freezing with highs of -13°C and lows of -26°C. Almost no rain and partly cloudy skies.

46 Poor

Comfort

-20°
Feels Like Freezing
-20°C
Temperature
-26° -13°
89%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

3 mm
Rainfall
1.7 m/s
Wind
Calm
0.1
UV Index
Low
8.3h daylight

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