It is the policy of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History to encourage use of its collections for research, publication, exhibition, education and other purposes. The nature and conditions of such use must be consistent with the Museum's responsibility to care for and preserve its collections. Access to fragile or culturally sensitive materials may be restricted.
Access to collections can normally be granted only by a curator or curatorial designee of a division. The granting of access to a user does not carry with it the right for the user to give others access to the collections. Access to collections may be denied (or the right of access revoked) if any person abuses this privilege, mishandles specimens, or has a poor record of returning borrowed specimens.
The Yale Peabody Museum should receive credit in publications based on the use of specimens from its collections. The acronym "YPM" and the prefix with its 6-digit catalog number should be used to cite the Museum's specimens and objects (unless otherwise specified by a division). Authors are asked to send two reprints of any publication based in whole or in part on material belonging to the Museum.
Collections are normally available during Museum office hours, subject to the availability of study space, of facilities, and of appropriate curatorial staff. If the user requires any special services such as preparation, heavy lifting, access to exhibits, or special equipment, this need should be indicated in advance. Users from outside the University are normally required to make an appointment, in advance, stating their reason for using the collections. Some divisions may require application in writing. Users are required to demonstrate competence in handling specimens and willingness to comply with security arrangements and other regulations. The full policy on loan requests can be viewed at Collections Policies. For information on traveling to New Haven click here.
Requests from institutions outside the University to borrow Yale Peabody Museum specimens for research or exhibition should be made in writing to the appropriate curator or curatorial designee. Requests should include the following information: the purpose of the loan; a description of the material requested in as much detail as possible; and where, and under whose responsibility the specimens will be housed while on loan.
The Museum loans only to institutions, not to individuals. A permanently employed institutional representative who has authority to bind the institution is named responsible for the loan. Investigators who are not located at, or affiliated with, an institution can make arrangements to have specimens sent to a nearby facility as long as a responsible member of that institution is willing to accept responsibility for the specimens, and provided that the specimens remain on the premises of that institution. Specimens requested by students, post-doctoral fellows, or emeritus faculty require endorsement by an appropriate curator or current faculty member with authority to bind the institution, and will be considered the direct responsibility of the institution and the endorser. The full policy on loan requests can be viewed at Collections Policies.
Approval to photograph in the collections is granted by the divisions. The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History makes available images, text and data on the Museum and its collections to scholars, students and the general public. Any use of Yale Peabody Museum images, text and data is governed by the conditions printed on the Museum's Permission Request and Agreement Form. See our Terms of Use and Permissions Policies. Fees, including research fees, may be charged by the Museum depending on the extent of the services provided, the rights required, and the nature of use. The full policy on loan requests can be viewed at Collections Policies. For commercial photography and filming requests, see our Permissions Policies.
Qualified researchers (including students) are welcome to visit the collections by appointment. Before making travel arrangements, please confirm the dates of your visit with the collections manager or curator of the division.
Airports
New Haven is most conveniently accessed by the following Connecticut airports:
International flights are best booked via New York airports:
Train
Amtrak and Metro-North have service to New Haven Union Station and State Street Station (equidistant from the Peabody Museum). Train service is available from most of the US, but is most convenient if limited to eastern seaboard travel (the Northeast Regional, Vermonter, and high-speed Acela Express routes)
Ground transportation from the airport
Shuttle
Shuttles are available to/from Bradley for less than $100 round trip (approx. 1 hour drive, plus buffer) and NYC area airports (less than $150 RT to New Haven) LaGuardia, JKF, and Newark, NJ (2 or 3 hour shuttle drive, plus buffer).
Train
Amtrak and Metro-North have service to New Haven's Union Station and State Street Station (equidistant from the Yale Peabody Museum).
Local transportation and parking
Taxi
Taxis are always waiting at Union Station and Tweed New Haven Airport. The address for the Yale Peabody Museum is 170 Whitney Avenue (west side of Whitney).
Metro Taxi – 203.777.7777
Ecuamex Taxi – 203.624.3333
New Haven Taxi Cab - 203.877.0000
Yellow Cab Company - 203.777.5555
Parking
Parking is available for visiting researchers in the Yale Peabody Museum visitor lot during the day. Please collect a ticket and the guards at the front desk in the lobby can validate your parking pass. Please confirm that parking is available where you plan to stay.
Yale Shuttle
The Yale Shuttle is available for local needs - http://to.yale.edu/shuttle
Accommodations
There are several options for housing in and around New Haven (prices are estimates):
| Price range, per night | On Yale shuttle – route color | Walking distance to Peabody | Parking available (daily fee) |
Farnam Guest House - Bed and Breakfast away from downtown | $100-200 (incl. brkfst) | Y – Blue | 1.1 mile | Y (on street) |
The Graduate Club - not a traditional hotel, but rooms in a colonial house; room choices may or may not have private bathrooms and/or air conditioners, no wheelchair access | $100 (longer durations have reduced rates) **reservations must be made by a Yale employee | Y – Blue | 0.5 mile; on the New Haven Green | Y ($15) |
| Start at $150 | Y - Blue | 1.0 mile | Y ($20) |
| $100 (incl. brkfst) | N/A | 10 minute urban drive to the Peabody | Y (free) |
$150 (incl. brkfst) | N/A | 0.9 mi | Y ($15) | |
| Starts at $180 | Within walking distance | 0.7 mi | Y ($20) |
$180 **must be booked and paid for by a YPM division
| Yes | Across Whitney Avenue from the Peabody | Y (free) |
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