# Data Portal of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

> web-based data portal for digital access to the collection of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

**Wikidata**: [Q114291554](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114291554)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/data-portal-of-the-museum-fur-naturkunde-berlin

## Summary
The Data Portal of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin is a web-based platform providing digital access to the museum's extensive collections, including specimens and research data. Published by the Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, it facilitates open scientific research and public engagement with natural history. The portal supports multilingual access (German and English) and integrates standardized data formats to ensure usability across disciplines.

## Key Facts
- **Publisher**: Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science.
- **Instance of**: Website and data portal.
- **Main subjects**: Biology and mineralogy.
- **Languages**: German and English (website and content).
- **URL**: https://portal.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/.
- **Technical specifications**: Uses JSON-LD for data structuring and provides a GraphQL API endpoint (https://portal.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/api/v1/graph).
- **Related software**: Built using Datopian.
- **Identifier**: NFDI4Culture ID E3896.
- **Documentation**: User manual available at https://code.naturkundemuseum.berlin/mediaspherefornature/data-portal (English).

## FAQs
### Q: What is the purpose of the Data Portal?
A: The portal provides global, digital access to the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin’s collections, enabling scientific research, education, and public exploration of biodiversity and mineralogy specimens.

### Q: How can I access the portal?
A: Visit https://portal.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/, available in German and English. Technical users can also access data via the GraphQL API endpoint.

### Q: What formats and standards does the portal use?
A: It utilizes JSON-LD for linked data and offers a GraphQL API, ensuring machine-readable and interoperable datasets for research and integration.

## Why It Matters
The Data Portal of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin is a critical resource for advancing open science and biodiversity research. By digitizing and sharing one of the world’s largest natural history collections, it democratizes access to historical and contemporary scientific data. This supports global efforts to study evolution, conservation, and environmental change, while also promoting public awareness of natural history. The portal’s adherence to standardized formats (e.g., JSON-LD, GraphQL) ensures compatibility with modern research tools, fostering collaboration across institutions and disciplines. As part of the Leibniz Institute’s mission, it contributes to preserving cultural and scientific heritage for future generations.

## Notable For
- **Technical Innovation**: Early adoption of JSON-LD and GraphQL for museum data, enhancing interoperability and query flexibility.
- **Multilingual Accessibility**: Content and tools available in German and English, broadening global usability.
- **Collaborative Infrastructure**: Integration with Wikimedia projects (e.g., WikiProject MfN Berlin Names) to link collections to open knowledge platforms.
- **Unique Identifier**: Registered as NFDI4Culture ID E3896, recognizing its role in Germany’s national research data infrastructure.

## Body
### Overview
The Data Portal serves as the digital gateway to the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin’s collections, which include over 42 million specimens. It aligns with the museum’s mission to promote biodiversity research, education, and public engagement through open data.

### Technical Specifications
- **Data Formats**: JSON-LD for structured, linked data.
- **API**: GraphQL endpoint (https://portal.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/api/v1/graph) for customized queries.
- **Software**: Built using Datopian, an open-source data portal framework.

### Accessibility
- **Languages**: German and English versions available via URL parameters (e.g., `?lang=de` or `?lang=en`).
- **Documentation**: User manual provided in English for technical guidance.

### Integration and Collaboration
- **Wikimedia Projects**: Part of WikiProject MfN Berlin Names, linking collections to Wikimedia platforms.
- **Research Infrastructure**: Part of NFDI4Culture (ID E3896), Germany’s initiative to sustainably manage cultural and scientific data.

### Governance
- **Publisher**: The portal is maintained by the Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, a leading institution in natural history research.

## References

1. [Source](https://portal.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/)
2. [Source](https://portal.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin?lang=de)
3. [Source](https://portal.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin?lang=en)