Help us to make our collection accessible by transcribing labels of objects such as bees from the research collection or, in other words, by typing them digitally. After the successful completion of the first part, 130 volunteers transcribed 4826 objects, new labels are now available again on the website Zooniverse.org and under the motto "Bees & Bytes". Do you want to do citizen science from home? Would you like to get involved with nature? All you need is some time and a computer.
How does it work?
Visit our project Bees & Bytes and register. Change the language to English in the upper right corner of the screen. Then simply choose one of two different workflows we offer. In the first one, the labels need to be counted before being copied, in the second one they need to be marked on the photo. By following the simple instructions in German or English, you can participate in our collection exploration. Click through and follow the individual steps. In a few minutes you will have digitally recorded a label for a bee. If you have any questions, you can register and contact our team via Zooniverse. All employees will be happy to help you.
Why does the museum digitize and transcribe labels?
With over 30 million objects, the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin houses a unique collection that is of great importance for current and future research questions. The Museum will develop this unique resource in the coming years with the aim of making it accessible to users worldwide.
In an initial pilot project, the entire Hymenoptera collection is currently being digitally indexed. With some 2.3 million objects, it is one of the museum's largest collections and includes bees, wasps and ants. The collection includes valuable type specimens, already extinct species and animals collected over a hundred years ago or on all continents. The collection is particularly important with regard to research on the extinction of bees and insects.