Debbie Sommer, Greeley, holds her 2-month-old son, Caleb, while viewing a polar bear exhibit in Kansas University's Natural History Museum in this June 2007 file photo.

Kansas University’s Natural History Museum has been named the top natural history museum among public universities by Best College Reviews, KU announced this week.

The KU Natural History Museum, 1345 Jayhawk Boulevard, ranked fourth overall behind its peers at private universities Harvard, Drexel and Yale in Best College Reviews’ “The 30 Most Amazing Higher Ed Natural History Museums.” The museum, as part of the KU Biodiversity Institute, is home to more than 9 million plant, animal and fossil specimens, in addition to 1.5 million archaeological artifacts.

“We are honored to receive this recognition of nationwide leadership in the study of the life of the planet for science and society,” said Leonard Krishtalka, director of the KU Biodiversity Institute and the museum, in a news release. “We have the finest scientists, graduate students and public program staff in the country.”

In addition to being open to the public, the museums were ranked by Best College Reviews on the number of artifacts/specimens in the collection, opportunities at the museum for college students and community involvement.