It is the largest and most active center in Israel of documentation and science, focusing on biodiversity research and its varied applications including nature conservation, environmental protection, and agriculture.

[1][2][3] The museum is set for the discovery, collections development and care, and scientific categorization of millions of specimens, documenting the flora and fauna in Israel and the Middle East for thousands of years, as well as the history of humankind and its interactions with the environment.

[2][3] Collections holding some 5.5 million items, accumulated by scientists from Tel Aviv University and other institutions, were moved to the new museum[1][4][2][5] before it opened to the public in July 2018.

[3][16][17] The museum is chaired by Prof. Tamar Dayan[2][3] of the School of Zoology at Tel Aviv University, with Alon Sapan acting as director.

[4] The collections operate under the auspices of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and with the support of the Planning and Grants Committee of the Council for Higher Education.