The Ghent University Zoological museum holds a scientific collection of vertebrate and invertebrate specimens and a collection of anatomic preparates. The museum dates from 1817 and the original idea was to curate a didactic collection for educational purposes. Ghent University Zoology Museum curates a vertebrate collection of over 6000 specimen. the vertebrate collection is divided in a "Comparative anatomy collection" of about 2000 specimen. A valuable historic collection of Professor Felix. Plateau and several smaller historic collection. Some specimens were bought or donated by the Antwerp Zoo. Some of the specimens belonged to animals living in the Ghent zoo which closed in 1905