Echinoderms are sea stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, brittle stars, feather stars, and related animals.

For many
millions of years, they have been among the most conspicuous and abundant oceanic organisms. People around the
world have recognized their beauty and importance since ancient times.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County began to acquire specimens of echinoderms in the 1920s through
its Department of Marine Zoology. In 1985, the Museum became an internationally recognized center of echinoderm
studies with the appointment of the first Echinoderms Curator, and with the accrual of major collections that elevated
the Museum’s holdings to the third largest in the United States.