Unlocking Blathers' Museum

Here's how to get Blathers and his amazing museum set up on your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Start collecting fossils, fish, and bugs!

So, you've just landed on your very own island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and you're wondering when you'll get to see that distinguished owl, Blathers, and his grand museum? It's a pretty important step for filling out your island's collection, so let's get you there!

First things first, you'll need to have completed the initial setup of Resident Services and have paid off your first home loan to Tom Nook. Once you've done that, Tom Nook will mention the idea of expanding your island's cultural offerings. He'll suggest that you donate at least 15 critters – that means fish, bugs, or even some of those fossils you've been digging up – to the museum.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to go out there and catch or find at least 15 different types of creatures. Don't worry if you catch duplicates; Tom Nook only cares about the variety. So, get your net and fishing rod ready! Dig up those fossils too, but remember, you'll need to get them assessed by Blathers after he arrives to count them towards your goal.

Once you've gathered your 15 unique donations, head back to Tom Nook. He'll be thrilled with your efforts and will tell you that he's arranged for Blathers to come to your island. The next day, Blathers will set up his tent, which serves as a temporary museum. You can donate your critters to him there.

After you've donated at least one more critter to Blathers in his tent, he'll decide that his current setup isn't quite grand enough for his collection. He'll then announce that he wants to build a proper museum. This will involve a bit of construction, and you'll need to place a museum plot for him. Tom Nook will give you a Museum Plot Infrastructure Kit. You'll need to place this plot somewhere on your island. Once placed, the museum construction will begin, and it will be completed the following day. Voila! Your very own museum, ready to be filled with all sorts of amazing finds!