New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science

The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science will improve the care and access of approximately 1,400 oversized fossil specimens, including many scientifically and educationally valuable holotype specimens. The project will involve purchasing specialized supplies and equipment needed for handling oversized collections. Museum staff working with paid interns and volunteers will rehouse the specimens using archival storage mounts and long-lasting polyethylene pallets, reorganize and move the oversized collections to a new collections storage space to reduce overcrowding, and barcode the oversized specimen containers and mounts and add them to the museum’s collection management database’s object tracking module. They will cover all open shelves to provide protection from dust accumulation. Outreach activities will highlight the specimens and rehousing efforts. This project will bring the storage environment up to museum and safety standards, improving long-term preservation and increasing access for researchers.