Rochester Museum and Science Center

The Rochester Museum & Science Center will consolidate multiple databases and paper records into a new, centralized database to improve collections access, preserve collections documentation, and help museum staff better care for and manage 1.2 million objects in the natural science, archeology, and history collections. The museum will purchase a high-speed scanner to digitize hard copy catalog records, migrate digital records from 26 separate catalog and collections databases, process a backlog of 3,000 digital images, reconcile records from different sources, establish a controlled vocabulary, and establish two additional on-site work stations as well as remote access in the off-site museum support facility. Data migration and curatorial consultants will work with the museum in planning and developing the database and in training staff in its use. The project will give the public, schools, partner institutions, researchers, and museum staff greatly expanded and more efficient access to information and digital representations of the museum’s collections.