Useful Collections Care and Related Sites

Collection Policy of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: http://collections.nhm.org/policy.html
Conservation Online: http://aic.stanford.edu/treasure/objects.html
The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works basic guidelines for the care of special collections.
Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections: http://www.spnhc.org/
SPNHC is dedicated to the preservation, conservation, and managment of natural history collections.
Museum Collection Management Terms and Invertebrate Specimen Processing Procedures: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/iz/usap/usapspec.html
National Museum of Natural History museum collection management terms and invertebrate specimen processing procedures: methods of fixation and preservation.
Canadian Natural History Museum, Collection Management and Conservation Research Centre: http://www.nature.ca/research/cmcrc_e.cfm
The Conservation Research Centre investigates and evaluates risks to collections, and summarizes best practices in collection management and the conservation of natural history collections.
Natural History Museums and Collections: http://www.lib.washington.edu/sla/natmus.html
A comprehensive site with links to natural history museum and libraries around the world.
Caring for Collections: http://www.sdnhm.org/research/collections/conservation/index.html
A lay person's introduction to collections care.

What's wrong with this picture?


Alcohol levels are low. Air bubbles forming inside vials will lead to eventual desiccation of the sample.

Sample biomass is too high relative to the amount of preservative in the jar. Either a larger container is needed, or the sample should be divided into two containers.

Label has no information about the preservative used to fix and preserve this sediment sample.

Storage shed at Friday Harbor, Washington where the Puget Sound Collection was housed before being relocated to the NHMLAC. Maintaining proper environmental conditions of the storage area is critical to maintaining sample integrity. High temperatures and low humidity levels will increase evaporation rates. Fluctuating temperatures causes closures to expand and contract differentially, resulting in loosened lids. High humidity creates an attractive environment for mold which destroys containers and labels.

Cork-stoppered vials should be replaced with 100% cotton-stoppered vials. Cork readily decomposes when exposed to formalin and alcohol and irreversibly discolors specimens. Plastic bags are intended for temporary storage only. Plastic bags should be replaced as soon as possible with museum-grade containers.

Adequate alcohol levels need to be maintained. Unsorted sediment samples fixed in formalin should be transferred to alcohol.