As a collecting museum, we are constantly reflecting on what it means to steward and care for specimens from our planet.
The Pacific Museum of Earth’s collections have been built over nearly a century through research, teaching, fieldwork, and donations. Together, these minerals, rocks, and fossils help us understand Earth’s history, support scientific research, enrich university teaching, and inspire curiosity in visitors of all ages.
Caring for collections involves much more than storage. It includes conservation, documentation, digitization, research, and ensuring that specimens remain accessible to students, researchers, educators, and the public. As technologies and museum practices evolve, so too does our responsibility to preserve these collections and share their stories in meaningful ways.
Support for the Collections Care & Preservation Fund helps us catalogue, conserve, digitize, photograph, and improve access to our collections, ensuring that these irreplaceable records of Earth’s history remain available for generations to come.
Every gift makes a difference.
The projects below range from small enhancements to major initiatives, and gifts of any size help move them forward.
| Priority | Examples of Support | Suggested Gift |
|---|---|---|
| Caring for our collections | Purchase archival storage materials and specimen housing. | $1,000+ |
| Upgrade storage cabinets and collection organization systems. | $25,000+ | |
| Support major collections preservation initiatives. | $100,000+ | |
| Digitizing our collections | Photograph and catalogue specimens. | $10,000+ |
| Support 3D scanning and digital access initiatives. | $25,000+ | |
| Advance large-scale collections digitization projects. | $250,000+ | |
| Expanding access to our collections | Improve online collection records and digital resources. | $5,000+ |
| Develop new tools that support teaching, research, and public engagement. | $25,000+ | |
| Create major initiatives that make collections more accessible to researchers, students, and the public. | $100,000+ | |
| Conserving significant specimens | Support specimen preparation and conservation work. | $5,000+ |
| Restore or stabilize important specimens requiring specialized care. | $25,000+ | |
| Fund major conservation initiatives for high-value collections. | $100,000+ | |
| Training future collections professionals | Support student training opportunities in collections management. | $2,500+ |
| Fund student positions focused on collections care and digitization. | $10,000+ | |
| Establish long-term experiential learning opportunities. | $100,000+ | |
| Strengthening collections infrastructure | Purchase specialized collections equipment. | $5,000+ |
| Improve collections workspaces and research facilities. | $100,000+ | |
| Support major collections facilities and preservation infrastructure. | $1 million+ |