Museum objects provide a snapshot in time and can reveal new information as technology and questions change. Objects tell stories.

Why collect? If you landed on Earth from outer space, how would you understand our planet? Collecting allows us to document life on Earth and understand relationships between living things. Scientists collect multiple specimens to understand the differences between objects or species. These collections also record Earth’s history and answer new questions as science evolves.

Today we use museum collections to understand important world issues such as climate change, biodiversity, evolution and cultural change.