Value of Collectons Natural science museums are often asked to
justify not only their current biological research collections
but also the need to continue collecting modern specimens. The
average person, who is unfamiliar with scientific research, may
look and only see thousands of jars of dead fish, frogs, snakes,
and lizards; steel cabinets filled with drawers of mammal and
bird carcasses, freshwater mussels, fossils, bones and dried
plant specimens; and glass-top cases holding insects of every
description. People may wonder if these specimens are not on
exhibit for the public to see, what purpose do they serve. If
these specimens are not on exhibit for the public to see, people
may wonder what purpose such collections serves. Research
collections are often referred to as biological libraries.
Properly preserved specimens provide a permanent snapshot in
time and space and become only more valuable through time. They
can document locations and populations no longer available to
science due to habitat modifi