Expansion and Rehousing of the Vertebrate Collections of the Utah Museum of Natural History

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The Utah Museum of Natural History (UMNH) holds scientific research collections of more than 71,000 specimens of vertebrate animals (mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians). There has been steady growth and expanding use of these collections, and the present museum facility is no longer adequate. UMNH is constructing a new $103M building that will include climate-controlled collection storage and new research laboratories. This project will fund new collection storage cabinets and shelving, a freezer for storing the vertebrate tissue collection, and will support moving the vertebrate collections to the new facility. The UMNH vertebrate collections are international in scope, but emphasize the biologically rich Intermountain Region of the western USA. As a primary resource on regional biodiversity, they are used by scientists, resource managers, educators and students at all levels. They support scientific research on an expanding range of topics. Their historical depth provides insight into how climate change and shifting land-use practices have altered animal communities in this region. The collections form the basis for museum exhibits and public programs on regional natural history and scientific research, emphasizing the relevance of historical collections to current resource management and conservation. This project will augment all of these activities through improvements in collection storage, maintenance and accessibility.