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Museums and collections The protection and management of geodiversity should not just focus upon geological sites. Museums also have an active role to play in the preservation, protection and promotion of geodiversity. Although the majority of museum collections tend to contain local specimens, some of the larger national museums house a broad range of specimens which are of national and international importance. For the potential scientific value and long-term utility of geological material to be realised, certain procedures need to be adopted to catalogue, preserve and store geological materials. Many collections house specimens collected in the early 19th century from sites which are no longer accessible or have been destroyed. The material therefore represents an important resouce which cannot be replace. The historical background of a geological collection is also extremely significant as it may reflect the development of the understanding of geology as a science. Many museums contain collections from early pioneers in geology. Museums can also play a large part in the prevention of the sale of illicit geological materials, especially fossils. Some counties have legislation in place which prevents the acquisition of illicit material. For example, UK museums are prohibited from researching, exhibiting or accepting loaned material if there is no legal documentation in place to prove that it was legally collected or imported. This is supported under a Code of Ethics produced by the UK Museums Association in 2001. Australia also limits the movement of geological specimens under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act (1986). Unfortunately, not all countries uphold these ethical guidelines and some European national museums are still actively acquiring illegally obtained specimens and are producing taxonomic papers based on illicit fossil material. The public are not always aware of the existence of museum collections, particularly if the museum no longer houses a geological display. It is essential that geoconservation organisations work in partnership with museums to ensure that collections can be used to raise public interest and understanding of geology and geological processes. Museums with notable geological collections include the following: The recently re-opened Rotunda Museum, Scarborough |
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