Purpose

The AMCC adopts this collection policy to govern the accession, use, and storage of all materials housed in its collections. The aim of the collection is to store genetic specimens of as many species of organisms as possible, in order to increase research potential and to anticipate the needs of future generations. Consistent with this aim, the AMCC will:

• act as the central repository for frozen tissue and genetic materials for the American Museum of Natural History.
  • donated by non-museum researchers and institutions.
  • deposited into the United States National Parks Service Special Collection.
• promote an open policy of reciprocal tissue loans to similar institutions that maintain collections and promote specimen-based research.
• accumulate significant holdings in taxonomic groups and geographic areas appropriate to the research interests of the AMNH staff and the scholarly community around the world.
• voucher biological materials used in genomic research.
• accept existing collections of scientific value from institutions that can not provide adequate care, subject to availability of financial support and necessary staff resources.

The Curator-in-Charge of the AMCC shall be responsible for legal compliance and implementation of Museum policies as they apply to the AMCC, as well as for the management of the AMCC staff. The Curator-in-Charge shall report a synopsis of all acquisitions received and loans made during the relevant fiscal year in annual summaries to the Provost and Divisional Chairpersons.