Our Mission

The Georgia Museum of Natural History is among the largest and most diverse in the Southeast, with more than 5 million items in its collections. It was officially designated the state Museum in 1999, with a mission to preserve the cultural and natural heritage of Georgia, to provide instruction and foster stewardship among its people, and to encourage scholarship and service related to the collections.

The Museum’s 11 natural history collections are supported by five departments at the University of Georgia: Anthropology, Plant Biology, Entomology, Geology, and Plant Pathology. Each collection is the largest of its kind in Georgia. The collections are primarily administered and supported by their academic departments and colleges. While public service, outreach, and some administrative programs fall under the Office of Director of the Museum, 10 collections are supported by the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

The Friends of the Georgia Museum of Natural History was also founded in 1999 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to raise awareness of the Museum and its holdings.