The Natural History Museum promote the discovery, understanding, enjoyment, and responsible use of the natural world. Explore our world-class collections, fantastic exhibitions and cutting-edge research online, or visit our landmark buildings. [Information of the supplier]
Ten major natural history museum libraries, botanical libraries, and research institutions have joined to form the Biodiversity Heritage Library Project. The group is developing a strategy and operational plan to digitize the published literature of biodiversity held in their respective collections. This literature will be available through a global “biodiversity commons.” As of November 2008, the 10 member libraries of the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) members have over 10 million pages of key taxonomic literature available on the web. ... [Information of the supplier, modified]
In a research project of the Helmholz Centre for Cultural Technology that extended over many years, parts of the Medical History Collection, the Portrait Collection, as well as the outstanding graphics of the University Library, all the exhibits of the large exhibition “Theatrum naturae et artis. Wunderkammern des Wissens" („Theatrum naturae et artis. Wonder Cabinet of Knowledge”), parts of the zoological teaching collection, important graphics from the Natural History Museum, and the complete sound archive for the “Cabinet of Knowledge” were systematically registered and digitised. Digital photos and scans, and sound files are the placeholders for the items of the collection in the examples database thus formed, and enable the study of rare or endangered individual items. The nucleus is, however, the transdisciplinary keyword system developed by the participating scientists. It is so arranged that classification characteristics can always be adapted to the current scientific standard without disturbing the data for the item. The databank presented here does not arrogate in any way the representation of the integrated collections and institutions, but only proposes suggestions for the use and presentation of the collection holdings. ... [Information of the supplier, translated]
This digital archive of unique material relating to the society's priceless collections of specimens, manuscripts and letters will enable full global access for investigation allowing researchers to rapidly check details of the specimens on-line, including morphological details and written data. The information is of critical importance to correct naming and identification of specimens. The type specimens represent the original concept of new species, exemplified by the specimens and illustrations used when assigning binomial scientific names, the foundation stones of taxonomy. The Herbarium archive contains all 14,300 Linnaean plant specimens. This first phase of the Insects archive contains the Linnaean and Smithian butterflies and moths only. The remaining insects from the collection will be made available during 2009. The Fish archive contains all the 158 Linnaean fish specimens. ... [Information of the supplier]
The "Austrian Collections and Databases on Species Diversity" is an interdisciplinary study for the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. The study (*) provides for the first time a nationwide overview covering Austrian collections and databases on species diversity in the fields of zoology, botany, microbiology and agriculture, (*) includes the public as well as the private sector, (*) is based on an interdisciplinary project approach and on the cooperation of the leading specialist institutions in Austria, and (*) constitutes Austria's thematic contribution to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). ... [Information of the supplier]
The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences is devoted to the conservation and the study of the State’s natural science collections. These huge collections (more than 30 million items) are for research purposes and unavailable to the public. An exquisite part of these collections is on show in the Museum. [Information of the supplier]
The Netherlands starts the International Year of Biodiversity 2010 by launching a new Biodiversity Centre. Several natural-history collections that have been gathered in the Netherlands over the years will shortly be integrated in this national centre and made available for research designed to advance our knowledge of biodiversity. This will constitute the Netherlands’ contribution to the international effort. ... [Information of the supplier, modified]
Natural History Museum of Crete has been functioning and operates under the framework of the University of Crete since 1980, being a pioneer institute at national and European level in the following activities: Study and Management of the Natural Environment of Crete; Public awareness, education and sensitisation of local people as well as the visitors of the area; Link University activities with Cretan society; and, Set up a network of Ecological Museums in Greece and throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. Eastern Mediterranean is unique at a global level due to the great ecological and cultural complexity. The evenness as well as the contrast, the stability, many affinities and the special features characterizes the area. The aim of the Natural History Museum of Crete is the study, protection and promotion of the special features of the area of Eastern Mediterranean. ... [Information of the supplier]
The scientists, particularly those associated with natural history museums and botanical gardens collectively hold large number of multimedia data like pictures, sounds, movies about specimens in his collections. This multimedia content is held in different kinds of databases and therefore is only currently available to those few people who can gain direct access to the databases. The attractive multimedia is thus effectively withheld from use for a wide range of scientific applications, which includes research, education, taxonomic study, biodiversity conservation, protected area management, and maintenance of diverse ecosystem services. Therefore a project which would provide this multimedia content with specific biological and multilingual functionality to a wide European cultural audience through EUROPEANA was proposed. The inclusion of culturally-significant multimedia content from European natural history collections (i.e., more than 1 million pictures, artwork, movies, and audio files) will enhance the scientific dimension of EUROPEANA by adding substantial information about the natural world complementing the digital biodiversity literature, and in addition to the existing material primarily from the arts and humanities. A consortium leading by Freie Universitaet Berlin was established to work together on the proposed aims under the EU project OpenUp!. The members of consortium are 23 scientific institutions from 12 different European countries. ... [Information of the supplier, modified]
