Advanced Courses on Life Sciences

Online course – 10th Edition

Care and Management of Natural History Collections

March 16th, 18th, 20th, 23th, 25th, and 27th, 2026

Registration

Contact

courses@transmittingscience.com

Care and Management of Natural History Collections

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Course Overview

Using a combination of lectures, discussions, demonstrations, and readings, this course will teach participants how to better care for and manage all natural history collections (including botany, geosciences, and zoology).

The importance of the collections storage environment is emphasized, as well as the identification and selection of inert materials, testing locally available materials, adapting collections care standards to particular environmental conditions, and good management through sound policies and collection planning.

Rather than the traditional discipline-based approach, the course teaches collections care based on collection material and preparation type―dry preparations, wet preparations, and documentation (including paper-based and electronic media).

The course will benefit individuals who already have experience in caring for natural history collections, as well as those who intend to work with natural history collections.

Places are limited to 22 participants.

Programme

Introduction.
History of natural history collections and specimen preservation.
Categories of collections.
Use and value of collections and impact on research.
Importance of collection-based research and specimens as research vouchers.
Permits, CITIES, and other laws and regulations.

Theoretical and conceptual bases collections management.
Preventive conservation in theory and practice.
Security issues for natural history collections.
Materials used for collections care.
Group I—Dry preserved collections and genetic samples.
- Whole organisms and parts preserved dry or frozen.
- Tissues.
- Bones and teeth.
- Invertebrate shells and exoskeletons.
- Rocks, fossils, minerals.
- Health and safety concerns for dry preserved specimens

Group II—Wet preserved collections.
- Whole organisms and parts preserved in fluids.
- Histological preparations.
- Minerals, rocks and fossils in fluids.
- Health and safety concerns for fluid-preserved specimens.

Group III—Documentation.
- Paper based records.
- Film and tape based records.
- Electronic records (databases).
- Molds and casts.
- Other media.
Storage environments and environmental monitoring.
Integrated pest management.
Professional standards and ethics.
Collections management policies.
Collection assessment.
Conservation assessments.
Collection Health Index.
Laboratory Sessions:
- Beilstein test for chlorides in plastics.
- Detection of glass deterioration.
- Identifying glass composition with UV light.
- Marking topping-up levels with grease pencil.
- Use of pH testing pen on paper.
- Use of pH indicator strips with fluid preserved specimens.
- Estimation of lipids in fluids.
- Smear test for printed documentation.
- Tape test for printed documentation.
- Atmospheric pressure demonstration.
- Surface tension demonstration.
- Use of visible light meter.
- Use of ultraviolet light meter.
- Use of sling psychrometer.
- Use of dataloggers.
- Discussions of other important material tests (Oddy test, estimating volatile acids from storage furniture using pH indicator strips; testing inks for lightfastness and solvent resistance).

Assumed Background

Graduate or postgraduate degree in Life Sciences.

Dates & Schedule

Online live sessions on March 16th, 18th, 20th, 23th, 25th, and 27th, 2026.

From 16:00 to 20:30 (Madrid time zone)

Total course hours: 40 (27 hours of live sessions, plus 13 hours of pre-recorded lectures to watch asynchronously).

This course is equivalent to 2 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System). The recognition of ECTS by other institutions depends on each university or school.

Format

The course is composed of pre-recorded and live online lectures.

Live sessions will be recorded. However, attendance to the live sessions is required to obtain the course certificate.

This course will be delivered in English.

Instructors

Greg McDonald instructor for Transmitting Science

Dr. Greg McDonald
Bureau of Land Management
United States of America

John E. Simmons instructor for Transmitting Science

John E. Simmons
Museologica
United States of America

Registration Fees

Course Fee
Early bird (until February 28th, 2026):
586 €
(468.80 € for Ambassador Institutions)
Regular (after February 28th, 2026):
746 €
(596.80 € for Ambassador Institutions)
Prices include VAT.
After registration you will receive confirmation of your acceptance on the course.
Payment is not required during registration. Check discounts here.
How do I get the Ambassador Institution discount?
Registration