Natural Sciences Collections Association facts for kids
The Natural Sciences Collections Association (NatSCA) is a group in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It's like a club for people who care about nature collections. Volunteers run it, and it's a charitable organization (meaning it helps people and doesn't make a profit).
NatSCA's main goal is to "promote and support natural science collections." This means they want to help museums and other places that keep collections of plants, animals, rocks, and fossils. They also support the people who work with these collections. Their aim is to make sure these collections are well cared for, understood, easy to access, and enjoyable for everyone.
This group helps people share ideas and research about natural science collections. They also work to improve how these collections are looked after and preserved. They want more people to know how important these collections are for science and culture.
NatSCA focuses on a few key areas:
- Community: They create a friendly network where people can share information, experiences, and skills.
- Support: They help people who work with natural science collections grow in their jobs.
- Standards: They find and promote the best ways to care for and use natural science collections.
- Promoting collections: They help more people learn about the scientific and cultural value of these collections.
- Advocacy: They speak up if collections are not being cared for properly. They also ask for the right resources to keep collections safe and useful for a long time.
| Formation | April 2003 from merger of the Biological Curator's Group (founded 1975) and Natural Sciences Conservation Group (founded 1995) |
|---|---|
| Type | Learned society |
| Purpose | Natural history collections care and use |
| Location | |
|
Membership
|
circa 250 |
|
Activities
|
Research & publications, training & events |
| Website | natsca.org |
How NatSCA Started
The Natural Sciences Collections Association was created in April 2003. It was formed when two other groups joined together. These groups were the Natural Sciences Conservation Group (NCSG) and the Biological Curator's Group (BCG). They officially merged at a meeting in the Manchester Museum.
NatSCA also works closely with other similar groups. These include the Geological Curators' Group and the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections. They all work together to protect natural history items.
In May 2020, Isla Gladstone became the new chair of NatSCA. She works at the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery. She took over from Paolo Viscardi, who had been the chair since June 2014. Paolo works at the National Museum of Ireland – Natural History.
Famous Supporters
In 2013, NatSCA announced some well-known people as their patrons. Patrons are like special supporters who help promote the organization. These patrons were Alice Roberts, Iain Stewart, and Ben Garrod. They are all famous for their work in science and natural history.
Find Out More
- Natural Sciences Collections Association website
