Become a Patron of the Annual Fund

Why support this year's Annual Fund Save Our Specimens appeal?

The Annual Fund is a great way to support the Museum. By becoming a Patron you can be assured that you are supporting the Museum’s most vital projects. These change annually, between 1 October 2009 and 30 September 2010 money raised from Patrons will help us build a new state-of-the-art specimen preservation facility.

It is our job to preserve, conserve and care for the collections in this iconic building and with your help we can retain our status as a world-class leader in caring for specimen collections.

Why is it important to care for our collections?

We care for over 70 million specimens, gathered over 400 years and our scientific research depends on the collections we hold. These unique collections are vulnerable to pest infestation, dust and handling, and in some areas of the Museum, the potential for damage is high.

We need to prevent the irretrievable loss of Museum material, so that visitors and scientists can carry on making discoveries about the natural world.

For every specimen lost, we also lose a story about evolution, survival and scientific discovery.

What will the appeal for £250,000 pay for?

The appeal will fund a new facility that will quarantine all specimens and keep them pest-free before they are put into the collections.