The Center for Collections was established with the objective of creating an efficient cross-departmental system for acquiring and preserving specimens and other material, and ensuring more effective utilization of resources. The Center carries out the following activities on behalf of the entire Museum:

• Draft fundamental policies for creating a systemized national collection of specimens, documents and other information resources
• Create and put into effect a system for acquiring and preserving specimens and other material in the Museum collection
• Create and put into effect a system for effective utilization of materials in the Museum collection; and update and publicize information related to the Museum’s collection of material on natural history and the history of scientific technologies
• Collaborate with all research departments of the Museum and with the Institute for Nature Study in order to carry out the above activities
• Support the activities of the Museum and related facilities
• Survey and evaluate the Center’s business operations, and conduct PR activities

• Operate a comprehensive database management system for the Museum collection, and publicize information related to the collection
• Draft and implement policies regarding acquiring, managing and utilizing materials in the Museum collection
• Analyze the electronic database for the Museum collection and identify individual collections of specimens or other material that must be improved/expanded
• Establish and award “Collection Building Fellowships” to encourage the cooperation of external researchers in expanding and improving the Museum collection
• Collaborate with other natural history museums and related organizations in Japan to promote the activities of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the Science Museum Net (a website operated by the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, and dedicated to publishing information related to science and natural history museums in Japan)

Collection Database of Specimens and Materials :

'The collection database of specimens and materials' includes relevant information for each cataloged lot of specimens in the National Museum of Nature and Science.

TYPE SPECIMEN DATABASE :

A type specimen database for plants and animal specimens in the Museum collection