Donations & Curation Services

Donations

The University of Colorado Museum of Natural History’s (UCM) Paleontology Section welcomes donations of fossils and related materials–such as associated data, images, field notes, and archival documents–provided they meet the established acquisition criteria (see below). Fossils may only be donated by their legal owner. Donors should submit a written statement of intent to donate along with a completed fossil provenance questionnaire and paperwork showing legal ownership of the fossils to the appropriate Collections Manager.

Provenance Questionnaire

Ideally, any fossils intended to be bequeathed to the Paleontology Section should be reviewed and approved for acquisition before the Paleontology Section is named as the beneficiary. A copy of the individual’s last will and testament must be provided to the Paleontology Section and will be retained as part of the accession record.

Staff members of the UCM do not provide appraisals for donated fossils. Donors intending to claim a tax deduction must comply with all applicable tax laws and complete the necessary forms before donating. It is the donor’s responsibility to obtain an independent appraisal and to ensure all tax documentation is properly completed. The UCM does not assume responsibility for tax compliance and does not provide tax advice. Donors should be aware that any donations with a value of $5,000 or more will need to be processed through the .

Curation Services

The Paleontology Section serves as a designated repository for several state and federal government land management agencies. Qualified researchers and for-profit companies may deposit material collected from government-managed lands with the Paleontology Section. All such requests will be considered only after a completed Curation Services Agreement has been submitted. Completed agreements should be sent to the Collection Managers.

Curation Services Agreement Form

The Paleontology Section reserves the right to decline any Curation Services Agreement requests at its discretion. Qualified researchers and for-profit companies are responsible for ensuring that all fossils are collected legally and ethically and must provide complete and accurate documentation for any fossils and related materials given for deposit. All submitted fossils must meet the Paleontology Section’s acquisition criteria (see below). A fee is charged to for-profit companies and some government agencies to cover the costs of accessioning, curation, databasing, and long-term care of the fossils and related materials. Details regarding fees, required documentation, and procedures are outlined in the Curation Services Agreement Procedural Manual.

Curation Services Agreement Procedural Manual

Acquisition Criteria

The Paleontology Section continues to expand and refine its collections with a focus on acquiring high-quality, scientifically relevant fossils, rather than simply increasing the total number of fossils. Fossils considered for acquisition must align with the mission of the MuseumÌýand support the research interests of the Paleontology Section’s faculty, staff, and students. Fossils may be considered for acquisition if they:

  • Have potential use in research, teaching, exhibits, community outreach, or otherwise fall within the broader research and educational goals of the UCM and the Paleontology Section.
  • Are of good quality, rare, or have significant scientific value.
  • Fill temporal or geographic gaps in the existing collection.
  • Supplement lower-quality fossils in the existing collection.
  • Broaden the range of relevant comparative material in the existing collection.
  • The Paleontology Section can ensure appropriate long-term curation, storage, and security.
  • Do not pose any hazard to personnel or other collections.
  • Are accompanied by adequate provenance documentation confirming legal and ethical acquisition.

The Paleontology Section is under no obligation to accept any fossil, even if it aligns with the above criteria or institutional goals.

Fossils with restrictions—such as permanent display requirements or stipulations that certain fossils be kept together—may limit the Paleontology Section’s ability to effectively use, manage, or deaccession fossils. Such offers will only be considered following review and approval by a Curator and, when necessary, the Museum Director.

The Paleontology Section does not accept archaeological, ethnographic, or anthropological objects or materials and holds no collections subject to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA) or its amendments. Any questions related to NAGPRA should be directed to theÌýAnthropology Section.