4 The scientific collections
1R 2R 3R 4R 5R 6R <strong>Science</strong> <strong>at</strong> <strong>Museo</strong> <strong>delle</strong> <strong>Scienze</strong>: Research Report 2010-2011 The n<strong>at</strong>ural history and archaeological collections of the <strong>Museo</strong> <strong>delle</strong> scienze (about 300 collections and 5 millions objects) are of gre<strong>at</strong> interest for their close rel<strong>at</strong>ionship with the Trentino area. Besides the objects of local origin, there are many specimens coming from the rest of italy and from foreign countries, obtained through don<strong>at</strong>ions, travels, exchanges and research expe<strong>di</strong>tions abroad. The oldest m<strong>at</strong>erials were collected more than two centuries ago and the collections increase every year through many new acquisitions. As vouchers of the n<strong>at</strong>ural and human <strong>di</strong>versity in time and space, the collections are precious research infrastractures, always available to the research community. 20 sections n. collections objects estim<strong>at</strong>ed items/specimens Tropical Bio<strong>di</strong>versity 1 4,250 4,250 Botany 44 150,000 370,000 limnology and Phycology 12 8,000 10,000 invertebr<strong>at</strong>e zoology 17 4,500 1,200,000 Vertebr<strong>at</strong>e zoology 19 11,000 13,000 Geology 8 16,700 42,000 Prehistory 196 95,000 3,300,000 total 297 289,450 4,939,250 The Mds collections are constantly investig<strong>at</strong>ed and cared for conserv<strong>at</strong>ion by the staff, in order to go in depth in their document<strong>at</strong>ion and study, and to make them available to the research community as to the general public. At present more than half of the preserved heritage (56.7%) is fully c<strong>at</strong>alogued with a specific software in accordance with the n<strong>at</strong>ional standards. in 2010-1011 Mds received several loan requests: 67 outgoing loans were approved, 49 for research purposes and 18 for temporary exhibitions. The Mds collections specimens were described or used as m<strong>at</strong>erial in 62 <strong>di</strong>fferent public<strong>at</strong>ions written by the museum staff or by other researchers who borrowed Mds collections objects. Acquisition and document<strong>at</strong>ion increased conspicuously with 13,900 new objects, 14,490 new c<strong>at</strong>alogue cards <strong>di</strong>gitized and 76,688 revised. collections 2010-2011: loans, public<strong>at</strong>ions, acquisitions and c<strong>at</strong>aloguing (<strong>di</strong>gitiz<strong>at</strong>ion). collections 2010 2011 Research outgoing loans 33 16 exhibitions outgoing loans 7 11 Public<strong>at</strong>ions about collections 28 34 new acquisitions (estim<strong>at</strong>ed specimens) 11,200 2,700 new c<strong>at</strong>alogue cards 5,346 9,144 c<strong>at</strong>alogue card revised 19,159 57,529