Visiting the Collections

Upon approval from AMNH staff, the Paleontology collections are generally open to bona fide researchers who are affiliated to a recognized academic institution. Normal opening hours are weekdays, 9.30am to 4.30pm, excluding public holidays.

Applying to Visit

Applications to visit the collection must be made in writing at least 2 weeks in advance of the visit. First-time visitors should make their request via a letter with an institutional letterhead. In addition, students should provide a letter of reference from their graduate or undergraduate advisor – this should also be on institutional letterhead.

Letters of application and reference should be addressed to the Director of Collections & Archives, but may directed to the appropriate visitor contact for the collection in question. The request should specify the purpose of the visit and the specimens to be examined, together with the proposed dates. Visits in excess of 10 working days’ duration will be assessed according to the long-term availability of workspace in the collections.

Visiting Multiple Departments

Visitors requesting access to more than one department of AMNH – for example, Fossil Mammals and Mammalogy - should be aware that Paleontology staff can only grant access to the Paleontology collections. Requests to visit other collections should be referred directly to the relevant department’s visitor contact.

Restrictions on Access to the Fossil Mammal Collection

Because of a long-term collection improvement and building renovation project, parts of the fossil mammal collection may be unavailable to visitors, in some cases for periods of several months at a time. Visitors intending to study fossil mammals should contact the Division as early as possible to confirm the availability of the material that they wish to examine.

Visiting the V.P. Archives

Arrangements for requesting visits to the Vertebrate Paleontology archives are the same as for visiting the collections. Visitors are not permitted unaccompanied access to the archives. Archives relating to the invertebrate paleontology collections are held by the Division of Invertebrates. Visitors interested in archival material are also advised to contact the main AMNH archives, which have significant holdings of documents relating to paleontology at AMNH.