United States National Museum Department of Mammals Search this
United States National Museum Division of Mammals Search this
United States National Museum Department of Biology Search this
United States National Museum Department of Zoology Search this
Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Department of Vertebrate Zoology Search this
Type:
Mixed archival materials
Date:
1880
1880-
Category:
Agency History
Notes:
This is an agency history. It does not describe actual records. The Smithsonian Institution Archives uses these histories as brief accounts of the origin, development, and functions of an office or administrative unit to set that unit in its historical context. To find information on record holdings, please double-click the highlighted field "Creator/Author", which will open on a brief view of relevant records.
Guide to the Smithsonian Archives
Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Year
Backbone: Newsletter of the Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.
The collection of mammals under the care of the Smithsonian was begun in 1850 when Spencer Fullerton Baird, the newly appointed Assistant Secretary, came to the Institution and brought his private collection. The Department of Mammals was established in the United States National Museum (USNM) in 1880. In 1897, as a result of a reorganization of the USNM, it became the Division of Mammals of the newly created Department of Biology. In 1947, the Division came under the administrative control of the Department of Zoology, and in 1964 became a division of the newly established Department of Vertebrate Zoology.
The Division of Mammals houses one of the most important collections of mammals in the world. With nearly 570,000 specimens, it is by far the world's largest, roughly twice the size of the next largest mammal collection. The Division performs a variety of collection management activities including accessioning and cataloging new collections, preparing specimens, and loaning specimens to researchers unable to visit the Division. Divisional curators undertake original research programs which often utilize the collections.
Curators of the Division of Mammals have included Elliott Coues, Honorary Curator, 1880-1883; Frederick William True, Curator, 1883-1909; Gerrit S. Miller, Assistant Curator and Curator, 1898-1940; Marcus Ward Lyon, Aid and Assistant Curator, 1898-1909; Ned Hollister, Assistant Curator, 1910-1916; Remington Kellogg, Assistant Curator and Curator, 1928-1948; David H. Johnson, Associate Curator and Curator, 1941-1967; Raymond M. Gilmore, Associate Curator, 1944-1947; Henry W. Setzer, Associate Curator and Curator, 1949-1979; Charles O. Handley, Assistant Curator, Associate Curator, and Curator, 1950-1999; Richard W. Thorington, Associate Curator, 1969-1976, Curator, 1976-2015, and Curator Emeritus, 2015-2017; James G. Mead, Assistant Curator, Associate Curator, and Curator, and Curator Emeritus, 1972- ; Michael D. Carleton, Assistant Curator, Associate Curator, and Curator,1979- ; and K. M. Helgen, Curator, and Curator in Charge, 2008- .
For a history of the larger creating unit, refer to "Forms part of" above.
Repository Loc.:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520
