Managing a massive scientific collection involves more than just acquiring new objects for research; it also requires a continuous and critical evaluation of our existing holdings. Sometimes, this means saying goodbye to certain items. We call this process deselection.
Deselection:why and how
An object is never discarded lightly. Disposal only occurs when an item no longer holds scientific, educational, or museological value for our collection. This might include objects that are irreparably damaged, duplicates, or items lacking essential data (such as collection site and date). When we decide to deaccession, we follow a rigorous procedure, just like other museums in the Netherlands:
- Owner’s Consent: The collection at Naturalis is the property of the State of the Netherlands. Therefore, we cannot decide to dispose of items on our own. For every deaccession, we must first request official permission from the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE). A proposed disposal is then publicly announced by the RCE in the Staatscourant (the Government Gazette).
- The LAMO Procedure: Once permission is granted, we follow the Dutch Leidraad Afstoting Museale Objecten —the Guideline for the Disposal of Museum Objects—set by the Netherlands Museums Association. The core principle here is 'repurposing.' Objects slated for disposal are first offered to other registered museums in the Netherlands via a national database.
- Destruction: If no other museum or institution (including scientific sister institutes abroad) expresses interest in acquiring the objects, or if the object is in poor condition, contains hazardous substances, or is of unknown origin, it is destroyed.
We don't sellor give away collectin
It might seem like a waste to destroy a bone, shell, or mineral if it could still bring joy to museum visitors, a primary school, or a private collector. However, as a matter of principle, we never sell or donate collection material to third parties. We do this for the following reasons:
- Health and Safety: Historically, it was common practice worldwide to protect natural history collections from insects or fungi using toxic substances like mercury and arsenic. Since we do not always know exactly if or how historical objects were treated, we cannot guarantee their safety outside our controlled museum depots. The health risk in a living room or classroom is simply too great.
- Strict (Inter)national Legislation: Many plant and animal species in our collection are strictly protected under the international CITES treaty or the national Environment Act (Omgevingswet). Transferring this material is bound by strict regulations and is often illegal without the proper (and complex) exemptions.
- Ethical Guidelines: Naturalis strictly adheres to the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums and does not sell or donate collection material to private individuals. By doing so, we maintain the trust of our donors and prevent Naturalis from stimulating the commercial market for natural history heritage. Furthermore, since the collection was built in part with public funds, giving away or commercializing it would be inconsistent with our social responsibility.
Playing by the rules
As a scientific institute, we aim to handle the collection responsibly and reliably, also to maintain the trust of our (future) donors and international partners. By adhering to these rules of engagement, we safeguard the integrity, safety, and scientific value of the national natural history collection—now and in the future.