COLLECTIONS

All specimens acquired, by whatever means, collection, donation or purchase, must possess an educational, scientific or heritage value consistent with the aims of the Museum.

Given the limited funding available to the Museum, where specimens become available for purchase, priority will be given to purchases in the following order:-

• specimens from the local area,

• specimens from the county of Kent,

• specimens that have a particular educational, scientific or heritage value,

• specimens that help complete understanding of a particular evolutionary sequence or geological era or process,

• specimens that will enhance the display value of the existing collection.

DISPOSALS

• No specimen residing in the collection will be sold under any circumstances.

• Where it becomes impossible to adequately preserve or maintain any specimen, it shall be offered free of charge to another museum or similar institute.

• Where a specimen has deteriorated beyond a point where cost effective curation proves possible or practical, it shall be disposed of in a manner that takes into account any environmental impact by such disposal.

• Disposal of specimens received on loan shall only be by return free of carriage and packing to the original donor or a living relative, if such can be traced, otherwise it shall be offered free of charge to another Museum or similar institution.

• If, in the direct process of collecting or otherwise acquiring specimens that meet with the above guidelines, specimens are acquired that do not conform to the Museum's collections policy, they shall be sold, if possible, to help defray the Museum's costs or disposed as outlined above.