Collections

Collection Tours

The Museum does not have traditional public spaces like most museums. For that reason, access to the facility is limited to prearranged visits and special events. Tours are free and available for all interested individuals and groups. Contact us for more details and to schedule. Always contact the Museum before considering a tour. DO NOT show up without an appointment.

 Research Visits

The Museum welcomes study of its collections by the UA community, scholars from external academic institutions, and the general public. Access will be considered taking into account the following conditions:

• The prospective researcher will contact one of the Museum’s curators with sufficient advance notice before any research is conducted. The request shall outline the goals and methods of the research and include the credentials of the researcher.
• The curator shall determine whether access to the collections will be granted.
• The researcher is requested to give the Museum copies of papers or publications which result from the study of the collection.
• If requested activities have already been conducted on a collection material in the past (ex: 3D scanning, destructive analysis), researchers can either see about utilizing the results from previous studies or provide an essential reason why such activities need to be conducted again.

The Museum welcomes study of its collections by the UA community, external scholars, and the general public. Access will be considered taking into account the following conditions:

• The prospective researcher will contact one of the Museum’s curators with sufficient advance notice before any research is conducted. The request shall outline the goals and methods of the research and include the credentials of the researcher.
• The curator shall determine whether access to the collections shall be granted.
• The researcher is requested to give the Museum copies of papers or publications which result from the study of the collection.
• If requested activities have already been conducted on a collection material in the past (ex: 3D scanning, destructive analysis), researchers can either see about utilizing the results from previous studies or provide an essential reason why such activities need to be conducted again.

Research Publications

Providing researchers access to the collections has long been an important responsibility for Museum staff. For transparency of collection usage and to give back knowledge accumulated over years, especially in relation to indigneous cultural materials, we have compiled a list of publications produced as a result of research conducted at the Museum. View it here. For organization purposes, the list is divided between two tabs located at the bottom – Cultural and Natural.

While we strive to collect publications from all researchers who have utilized the collections, this list is not complete and will continue to grow over time. If you know of additional publications that should be added or have questions about the list, please contact us.

The University of Arkansas Museum is a collecting institution. Our materials come in through a variety of sources, from University community and governmental wildlife organizations that deposit their collections after they have completed their research to citizens who donate valued family items of historical significance. Donations are assessed based on their potential to strengthen existing collections in which the Museum has a current specialization and recognized historical interest, including anthropology, geology, history, and zoology with a particular (but not exclusive) focus on Arkansas.

Contact us at lalamb@uark.edu or call 479-575-3456 to discuss your donation request.

The Museum loans certain collection materials out for classroom use, research, and exhibits. Please note that the safety and security of collection materials will be assessed prior to accepting any requests.

Contact us at lalamb@uark.edu or call 479-575-3456 to discuss your loan request.  

The University of Arkansas Museum does not conduct appraisals for monetary value of objects. However, staff are happy to assist in the identification of an artifact for the purpose of providing context, whether we can do it ourselves or simply put you in contact with someone who does.