Collections and Research Division: Home

The SNOMNH is a research division of the University of Oklahoma. The museum houses more than 7 million objects and specimens in 12 collections, all housed under one roof. There are 13 curators in charge of these collections, each of whom conduct independent research in their respective areas. Most curators have a professorial position in a corresponding OU academic department, and teach university classes in addition to their research and curatorial duties.

Museum curators conduct fieldwork and research at sites across the United States as well as in several different countries around the world. Graduate and undergraduate students from the University of Oklahoma also participate in research activities and field study associated with the museum collections and research programs.

The Museum Registrar is the legal officer of the Museum and is responsible for the documentation, safety, and security of objects within the Museum’s care. Registration Services supports accountability and legal control of collections in the Museum’s custody by managing programs for acquisition and loans, collecting activities, providing object shipping and receiving services, advising on legal and ethical issues related to the collections, as well as assisting with museum exhibitions. For more information or general registration-related inquiries, please contact Lindsay Palaima (405-325-1035) or go to Registrar's Office FAQs.

The Collections Technician oversees the Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM) and the Dermestid Facility.  IPM is a museum-wide approach to avoid pest problems through pro-active measures posing the least hazard to people and the collections.  The Dermestid Facility is the museum’s osteological processing center that utilizes the natural methods to skeletonize specimens.  For more information, please contact Roxie Hites.

Periodically, the museum publishes research papers in an academic journal titled, "The Occasional Papers of the SNOMNH." Click here to reach the journal editor, to review past titles, or to download PDFs of past articles.