Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQ) the curators and collection managers hear.

What do you have in the Museum?
The Museum has 14 different collections: Archaeology, Arthropod, Botany Herbarium, Economic Geology, Herpetology, Ichthyology, Invertebrate, Mammalogy, Mycological Herbarium, Ornithology, Paleontology, Pollen and Plant Microspore, Rocks and Minerals, and Zooarchaeology.

How many fish are there in the fish collection?
The fish collection is one of the largest collections in the Museum, it contains over 325,000 alcohol-preserved specimens.

Why do you keep all these things?
A Museum is a lot like a library but instead of books, we have objects and information about those objects. We keep all these things so that people can learn more about the world around them.

Can I visit the Museum?
People can visit the Museum collections by appointment only. Please see the information on "Tours". Our Discovery Room is free and open to the public during scheduled hours, found on the Discovery Room page.

Who works at the Museum?
Many people work at the Museum including: curators, collection managers, educators, researchers, graduate students, undergraduate students, and volunteers. To contact someone at the Museum please see our Personnel Directory

How many different sea shells can be found in Georgia?
Over 500 species of molluscs have been collected from the waters off the Georgia coast. There are also species of molluscs that live in freshwater and on land.

What is the state bird?
Our state bird is the Brown Thrasher, Toxostoma rufum. This bird is reddish brown above with two white wing bars and white with brown streaks below.

What is the biggest mammal in Georgia?
The biggest land mammal in the state is the black bear, Ursus americanus, which weighs 300 lbs and can grow to be 5 feet long.