A NEW PALEONTOLOGICAL REPOSITORY AT THE MUSEUM OF GEOLOGY, SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY

Since 1899, the Museum of Geology at the SD School of Mines and Technology has engaged in the collection, preservation, conservation, and study of fossil and mineral resources. The current repository has operated from the Old Gymnasium and houses approximately 300,000 vertebrate fossil specimens and their associated contextual archived information; approximately 500,000 specimens of all varieties are preserved in the repository. As the result of overcrowding in approximately 9000 ft², the Museum staff has worked for over 20 years in the pursuit of a facility to adequately house these non-renewable resources, as well as to provide space for education, research, and various laboratory functions. Through funding from the State of South Dakota and various private donors, the eight million dollar facility is finally a reality and will open in May, 2010. The new repository contains 33,000 ft², including a geological-paleontological library, archival/curation center, type specimen storage, study rooms, and dedicated storage for vertebrate and invertebrate paleontological specimens, fossil plants, Recent vertebrate skeletons, and minerals from around the world. Supporting laboratories include those for preparation, casting/replication, chemistry, and conservation. Multiple benefits of the new repository revolve around education, research, and public service. Many students and researchers are attracted to the paleontology/geology program at the School of Mines because of its uniqueness and location in the midst of the great western fossil beds. The repository functions as a library of fossil resources and is an integral portion of the undergraduate and graduate programs in paleontology. The current collections are world renowned, having been meticulously collected with precise geographic and stratigraphic data. Therefore, numerous researchers and students from around the world utilize the collections to understand the history of life on this planet. The new repository provides adequate space and equipment to undertake paleontological and geological studies, space to house and access current specimens and contextual data, and space to conserve and preserve future specimens collected from the Northern Great Plains and elsewhere.