Donation and acquisition of fossils: how to valorise them

Palaeontological and geological collections encompass a diverse array of specimens, including complete and partial finds obtained through excavation campaigns, purchases and donations. Geological collections are particularly valuable if fossils are associated with data, scientifically studied, properly conserved, and displayed for educational or public purposes. To systematically investigate these aspects, a survey was administered to over 60 museums, predominantly located in Europe, to evaluate the composition of their collections and provenance of their specimens. This survey (106 questionnaires distributed, 66 responses received) comprised 35 questions organised into several focused sections. The vast majority of these museums received donations over time, with 54% of these institutions holding collections in which at least 25% of the specimens were donated. These donations are used in academic research, digitisation and exposition of collections, and public exhibitions. Furthermore, 67.7% of these museums conduct their own excavation campaigns through which they acquire fossils. Finally, 66.2% of these museums procured fossils through purchase, although the majority (81.8%) had purchased less than 25% of their total fossil collection. These data indicate that museums tend to rely on donations to expand their collections. Fossils are primarily purchased directly (79.5%), followed by acquisitions from specialty shops (40.9%), at fairs (38.6%), and to a lesser extent, through auctions (18.2%). Purchased fossils are assigned the same level of value and significance as those obtained through donations. Case studies of museums in Spain, Germany, Cyprus, Italy and other countries have been reported to provide a more complete picture.