A twentieth-century history of the Georgia Museum of Natural History

Abstract The Georgia Museum of Natural History is located on the campus of the University of Georgia, Athens. Its roots can be traced to the founding of the university in 1785. This paper reviews decades’ worth of university annual reports and newspaper articles to provide a comprehensive twentieth-century history of the museum and its collections. While many other comparable university museums would eventually be dissolved or would acquire the funds firmly to establish themselves in the mid-twentieth century, the Georgia Museum of Natural History remained in a liminal state. Although the museum is officially recognized as a singular entity, half its collections are curated and housed by the various associated departments. Its history is fascinating and compelling, serving as a reminder of the value and necessity of such institutions and their impact on communities, academia and culture.