Museum Collections: Importance as a Research Tool

Abstract

Museums hold millions of objects from all over the globe, offering a unique, unparalleled resource for researchers. They provide historical snapshots of data both geographically and through time, giving researchers rare access to huge amounts of information. Recent advances in analytical techniques have allowed for even more information to be obtained from collections, from radiocarbon dating to genetic sequencing. This entry provides some background on museums and their collections, along with key examples of research that has been undertaken using both nondestructive and destructive sampling methods. It also outlines details on how collections can be used, limitations in sampling, and how to search for objects in museums across Britain. The potential for collections to assist with research is enormous, and this applies not only to national museums but also to smaller regional museums.