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National Mall and Memorial Parks is committed to providing scientific, technical, and administrative support in part of fulfilling the National Park Service (NPS) core mission to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the NPS for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. All scientific research in a national park requires a permit. To apply for a permit use the Research Permit and Reporting System (RPRS). Curatorial responsibilities of the permit holder are outlined in the conditions section of the permit and on this page. A Curatorial Toolkit for Research Permits is also available to provide resources and guides for collected specimens and samples. Before Arriving at the ParkAfter a permit has been approved in the NPS RPRS, the permit holder must contact the park curator to obtain basic identification information for the research project. It is important that this is done before arriving at the park, since curatorial staff may not be available onsite during research activities. The permit holder must provide the following to the park curator:
The park curator must provide the following to the permit holder:
During CollectingThe permit holder is responsible for gathering complete information required for cataloging any specimens or samples which are to be retained as part of the research project. It is highly recommended that the permit holder review NPS cataloging requirements before collecting to ensure required data is captured for each specimen or sample that is to be retained. Optional worksheets with NPS minimum data requirements for cataloging are available in the Curatorial Toolkit for Research Permits. Director’s Order #77: Natural Resource Protection, Natural Resource Management Reference Manual #77 (2001) requires Universal Transverse Mercator Grid (UTM) coordinates [longitude/latitude] for all retained specimens and samples to integrate each into the Geographic Information System (GIS). After CollectingIn accordance with Directors Order #24: NPS Museum Collections Management (2008), projects involving NPS resources must provide for all costs and labor required for the initial management of project-generated documentation and collections including cataloging, labeling, specimen/sample preparation, and housing and storage. Update the Park CuratorAfter collecting, the permit holder must contact the park curator to attain basic information to account for the deliverables generated in part of the research project and provide the following:
The park curator must provide the following to the permit holder:
Project Documentation PreparationThe permit holder is responsible for all costs and labor associated with the preparation of project documentation generated as part of the permit. Physical project documentation must be printed on acid-free paper and electronic project documentation must be stored on either a CD or DVD. The accession number associated with the permit and the catalog number associated with the accretion of project documentation must be included on the cover of each component of the project documentation. Cite specimen or sample catalog numbers when referencing in project documentation. Specimen and Sample Cataloging, Labeling, and PreparationThe permit holder is responsible for all costs and labor associated with cataloging, labeling, and preparation of all specimens and samples retained for the project. Do not catalog specimens or samples that are consumed or destroyed as part of the analysis of the research project. Guidance on cataloging, labeling, and preparing most types of specimens and samples and templates for cataloging are provided in the Curatorial Toolkit for Research Permits. If a specimen or sample preparation type is not included, contact the park curator for further guidance. Submitting Curatorial DeliverablesWhen submitting curatorial deliverables, the permit holder must provide the following to the park curator:
The DI-105 Receipt of Property must identify:
If the permit holder fails to deliver these materials within 1 year of the issuance of an accession number being issued for the research project, future permit applications may be refused. Access and Use of Specimens and SamplesFollowing the receipt of the research project’s curatorial deliverables, the park curator will finalize the accessioning and cataloging transactions as needed so that the materials can be made available as part of the park’s museum collection. For a repository approved in the permitting process, the park curator is responsible for coordinating an outgoing loan agreement. Once the terms and conditions of the outgoing loan agreement have been agreed and endorsed officially by the park superintendent and the repository’s signatory official, the park curator will coordinate the transport of the applicable specimen(s) or sample(s) to the repository. Access and use requests for NPS museum collections stored at the Museum Resource Center in Landover, Maryland are managed by the national park of origin. Requests for access and use of NPS collections stored at an alternative repository should be directed to the repository. Per the terms of the outgoing loan agreement, the repository is responsible for collections management of those NPS museum collections under their stewardship for the duration of the loan. Each NPS unit reserves the right to request the return of loaned specimens or samples should the repository fail to meet the terms and conditions of the outgoing loan agreement. Curator ContactCurator |
Last updated: June 9, 2021