The Nation's Attic: Why do we keep all this stuff anyway? Does anybody ever look at it? August 18, 2006

The Smithsonian has often been affectionately described as “The Nation’s Attic” for its role in keeping and conserving our national treasures. But in addition to the qualitative reasons for keeping these collections (for example, for their rarity and beauty), our collections are important for providing data for scientific research. Unlike family heirlooms, collections at the National Museum of Natural History are kept and collected for purposes of scientific investigation. Results from collections-based research contribute to our understanding of biodiversity, human evolution and civilization, climate change, and much more. Dr. David L. Evans, Smithsonian Under Secretary for Science, will give an illustrated lecture about the Natural History collections and why they’re important in helping us understand the natural world. Event will be held in Baird Auditorium at the National Museum of Natural History.