Reimagining the future of natural history museums with compassionate collection

by Allison Q. Byrne

Compassionate collection involves minimizing harm while collecting museum data in the field. By adopting this practice, natural history museums could better maintain existing collections, accommodate more nonlethal specimens and data, and foster an inclusive community. This Perspective advocates for the adoption of compassionate collection practices, through which natural history museums can better maintain existing collections, accommodate more non-lethal specimens and data, and foster an inclusive community that celebrates the innate connections linking human and non-human lives.