A grant has been awarded to the University of Puget Sound under the direction of Dr. Peter H. Wimberger to improve facilities for the Slater Museum vertebrate collections. Funding will be used to acquire new cabinets and archival trays to replace outmoded wooden cases and trays used to store the mammal and bird collections. The new storage equipment will protect the collections from degradation from insects that can infest and damage mammal and bird specimens. The Slater Museum contains many vertebrate specimens from the Pacific Northwest, in particular from Puget Sound, an area heavily impacted by development. The museum is part of a liberal arts college that uses them in many classes and for student research. Undergraduate students will work on the project and be trained in museum management. The new cabinets and trays will be housed in a newly renovated facility with greater public exposure through collection tours.
