26 Old Collections, New Tricks

This session highlights how re-examination and contemporary analysis of geoscience collections (i.e., rock, fossil, and archival collections, or geologic maps) can advance science, rewrite historical narratives, and contribute to discussions on social justice.

Monday, 23 March 2026
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
CCC, Room 25

Investigating the Origins of the Natural History Society at Rutgers University by Uncovering the History of the Antler Exhibit

Paper number: 26-9
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 4:10 PM – 4:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

The Rutgers Geology Museum was built as a direct result of the Morrill Act of 1862, reflecting Rutgers College's transition into a land-grant institution dedicated to scientific education and research. Before the museum was established, students and professors with a special interest in natural science and geology founded the Natural History Society of Rutgers College in 1852. They collected various specimens and objects over the course of a decade to assemble a Natural History Cabinet, also known as the Cabinet of Rutgers College. Archival evidence, such as Bulletins published by the society and the original specimen labels in the museum’s archive, documents how the society’s collections formed the foundation of the College’s geological and scientific collections, which would go on to become the foundation of the Rutgers Geology Museum. 

Recent research conducted by students has brought renewed attention to previously overlooked aspects of the Geology Museum's history and collections. A recent review of archival documents and early museum images identified a pair of antlers with previously unknown provenance. This archival work provided evidence that could reconnect this and other museum items to the College's original Natural History Society collection. By remounting the antlers and providing an accompanying exhibit, a glimpse into the Museum's storied past is provided. Increased student involvement at the Geology Museum has led to new uses of its collections, demonstrating how science, history, and archival research can breathe new life into previously overlooked aspects of the Museum’s past and its connection to the broader history of scientific education in America.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 2

doi: 10.1130/abs/2026NE-411415

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