Skip to content

Collection Area

Collection area identifies the broad subject area to which a digital catalog record belongs.

Examples may include osteology, preservation, digital models, teaching resources, or documentation.

Collection area helps visitors browse records by purpose and subject rather than by species name alone.

A collection area should answer:

  • What broad category does this record belong to?
  • Is it an osteology record, preservation record, teaching record, or documentation record?
  • Does the collection area match the object type and theme?

Ask students to sort records into collection areas before comparing individual objects.

Public sources will be added as this entry is reviewed and expanded.

This entry explains a catalog metadata field. It does not provide acquisition, ownership, handling, preparation, or biological material processing guidance.