To view and print the Earth Science loan policy, click here.

It is the policy of the Earth Science Department to acquire and develop collections and objects in accordance with the University of Alaska Museum of the North's mission statement. The following is an extraction of key policies:

1. Future development of collections will concentrate on the fossil and physical geologic record of Alaska, North America, and the circum-arctic regions.

2. The primary guiding policy shall stress acquisition of specimens through cooperative joint ventures and Memoranda of Understandings with agencies of the Alaskan  government, federal agencies operating in Alaska, and private companies and corporations operating in the state. This shall also pertain to foreign governments.

3. The purchase of collections or objects should be avoided. The curator shall always pursue alternate means of acquirement such as exchange or donation whenever they are clearly not precluded.

No curator, or other employee or the University of Alaska Museum of the North, shall participate in the appraisal or estimation of the value of an item, or collection either as a service to the public, or as a precondition for donation.

All potential donors shall be informed that appraisals should be obtained prior to making a donation. The curator in charge of the department receiving a donation must have a properly certified appraisal in hand prior to completion of the Deed of Gift form and official transfer of title.

Nothing in this policy precludes the curator from obtaining insurance of other appropriate appraisals of collections or objects held by the museum.

The University of Alaska Museum of the North has an extensive collection of ivory. These specimens are in the form of raw ivory and artifacts or objects made from ivory. The ivory comes from both fossil and modern sources, both terrestrial and marine environments. In all cases the museum and the Earth Science department are acutely aware of their role in discouraging the trade in antiquities and illegal ivory.

The Earth Science department does not participate in the appraisal, purchase, or sale of modern ivory. In addition, the department does not engage in the appraisal or sale of fossil ivory, and will only purchase fossil ivory if ownership and provenance can be fully documented by the seller prior to the purchase. Fossil ivory should only be purchased by the department when it can be determined that said ivory is of major significance in regards to the existing collection or is of particular importance to planned or existing exhibits. In all cases, the curator shall make a written recommendation of purchase that is subject to final approval by the director of the museum.

The museum and the Earth Science department take an active part in the education of the public to prevent the misuse and destruction of scientific sites.