Museum to celebrate 35th annual Collectors Day Jan. 25

December 19, 2013

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Museum of Natural History visitors will have the opportunity to view a variety of collections — from antique cars to Coca-Cola memorabilia and stamps to Legos — during the 35th Collectors Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 25.

This free event is the museum’s longest-running and one of its most popular public programs, allowing visitors to speak with collectors and learn more about the uniqueness, history and context of their collections.

Florida Museum educator Tiffany Ireland said the program’s goal includes celebrating collectors and their collections, as well as bringing awareness to the importance of collections and their contributions to science.

“Some of the museum’s vast collections have been donated by personal collectors,” Ireland said. “These include many pieces of the museum’s North American Indian ethnographic collection, originally purchased by Leigh Morgan Pearsall between 1900-1960.”

The artifacts later came to the University of Florida in 1964 when a donor purchased the Pearsall collection for the museum.

“Our collections are not just used by museum researchers but by scientists from around the world,” Ireland said. “The Florida Museum collections are used to study DNA sequencing, conservation and archaeology.”

For those interested in displaying their collections, the deadline to register is Jan. 18. Collectors of all ages are welcome and there is no charge for participating.

To register, visit http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/events/collectors-day-registration/ or for more information call 352-273-2061.