Support the Collection

Our Invertebrate Zoology collections open a window into the hidden diversity of life, from coral reefs to rainforests and beyond. Established by Thompson Van Hyning, the Museum’s first director, they have grown into one of the nation’s premier resources, home to the second largest mollusk collection in the United States with important holdings of most other animal groups, including some familiar faces like crabs and sea stars as well as those that might be less well known like velvet worms and moss animals

a person holding a very large shell is gesturing and talking in a lab of some kind with people in the foreground facing him and out of focus — John Slapcinsky speaks to guests during a tour of our Special Collections Building. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Today, these collections inform a community of researchers, students, educators, and nature enthusiasts. With strengths in Florida, Latin America, the Pacific islands, and the Middle East, and with extensive holdings from across the globe, our specimens document life in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. Much of the collection is digitized and accessible worldwide, supporting research, conservation, and discovery.

Your support makes this work possible, caring for and growing the collections, welcoming important new specimen donations, training future scientists, engaging the public, and advancing research from fieldwork to the lab. Make an impact today by giving to the Harry G. Lee Malacology Collections Fund or one of our other vital funds below.

Make a gift

a dark rusty red and creamy white cone shaped snail has a white foot extended from the animal as if the crawl away — Florida Museum collection photo

Other funds

Harriet Houston Hough Memorial Endowment Support curation of the mollusk collection, which includes specimens collected by Harriet Houston Hough. Make a gift
Henry McCullagh, Jr. Memorial Fund Support of the curation of the Henry McCullagh collection and support of the UF FLMNH Division of Invertebrates curatorial activities at the discretion of the Invertebrate Zoology Collections Manager. Make a gift
Thomas F. Stewart III Fund Support curation of Stewart collection and other collections within the Florida Museum at the discretion of the Director. Make a gift

These two funds are shared with the Invertebrate Paleontology Collection but also benefit the Invertebrate Zoology Collection and their collaborative research and education:

Beal-Maltbie Endowment for Recent and Fossil Mollusks Support research in Malacology (75%) and Invertebrate Paleontology Collections (25%). Make a gift
John Thomas Ladue McGinty Endowment Support McGinty Collection and mollusk research and education in Malacology (70%) and Invertebrate Paleontology (30%). Make a gift

a man in a baseball cap is standing in the middle of a group of college students talking and gesturing outdoors and possibly on a beach in early morning or late evening

Gustav Paulay teaches University of Florida students, both in the classroom and in the field, offering them hands-on experience towards as they explore their career paths. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

a display case in a museum exhibit features dozens of different kinds of shells from large snails and conchs to clams and other bivalves in a clear wall cabinet with a deep blue background

The Florida Museum’s Discovery Zone exhibit is home to a popular shell case. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

a bright yellow snail with an orange lip on their shell is crawling across a wet green leaf

Florida Museum collection photo

a very large snail shell with a steep point and an elaborately patterned brown and white body is sitting in a cardboard tray with several smaller white shells in smaller boxes in the foreground

Our shell specimens are popular examples from our collections for both outreach and photography. Florida Museum photo by Sophia Zayas

a person holding a jar of amber fluid and large clam shells is standing in a corridor lined with metal shelves holding cardboard partition boxes full of many small jars

John Slapcinsky is holding a specimen jar, standing in the Special Collections Building. Florida Museum photo by Jeff Gage

close up of some kind of slug or marine creature that has a pale pink body with irregular orange splotches outlined in black and a wide pale foot with irregular black lines and an orange frilled edge

Florida Museum collection photo

two men are standing on either side of a long table talking in a museum exhibit space. There are small boxes and signs on the table holding shells and in the distance are other tables with more people and a large luna moth sculpture hanging from the far wall

Our team shares specimens and research from our collections at public events in our exhibits building. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

close up of a hand holding a very small crab that has spindly legs and dark freckles across its creamy white, round body

Our researchers conduct fieldwork and bring University of Florida students into the field for hands-on experience. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

Browse more Invertebrate Zoology specimens on SketchFab
Harry Lee: The man behind the world’s largest private shell collection
Thompson Van Hyning’s Cockle Shells
Fred G. Thompson’s Freshwater Snails of Florida ID Guide

Support the Collection

Other funds

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