Mission and Evolution Statements

Mission

The mission of the LSU Museum of Natural Science is the  acquisition, preservation, and study of research collections by museum faculty, staff, students, and associate to generate knowledge of global biodiversity and human prehistory, and  to promote an understanding and appreciation of nature through excellence in science education for the benefit of the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

As the only comprehensive research museum in the south central United States, the LSU Museum of Natural Science supports a variety of scientific and educational roles, including:

• Generation of new knowledge in the fields of biology, archaeology, and paleontology through scholarly research based primarily on natural history collections;
• Collection and preservation of research specimens as a resource for study of the Earth’s natural history (with an emphasis on Louisiana);
• Education of graduate and undergraduate students in academic areas that are most effectively taught in the museum setting;
  education of the general public by means of exhibits and lecture programs;
• Assistance to local citizens, wildlife officials, and forensic specialists through identification and consultation services.

Evolution Statement

The Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science comprises a community of students, professors, and researchers of natural history. As members of the worldwide scientific community, we use the theory of evolution and other scientific principles to study the natural world.

Evolutionary theory has greatly enhanced progress in the fields of medicine, anatomy, archaeology, biology, biochemistry, geology, neuroscience and many other disciplines. Without an understanding of evolutionary biology, our perception of the natural world would be greatly diminished.