Harvard University (Mineralogical and Geological Museum at Harvard University)

The Mineralogical and Geological Museum at Harvard University will improve storage conditions for its collection of 1,300 meteorites to protect them from long-term decay. The museum will purchase customized storage equipment as well as specimen-level storage supplies needed for individual rehousing. The museum will apply nationally recognized standards to guide the rehousing of the specimens. Meteorites that are susceptible to decay under the Earth's atmospheric conditions will be individually stored in nylon bags inside nitrogen-purged desiccators. More stable meteorites will be stored in clamshell boxes inside inert dust-tight custom cabinets with humidity control. The project will support the ongoing growth of the collection and the accessibility of the meteorite collection for a broad range of researchers.