Biological collections are essential tools for research on diversity, use, and conservation of the genetic capital (species) of a country, entity, or region. Likewise, they are invaluable support in studies on ecology and biotechnology, because some species are source of prime matter for the production of food and chemical substances of high economic value. Mexico is acknowledged as one of the regions of the greatest biological diversity in the planet; recent estimates indicate that around 8 to 10% of the world's plant and animal species are native of Mexico and that most likely, there could be a minimum of five hundred thousand species of all the groups.

To obtain national and international accreditation of a scientific collection it is required, above all, to have a specialized technical and academic back-up that guarantees permanence, availability, richness, and most important, scientific quality of the curatorial records that integrate such collection and identification of its biological and biotechnological potentials.

This is why scientific collections of preserved specimens could constitute the Natural History Museum of the Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S. C., where aspects of taxonomy, systematics, and evolution are performed besides the studies regarding these collections.

It should be highlighted that museums have different objectives (i.e. research, reference, publication, preservation of specimens, and others). In an institution such as CIBNOR, the essential purpose should be to facilitate research development of the group specialists by offering support to researchers of different areas who require supplementary information, and also by promoting dispersion of knowledge to the public in general who demands it either by responding to consultancy applications and or to conferences.

At another level, it is important to acknowledge that in a world where wild spaces are disappearing rapidly and the impact of anthropogenic activities is growing, it is relevant to have references that allow documenting changes and creating a historical-biological record of the areas of influence of the museums. In this manner, it is not only important to develop museum collections to preserve the organisms in question, but also parallel collections such as germ plasm and data banks associated to taxonomic, environmental, ecologic, and geographic information.

The perspectives of the Natural History Museum of CIBNOR are to optimize existing infrastructure by means of integrating laboratories with common objectives and projects; boost research level taxonomically, systematically, and biogeographically while creating better working conditions and synergy among field specialists; obtain more and better financial support by offering projects and studies of great magnitude; and respond more efficiently and coherently to the challenges and demands imposed by society. We have the Bar Code project on the way, which is mainly based on obtaining sequences of specimens that should be deposited in scientific collections. It will widen furthermore the perspectives in molecular systematics of this group. In this integration process we are considering to obtain concrete goal at short, medium, and long term.

Mission:

The Natural History Museum, as part of CIBNOR shares the mission of contributing to the welfare of society by means of performing scientific research and developing human resources in the knowledge and management of natural resources, with emphasis on knowledge and conservation of the species of Northwest Mexico.

Approach:

To be a Natural History Museum of national and international reference for its quality, quantity, and preservation of the cultural heritage it preserves, as well as be a research, conservation, and education  unit of excellence to contribute actively to regional development in the area of natural resources.

Objectives:

The strategic line of the Natural History Museum: Taxonomy, Systematics is focused on knowing, recording, and preserving biodiversity through museum collections that allow present and future study of biodiversity.

1. Increase the taxonomic collections of reference and parallel collections, such as germ plasm and data banks associated to taxonomic, environmental, ecologic, and geographic information;
2. Contribute to knowledge on the natural resources of the country, with special emphasis on museum material and on the analysis or studies that could derive from it;
3. Study taxonomy, systematics, and other sciences associated to museum collections;
4. Spread scientific knowledge and link society to create sensibility on the importance on protecting our environment and  knowing plant and animal  species;
5. Participate in the Mexican Life Bar Code Project (MEXBOL), based mainly on obtaining sequences of specimens deposited in CIBNOR scientific collections.