Collection

The active, growing permanent collection consists of approximately 250,000 cataloged specimens and perhaps three times that number of uncataloged specimens. Many master's theses and doctoral dissertations, and thousands of publications are based on Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory (VPL) specimens. Included among our current holdings are several distinct historical collections, which include those described below.

• Big Bend National Park Collection
• Recent Vertebrate Collection
• The East Texas State University (ETSU) Collection
• The Edwin T. Dumble Collection
• The Midwestern State University Collection (in part)
• The Navajo Nation Collection
• The Sellards Collection
• The Texas A&M (TAMU) Collection
• The Work Projects Administration (WPA) Collection
• Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory Collection