Our collections include tens of thousands of scientific specimens that are important to understanding the natural history of the southeastern US. Among these, the largest and most active is the paleontological collection, which includes materials from the early Pliocene-aged Gray Fossil Site and regional Quaternary faunas. We also curate a large zoology collection with geographic strengths in the Southeastern and Southwestern US. These collections are curated for the purposes of scientific research and education. All of our scientific collections are preserved in a public trust for the people of Tennessee.  The acronym for our museum is ETMNH, which stands for East Tennessee State University Museum of Natural History collections.