Collections
Dorr Museum of Natural History
Curated by students. Available to all.
The Dorr Museum’s collections offer a unique resource for teaching, research, and artistic exploration. All specimens are prepared by College of the Atlantic students through hands-on coursework in natural history, anatomy, and museum studies. Our growing collection supports COA’s mission to blend science, creativity, and experiential learning.
Contact Dorr Museum Director Carrie Graham at cgraham@coa.edu for collections acess.
What’s in the collection
Thousands of specimens. Endless learning opportunities
Our holdings represent the rich biodiversity of coastal Maine and beyond. Core collections include:
- Mammal and bird study skins
- Reptiles and amphibians
- Fishes and marine invertebrates
- Insects and terrestrial arthropods
- Complete bones and skeletons
- Bird eggs
- Taxidermy mounts of birds and mammals
Collections are used by students and faculty for research, class demonstrations, independent studies, and creative projects.
Search the database
Browse our records online through ARCTOS.
A portion of the Dorr Museum’s collections is digitized and available through the ARCTOS collaborative database—a shared platform used by natural history institutions worldwide. You can search by species, collection type, or taxonomic category.
Related resource: The Herbarium
15,000+ plant specimens and counting.
The College of the Atlantic/Acadia National Park Herbarium houses dried specimens of vascular plants, mosses, lichens, and fungi. This collection, maintained by COA, documents regional flora and supports coursework and student research.
Stories from the Field
All-hands effort studies mountaintop mammals
Vertebrate ecologist Dr. Brittany Slabach ’09 is using her Second Century Stewardship to collaborate with COA students, faculty, and alumnx on a study that examines how recreational trail use and sub-alpine management affects mountaintop mammal communities in Acadia National Park. Read More
Community-based research presented at science symposium
College of the Atlantic students share posters and academic research at the annual Acadia Science Symposium, a forum hosted by the National Park Service and the Schoodic Institute to promote networking and learning among regional scientists, educators, students, and others working in a range of fields. Read More
A year in the life of Acadia National Park’s birds [PBS NewsHour]
Catch up with College of the Atlantic ornithology instructor Rich MacDonald on his year-long challenge to identify as many birds by sight or sound as possible. Read MoreReady to build your own path?
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