Scientific Visits
The Department of Invertebrate Zoology (IZ) collections are housed in the Natural History Building (NHB) and the Museum Support Center (MSC). MSC is the location of Lab/Pod 5 and home to the collections management staff and the fluid preserved invertebrate collections. The dry collections are located at NHB and in Pod 2 at MSC.
The NHB exhibits are open to the public from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm every day except December 25. Employee core hours are 8:45 am to 5:15 pm. Visiting researchers wishing access to the scientific collections and libraries must make advance arrangements through the appropriate IZ research scientist. Hours of access will vary and should be discussed with the research scientist at the time visitor arrangements are made.
The MSC and Lab 5 are not open to the public. They are open Monday through Thursday during employee core hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Due to staff schedules, lab core hours are variable on Friday. Any requests for extended hours must be made on a day to day basis and depend on staff availability. The lab is closed for Federal Holidays as well as the day after Thanksgiving and the last two weeks in December.
Access to Collections
By advance arrangements with one of the Department's research scientists or staff, the IZ research collections are available to qualified researchers and their students. A minimum of 2 weeks advance notice is required for short visits (less than 2 days), and arrangements for longer visits (more than 2 days) must be made 1 month in advance. Specify the purpose and anticipated duration of the visit. Also specify any special considerations such as equipment you may need to use (SEM,TEM, microscopes etc). Bring your own equipment if possible (e.g. microscope, computer, camera). Desk space, lamps, dissecting tools, photo stands, and a number of compound and dissecting microscope are usually available, but not guaranteed.
Access may also be granted to volunteer workers, responsible members of natural history organizations and private citizens with a demonstrable academic interest in our collections, but usually not to the general public. An IZ staff member will accompany anyone unfamiliar with the collections and specimen handling procedures, or who is personally unknown to divisional personnel. Access to the collections may be denied because of concern for the safety of the collections or due to lack of staff to assist visitors. Please contact Invertebrate Zoology staff well in advance of any anticipated visit to ensure that appropriate scientific staff will be available during your visit and that adequate laboratory space and equipment are available.
Destructive Analysis -- Prior to permanent alteration of a specimen for purposes of dissection, clearing and staining, or tissue sampling, you must obtain written permission from the curator in charge of that taxa. Confirmation of species identification is strongly recommended before destructive use of a specimen.
To assist us in evaluating such requests for destructive analysis please provide the following:
• A brief description of your project
• Justification for the use of USNM specimens
• Some indication that the technique applied or sample taken is indeed appropriate to the question being asked.
Visitor Info
Security: Museum security procedures require that you have a picture ID available (not passport) for admission to the non-public areas of the museum. For extended visits of more than 1 week, it may be possible to arrange for a visiting scientist ID badge.
Personal Collections: All specimens brought into the Museum are subject to international wildlife import and export laws. International visitors are responsible for obtaining any necessary export permits from their home country. Please contact us well in advance if you are planning to bring corals or other CITES regulated specimens to the Museum. You are also responsible for completing and filing the FWS (Fish and Wildlife Service) 3-177 form to declare your specimen imports and/or exports.
Banking: Visitors receiving stipend or fee checks from the Smithsonian can make special arrangements at NHB to cash them locally. A Chevy Chase Bank ATM is located near Constitution Avenue inside the NHB. There are no banking options at MSC.
Food and Beverage: NHB offers public dining facilities and areas for staff to eat. Visitors choosing to dine in the public areas will receive a staff discount on food prices. Food service is not guaranteed to be available at MSC. MSC does however have snack and beverage vending machines. It is recommended that visitors pack their breakfast and/or lunch when they work at MSC.
Housing: Long-term visitors can find a directory of dormitories, residential rentals, and house-share opportunities through the NHB Research Training Program.
Seminars: The Department operates a seminar series and invites visiting scientists to give a lecture while at the NHB. Visitors may wish to bring slides and other materials from their home institution to illustrate a talk. Contact the Department Chair for scheduling at NHB.
Transportation: The NHB is located at 10th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W. in Washington, D.C. Parking near the museum is not recommended because it is extremely limited and would require you to pay into a parking meter every few hours. Public transportation via Metro Rail is very convenient. There are subway stations at National Airport and Amtrak’s Union Station, with stops at Archives, Federal Triangle, and Smithsonian all within a short walk from the Museum.
The MSC is accessible via car, Metro Rail, and shuttle service from NHB. Visitor parking is available onsite. The Suitland subway station is an approximate 15 minute walk from MSC. The Smithsonian also provides free, regular shuttle bus service between MSC and NHB to all visitors with proper Smithsonian credentials. The shuttle runs from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The shuttle stops at NHB at the start of every hour and at MSC at half past the hour. The last shuttle taking passengers from MSC to NHB is at 5:30 so please make sure you are waiting out front at least 5 minutes before the scheduled stop.
Driving directions to MSC
Walking directions to MSC from Suitland Metro Station
Services
Copying: Visitors may use Departmental copying machines for $.10 per copy. The NMNH Director’s Office copier should be used for items larger than 30 pages.
Incoming Mail and Faxing: Visitor mail is delivered to the VISITOR mail slot on the third floor at NHB. Faxes are delivered to mail slots or hand-delivered to you. A fax machine is located in the Department Chairs’s office and MSC LAB-5. Please use for local calls only unless arrangements have been made with the Department Administrative Officer. Mail and Faxes are hand delivered at MSC.
Supplies: Visitors are responsible for buying their own supplies, such as film and other materials Other supplies may be available depending on what is needed. Ask your sponsor what is available.
Chemicals: Visitors who are working with special chemicals need to declare them with their sponsor so we can review the request. We will provide all chemicals pertinent to specimen curation (i.e. Ethanol, Isopropanol, Formalin, Glycerine). Most chemicals associated with Histology are available in the Histology Lab but please check before well in advance of your arrival. The chemicals that are used may affect the location of your visitor station and the need for a fume hood.
Telephone Calls: Visitors may use the telephones only for local calls that relate to official business.
Equipment
Computers: PCs are available on a limited basis for word processing, e-mail and web access. WiFi access is also available at both facilities.
Microscopes: Microscopes are available for use by Visitors on a first-come-first-serve basis. Because microscopes cannot be guaranteed to be available, Visitors should be aware that they may need to bring their own with them. Check with your sponsor or visitor contact.
RMC and TM-2 Ultramicrotomes: These are available for use by qualified visitors. You must provide your own knife and other sectioning supplies.
Cameras: Visitors to MSC will find a limited number of cameras for their use. Many of the scopes at MSC have photo tubes and the cameras have adapters to fit them or the oculars. Please check in advance for availability, which is not guaranteed.
Facilities
Histology Lab: A fully equipped histology lab is available. In addition to warming trays and rotary microtomes, an automatic tissue processor and embedding center are available for use. Visitors are welcome to use the lab but are expected to provide all of their own expendable supplies. Advance arrangement must be made through the IZ research scientist point of contact.
SEM Facilities: Limited non-staff use and is dependent on training or approval from the SEM Lab manager Scott Whitaker. You must prepare your own material but you may be allowed to use the critical point dryer in the SEM Lab. Let your sponsor know ahead of time if your are planning to use the SEM Lab so that arrangements can be made and an appointment(s) scheduled.
TEM Facilities: A JEOL-1200 TEM is available for use by qualified visiting investigators after an in-house orientation. You must provide your own supplies (all fixation, preparation and staining chemicals, grids, sectioning supplies), TEM film and chemicals for the Arkay developing system.
Libraries, NMNH and the Unit Branch Libraries: Visitors may use the Unit Libraries, but must check out all books in accordance with Unit policy and practices. Visitors must fill out Natural History Branch library form for books. Interlibrary loans and bibliographic searches, both services of the NMNH Natural History Library, are not available to visitors (excluding pre- and post-docs and research associates), who should make such arrangements through their parent organizations.
Staff
Visiting scientists should work closely with their sponsor to achieve the goals of their visit. The following staff will also provide support in the areas noted.
Jon Norenburg, Department Chair
Marty Joynt, Administrative Officer
Linda Cole, Visitor Coordinator
Other Key Staff for Visitors
Cheryl Bright, Collections Manager, Accession and Loan
Linda Ward, Museum Specialist, Database Manager
Geoff Keel, Lab Manager, MSC
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