One of the main scientific resources at the Natural Sciences Museum of Barcelona is its collections, and one of our top priorities is to provide a query service for the community. The outstanding value of this heritage is due to the Museum's long institutional history, the work of its people over the years, its infrastructure, and its facilities.

All our collections are accessible on the website, and they can be consulted in different ways. As the collections types are highly varied, specific projects can be developed by grouping samples with similar basic characteristics. Wikicollecta deals with specific groups of collections that allow the user to study specific themes in greater depth.

Data from the collections is managed by the Museum´s technical and scientific staff but other naturalists and researchers provide highly valuable support and contributions. Wikicollecta uses interactive communication technologies, particularly applications that facilitate the circulation of data not only between scientists and technicians but also with people from around in the world who are interested in the Museum.

The type of information provided regarding the collections is diverse: place names, people´s names, taxonomies, and so on. Some labels and captions on very old collections are no longer clearly legible. Furthermore, as specimens come from all over the world and the collections have been built up over 150 years, it is difficult to provide uniform details for all samples. It is here that external collaborators can help by filling in any gaps in the data provided.

With the launching of the Wikicollecta website, the Museum hopes to gain a deeper knowledge of its collections. Such data may be transferrable to scientific, technical, and informational projects, but it might also satisfy simple curiosity about the Museum's heritage.

On Wikicollecta, users can report any errors they may detect, expand data, suggest changes, etc. As the Museum is a public institution, any improvements in its services are of benefit to everyone.

To participate, simply provide your name each time you wish to contribute or set up an account. In the latter case, you can use your identifiable access for any comments you wish to make in any session.

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