This map shows the localities represented by the Gulf of Mexico collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. The Smithsonian has been collaborating with the Minerals Management Service since the 1970s to archive collections from marine surveys, resulting in more than 300,000 lots. It is estimated that the Smithsonian holds about 58% of all the publicly available specimen-based records from the Gulf of Mexico. This provides an important baseline for comparative surveys. The Museum’s Dr. Jonathan Coddington on June 15, 2010, provided testimony to a U.S. House Subcommittee that details the scope and significance of the collection. Learn more in our Gulf Oil Spill section.