Too often important information about natural history collections is unavailable due to inaccessibility. For 3-D scientific collections, mass digitization can provide a valuable tool for research and data retrieval. In 2014, Pixel Acuity partnered with the Department of Entomology at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Digitization Program Office to safely and efficiently digitize the Museum’s bumblebee specimens.

After the initial pilot project, the digitization team worked together to create comprehensive physical, imaging, and digital workflows so that the specimens and information could be captured quickly and accurately.

During the second phase in 2019, they were able to digitize over 30,000 3-D bumblebee and carpenter bee specimens in just under 8 weeks! Due to this effort, the entire bumblebee and carpenter bee collections are available online. Over 74,000 of these images will be a part of Smithsonian’s open access initiative where they are available for immediate use. As a result of mass digitization and accessibility initiatives such as these, specimen and label information from natural history collections can be preserved and accessible for years to come.

Featured Speakers:
Jessica Bird | Smithsonian Institution
Jessica is the Acting Collections Information Manager for the Department of Entomology at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. She oversees the digital curation of the entomology collection which includes over 35 million specimens and genetic material. Through the creation and implementation of workflows, she works to increase the collection’s digital presence.

Hannah Storch | Pixel Acuity
Hannah is a Project Manager with Pixel Acuity, specializing in cultural heritage digitization. After obtaining her B.A. in Classics and History from Grinnell College, Hannah attended Georgetown University, where she received her master’s degree in Art and Museum Studies. She has worked in collections and development at a variety of museums and archives, including The National Museum of Women in the Arts, The National Museum of African Art, and The National Museum of Natural History.

Her role at Pixel Acuity has enabled her to partner with institutions, embracing the opportunities that collection digitization brings to institutions and the communities they serve. Along with the daily tasks of image production, image processing, and staff supervision, Hannah has also created digitization workflows and programs that optimize productivity while emphasizing preservation. Working hands-on with physical collections, Hannah never ceases to be amazed by the ability of cultural heritage institutions to piece together the past, one collection object at a time.

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