The University of Alaska Museum of the North, located at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, is a major resource center for the public and for scholars. The Museum's mission is to acquire, conserve, investigate, and interpret specimens and collections relating to the natural, artistic, and cultural heritage of Alaska and the Circumpolar North. Through education, research, and public exhibits, the Museum serves the state, national, and international science programs. The Museum develops and uses botanical, geological, zoological, and cultural collections; these collections form the basis for understanding past and present issues unique to the North and meeting the challenges of the future.