Geological
Collections

Among the largest collections of marine geology samples in the United States.

Learn more about the Geological Collections

Alex Hangsterfer

Our Collection

The collections holds about 7,500 deep ocean cores, more than 3,500 deep sea dredges, and approximately 40,000 slides of marine microfossils in the main rock and core collections, and about 10,000 samples of rocks and fossils in the teaching collection.

Dredged Rock Collection Cores and Microfossils

Education and Outreach

Teaching

At least 36 courses at Scripps and UC San Diego depend on these collection materials for classroom instruction: 20 graduate , 6 undergraduate, and one UC extension course.

More about teaching
Teaching Collection

Outreach

A very important part of what we do in the Geological Collections is to teach students of all ages and the community at large about the importance and impact of the scientific research conducted with samples from the geological collections.

More about outreach

Support the Collections

Friends of the Collections support the largest and most complete university-based oceanographic collection in the world, comprised of millions of biological and geological marine specimens. This library of the ocean’s history is a resource to researchers and students all over the world.

Join the Friends of the Collections

Contact Us

Staff biographies and contact information.