"[1] The subject specialist network[2] promotes research and exchange of ideas, advances in technical and ethical standards, and raises the public profile of the conservation and preservation of natural science collections and objects.
The organisation describes their focus as:[1] The Natural Sciences Collections Association was founded in April 2003 from the merger of Natural Sciences Conservation Group (NCSG) and Biological Curator's Group (BCG) at a meeting in the Manchester Museum on 7 April 2003.
[3] The organisation has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Geological Curators' Group and Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections.
[4] On 14 May 2020 Isla Gladstone (based at Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery) was elected chair, replacing Paolo Viscardi (based at the National Museum of Ireland – Natural History) who was chair for two terms since June 2014.
[5] In 2013, the charity announced Alice Roberts, Iain Stewart and Ben Garrod as patrons.