The Tissue Bank was created in 2005, its primary objective being to provide researchers with samples from the Museum animals without damaging the collection.
So, when vertebrates are prepared, a sample of the muscle tissue and, where possible, a sample of the liver, are taken. These samples are available for researchers on request. They are conserved in absolute alcohol, although the tissue bank also usually holds frozen or deep-frozen samples.
These samples can be used for the extraction and analysis of genetic material.