The Marie Hopkin's Comparative Osteology Collection is a teaching and interpretive resource, containing over 2,500 bird, mammal, reptile, amphibian, and fish skeletal specimens. Specimens range from a single element to the entire skeleton. The collection is used for teaching comparative osteology, archaeology, and zoology classes at IMNH and ISU. It is also a resource for paleontologists and archaeologists and is used for wildlife forensics by several wildlife agencies.
Most specimens in the collection are from this region (Idaho and the Intermountain West) but as time and opportunity arise, specimens from other regions as well as zoo specimens (e.g., elephant, camel) have been incorporated into the collection. The collection also holds some pathological conditions and genetic anomalies which are of use to researchers studying the effects of nutrition, disease, and genetics on ancient and modern populations.