Over 1,000 incredible artifacts and scientific objects fill our hands-on teaching collections. The sixty-two Burke Boxes, formerly known as Traveling Study Collections, make up the largest resource of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. Topics range across the museum's many disciplines including Native American and Pacific Rim culture studies, earth science, and biological sciences.

Each Burke Box is developed by a team of educators and designed to help teachers meet the Washington State Essential Academic Learning requirements. Each box contains background information, object descriptions, and activity suggestions and lesson plans for multiple grade levels and learning styles. Many boxes also contain supplemental books, DVDs or audio, maps, posters, and other useful classroom tools.

 

Featured Burke Box ~ Fossils
	This general collection includes fossils from the Paleozoic to the Cenozoic eras, such as trilobites, plants, corals, sea snails, clams, brachiopods, and a mammoth tooth. Click below to launch the interactive Web component:

 

Featured Burke Box ~ Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos)
	One of Mexico's most important festivals is the theme of this collection. It includes artifacts, several craft samples, maps, posters, books, recipes, and classroom activity suggestions in a comprehensive teacher packet. Click below to launch the interactive Web component:

 

Featured Burke Box ~ Age of Dinosaurs

Both animal and plant fossil materials are represented in this collection. Included are a cast skull of Seymouria, a vertebra from Dimetrodon, a cast tooth from Tyrannosaurus, a fin-spine from Edaphosaurus, a cast skull of Thrinaxodon, a cast tooth of a hadrosaur, gastroliths, leaves of various plants, petrified wood, and egg fragments from Hypselosaurus. Click below to launch the interactive Web component:

 

Featured Burke Box ~ Rocks & Minerals of Washington State
	This beautiful collection of rocks and minerals illustrates the incredible geologic diversity of Washington. Specimens collected from across the state represent each county. Click below to launch the interactive Web component: Click below to download these materials now: Lessons (PDF) Background Information (PDF) Box Contents (Flash)

Some collections are extremely popular, so be sure to reserve as soon as you know which collection(s) you would like to borrow.

If you reserve by phone, please have the following information ready when you call:

• Name of the contact person
• Name and address of school or organization
• Daytime or message phone number
• Desired dates and back-up dates of collection rental
• Whether you would like to pick up the collection or have it mailed
• Method of payment (credit card, purchase order, cash or check)
• Billing/Shipping address if different from school or contact address

• Minimum charge, 1 week: $35.00 plus applicable sales tax
• Two weeks: $40.00 plus applicable sales tax

Cost assistance available. Requests to: burked@u.washington.edu or call 206-685-4339.

Collections can be picked up in the Education Office, Monday-Friday, 9 am – 5 pm. Click here for a map of the Burke's location. The entrance to the Education Office is located on the west side of the building, just inside the loading dock.

Weekend pick-up/drop-off arrangements may also be made.

Most collections may be mailed. Shipping fees are additional, ranging from $6.80 to $14.08 one way depending on weight. You are responsible for return shipping costs.

Before returning the collection, please check that all materials are included and carefully packed. You are responsible for any lost or damaged items.

Collections should be returned to the museum by 5 pm on the due date indicated on the collection and the invoice. This includes collections that are mailed; please allow 3–4 days mailing time prior to the due date. There is a late return fee of $2 per day or $10 each week.

Full payment — cash, check, credit cards or purchase order — must be made when you pick up your collection. (If the collection is being mailed to you, we will send you a bill.) All checks should be made out to the University of Washington. You may mail payment to:

Education Division
Burke Museum
Box 353010
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
98195-3010

If you are unable to pick up or return your collection on the scheduled date, or if you decide to cancel your reservation, please call the Education Office immediately. Cancellations should be made at least two weeks before the scheduled mail or pick-up date. This is essential. We often have a waiting list of teachers anxious to use the collections. A one-week rental fee ($35) will be charged for all cancellations not reported two weeks in advance.