This is the oldest collection in the Institute with some specimens prepared in the first half of the 19th Century.

The vast majority of the collection was made by Dr James Harrison and Dr Jeffery Harrison and is focused on the Palaearctic region, with an emphasis on wildfowl. In addition, the Institute received a number of donated collections, including those of Ticehurst and Billy Paine and some of the 'Hastings Rarities'.