The Natural History Museum hosts the Norwegian participant node of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, (GBIF). GBIF was set up by the OECD’s Mega Science Forum in 2001, to fulfill the need to make primary data about the Earth's biological diversity freely available to anyone over the Internet. Primary data in this case refers to species-specific, location-and time-based individual observations of species, and should include several levels of source details, such as the identity of who recorded/identified the observations, and any additional documentation that may that may be required, for further identification. GBIF stores and distributes both documented observations that come from natural history collections as well as well other trusted/updated sources of species information. GBIF now distributes more than 170 million observations through its data portal
Considering there are currently 1.8 million described species on Earth, and the actual number is estimated to be somewhere between 5 and 30 million, it is clear that direct access to information based on the collected material itself has great advantages over simply “paper notes“ of the observation. Our understanding of the Earth (and Norwegian) species is constantly changing and older species records (and descriptions) must often be revised. This is usually only possible if the material collected can be accessed directly. GBIF primary goal is to provide researchers with an overview of what has been collected, ie, an updated overview of currently documented knowledge of Earth's species. Next, GBIF aims to locate in an effective manner, all the material needed to accurate and updateable identification, and finally, provide data for new systematic investigations and biogeographic analysis. The number of collections in the world’s natural history museums is estimated at 2 to 2.5 billion, and only a small part has been digitized so far. These data and analysis are prerequisites for sustainable use and protection of life on Earth, and should be free accessible to all. GBIF contributes to the "repatriation" of information from the developed to the third world.
The Norwegian participant node, GBIF-Norway, was established at the Natural History Museum in 2005 with the mission to make information from Norwegian collections and other sources available to the international GBIF network and to coordinate GBIF-related activities in Norway. We actively work on improving the quality of the datasets we provide. GBIF-Norway cooperates closely with Artsdatabanken (Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre). In November 2007, we set up a joint map-based portal which delivers Norwegian species data: Artskart (Species Map). This portal implements the information flow principles established by “NorgeDigitalt” (Norway Digital Mapping Infrastructure), and uses WMS technology. Two other Norwegian institutions are also GBIF data nodes: Museum IT (MUSIT) and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).