Natalie Patton
Curator of Collections
What I do
I am responsible for the stewardship of cultural materials held by the Museum of Anthropology and developing and implementing policies. The goal is not only to preserve materials but to ensure that collections are cared for in ways that restore relationships, return authority, and repair historical harms.
Professional Biography
Natalie Patton is the Curator of Collections at the DU Museum of Anthropology. Natalie has a M.S. in Museum and Field Studies from the University of Colorado and a B.A. in Anthropology from Northern Arizona University. She has worked in museum collections since 2019 and has engaged in zooarchaeological research using legacy faunal collections. She is committed to the ethical stewardship of cultural materials, and actively addressing and undoing the legacies of colonialism in museum practices. She oversees the care, documentation, and accessibility of collections with a focus on collaboration, repatriation, and cultural protocols. This work is done in partnership with originating communities to ensure stewardship practices dismantle colonial biases, honor Indigenous knowledge systems, and support the ethical return and interpretation of cultural heritage.
Featured Publications
- Co-author on “Toward Legal, Ethical, and Culturally Informed Care of Animal Remains in American Museum Collections,” published in Advances in Archaeological Practices in March 2025.
- Co-author on "Caring for the Jones-Miller Legacy Collection,” published in the Denver Museum of Nature and Science Catalyst Magazine in Spring 2023.
