The primary mission of The Georgia Museum of Natural History is to collect and preserve evidence of the cultural and natural heritage of Georgia and beyond; to encourage scholarship and service relating to the collections; to foster stewardship of the heritage of the people of Georgia; and to instruct people in their cultural and natural heritage.
The goals are:

1. To serve the State of Georgia and The University of Georgia as a natural history museum engaged in education, outreach, research, and service.
2. To combine collections with education, research, and service in order to serve a diverse public.
3. To foster the curation and long-term conservation of Georgia's natural history legacy, including objects and related data.
4. To stimulate public interest, support, and understanding of natural history through exhibits, conferences, electronic media, in-school visits, educational programming, and other outlets which reach schools and the general public.
5. To serve the student body by promoting student achievement and providing appropriate academic support in natural history.
6. To promote collection-based research enhancing knowledge of the cultural and natural heritage of Georgia, the southeastern region, and beyond with a commitment to academic achievements having national and international significance.
7. To promote public service and technical assistance addressing the strategic needs of the State of Georgia in the field of natural history.